Wirraway
30th Jun 2004, 17:56
Thurs "The Australian"
Qantas repairs jumbo engines
By Steve Creedy, Aviation writer
July 01, 2004
QANTAS says it is close to finishing a repair program on its jumbo jets that will prevent parts falling off the giant aircrafts' engines.
At least two thrust reverser blocker doors, used to reverse the air flow of an engine and help slow down the plane, are known to have fallen off Boeing 747s in Australia.
The most recent of these mishaps occurred last month and damaged a Qantas Boeing 737, which hit the part as it took off from Sydney Airport on May 15. Crew on the Cairns-bound 737 felt a shudder in the nose wheel.
Pilots in another aircraft landing at Sydney reported debris on the runway, and a subsequent inspection showed it to be tyre segments and pieces of aircraft structure.
The 737 returned safely to Sydney after the crew were told of the debris.
"An investigation by the operator found the 737 struck a Boeing 747 thrust reverser blocker door that had fallen from an aircraft that had previously used the runway," said a report from the Australian Transport Safety Bureau, released yesterday.
"The door damaged the 737 nose landing gear tyre and gashed the aluminium skin of the fuselage."
The Qantas investigation was unable to identify the 747 that lost the engine part or whether it occurred during take-off or landing.
A Qantas spokesman said Rolls-Royce issued a directive in 1996 requiring modifications to five of 12 thrust reverser engine blocker doors on 747 engines.
He said Qantas completed that work some years ago but had subsequently extended the program to include all 12 doors.
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Qantas repairs jumbo engines
By Steve Creedy, Aviation writer
July 01, 2004
QANTAS says it is close to finishing a repair program on its jumbo jets that will prevent parts falling off the giant aircrafts' engines.
At least two thrust reverser blocker doors, used to reverse the air flow of an engine and help slow down the plane, are known to have fallen off Boeing 747s in Australia.
The most recent of these mishaps occurred last month and damaged a Qantas Boeing 737, which hit the part as it took off from Sydney Airport on May 15. Crew on the Cairns-bound 737 felt a shudder in the nose wheel.
Pilots in another aircraft landing at Sydney reported debris on the runway, and a subsequent inspection showed it to be tyre segments and pieces of aircraft structure.
The 737 returned safely to Sydney after the crew were told of the debris.
"An investigation by the operator found the 737 struck a Boeing 747 thrust reverser blocker door that had fallen from an aircraft that had previously used the runway," said a report from the Australian Transport Safety Bureau, released yesterday.
"The door damaged the 737 nose landing gear tyre and gashed the aluminium skin of the fuselage."
The Qantas investigation was unable to identify the 747 that lost the engine part or whether it occurred during take-off or landing.
A Qantas spokesman said Rolls-Royce issued a directive in 1996 requiring modifications to five of 12 thrust reverser engine blocker doors on 747 engines.
He said Qantas completed that work some years ago but had subsequently extended the program to include all 12 doors.
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