View Full Version : 737 genny failure
The Red Max
24th Oct 2006, 20:38
Please can someone explain the procedure for the unlikely event of loss of all 3 electrical generators when flying the 737 classic 1 hour away from a suitable diversion airfield given that the battery is only good for some 30 min?
mangatete
25th Oct 2006, 06:48
Suggest you get VMC as quickly as possible, then turn S/B power and battery switch off. Fly visually to adequate landing field. Turn battery on and S/B power to auto and prepare aircraft for landing....
the unlikely event of loss of all 3 electrical generators - you have the answer there. Just change 'unlikely' to 'almost impossible' before 'event' and then 'mangatete' has the answer - and keep buying lottery tickets :)
alexban
25th Oct 2006, 08:13
I'd like to remind you this is a 'fly by cable' airplane...so VMC is the answer for you,like mangatete said...
fireflybob
25th Oct 2006, 09:35
This assumes you despatched with a serviceable APU! If not you only start with 2 generators!
Remember despatching in the B707 with a generator u/s operating Toronto London. Half way across the pond we lost another generator! At least it was a four engine a/c so we had two left!
Years ago in an unnamed charter company with B737 we had a spate of u/s APUs and ended up going to the Canaries at night too often with no APU. I used to site there halfway between Lisbon and Tenerife thinking what we would do if we lost another generator there and ended up on one. I suppose its all a question of probability!
Mangatete's advice is spot on!
captjns
25th Oct 2006, 11:56
Suggest you get VMC as quickly as possible, then turn S/B power and battery switch off. Fly visually to adequate landing field. Turn battery on and S/B power to auto and prepare aircraft for landing....
Happened to a Martinair B767 crew flying from Europe to the US about 11 years ago. Lukely it was a daytime operation. The weather in Eurpope was not so good, and the weather on the eastern seaboard of the US was very good. They did exactly that... after the mayday call, they turned off the BATT switch until within range of Boston which is where the crew landed the jet. So is it impossbile? No will it ever happen again... hopefully not but if it does may it be in day VMC conditions.
ASFKAP - I suspect I was there then!:) Of course, if we are talking about the same outfit, the string was never long enough to let us go too far from an alternate! I still maintain the odds of it happening - all 3 u/s - are so slim as to be 'ignored' in 'what-if' planning.
Cough
25th Oct 2006, 14:08
ASFKAP, Now if you could make the APU's as reliable as the gennys on the said fleet through the summer then that would make me very happy:ok:
(Or even the impossible - Having a loader there to plug in the GPU would be better than the current average 10 minute wait!)(OK not your dept).
Ps. agree with the Battery off statement in the above postings. Also, before turning it off, I would txmit a mayday (easy bit) and arrange for an escort aircraft just in case... (sods law it happens at 3am and all the fighter jocks are zzzzzzz) Not ideal, but if nothing comes to life then at least I have something...
all the fighter jocks are zzzzzzz - steady on, lad (TIC approved:) ). Always alert, ever watchful, guardians of the skies.
PK-KAR
25th Oct 2006, 16:15
This assumes you despatched with a serviceable APU! If not you only start with 2 generators!
Add a non-flat battery that would recharge to that list... A few months ago someone here flew a 733/4/5 with a flat battery for some reason or another... When GEN2 failed... U can guess the rest...
PK-KAR