How much does your aeroplane leak?

[Capt Claret]

I was a passenger on a 747 over the weekend and involved in an air return, due to electrical smells in the cabin.

It transpires that water leaking into the ceiling of the main level had caused a short circuit in a P.S.U. Whilst the engineers were fault finding and rectifying I noticed a considerable amount of water leaking from one of the overhead projectors.

The 'projector leak' was brought to the attention of the engineers, who said it was normal, and did not investigate.

I have never seen a pressurised aircraft leak like this, so my question is, how much does your aircraft leak, and what is considered normal?

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bottums up !

[Hugh Jarse]

AWWWWW Clarrie...Cast your mind back to the days of the Dash-8 and the leaking "sunroof" in the flight deck. You remember now.... :)

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Dyslexics of the world untie!

[Jex]

C206 blundering around in the wet season - water leaking in through the wing root air vents and being blasted onto your face, water dribbling in through all the other air vents, water bubbling in under the cracked seals around the windscreen, 100% humidity so any piece of paper or clothing stays damp until back safely inside the aircon at base.

Jex

[Capt Claret]

Nah Jarse, the Dash didn't leak like this.

BTW, why would dyslexics want to unite? ;)

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bottums up !

[sprocket]

Isn't that what the drain holes in the bottom of the fuselage are for?

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sprocket: .. No standards? Nooo problems!

[ground-run]

I'd be surprised if the water mentioned was leaking into a 747 from outside the pressure hull. In my experience water dripping down from the ceiling during flight will be condensation. The other possible source would be potable water pipes, although I don't know where these run in the 747, in most a/c I'm familiar with they are under the floor.
The leaks with the Dash 8 'sunroof' get in when the a/c is parked up and un-pressurised. This is an a/c that does seem to produce alot of condensation however, which then drips from the insulation blankets.

[Seaeagle109]

You've never been in a leaky aircraft until you've flown a Nomad; doors, windscreen,roof you name it, it leaks through it. I always wondered how rapidly the thing would sink if we had to ditch.

I remember one dark and stormy, we had water poring into the cabin on to the radar operators console. Not much fun H2O and 115v 3 phase deciding to get together.

[Islander Jock]

A couple of days parked in the rain and the old Islander was carrying more H20 than AVGAS.
The tip tanks had caps which sort of covered the opening but provided no sealing whatsoever. This coupled with the upper surface sloping towards the cap guaranteed at least 3 or 4 litres of water in the tanks.

Better still though was the collection of water in the overhead panels which would douse R3 and R4 with a good bucket load when takeoff pwr was applied.

[compressor stall]

VH - JIL a reasonably good 210. the interior being in good 'nic meant that one was instilled with a sense of confidence as to its upkeep etc. Alas, on rotation, a good half a cup of water used to pour out from behind the visor, straight onto your flight folder and maps, or straight onto your crotch...

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Those who restrain desire do so because theirs is weak enough to be restrained.
William Blake

[Bendo]

Chieftains are great for this, their door seals never replaced in their 20 year career and 4 years parked up on the GA apron in DN wouldn't have helped, either.

Bloody HSI crapped out the other day... airplane smells of mildew..and there are 3 varieties of soft cheese growing in the wing lockers. Move the aeroplane in front of the terminal and the pax think all the pooled water running out the drain holes is leaking fuel.

Oh, and the rain water coming in the Co-pilots storm window really gives 'em a shock too :)

[Jamair]

Got a hell of a shock when I went blasting into a cloud with my nice shiny new instrument rating in a PA28 - clouds are full of water and PA28s are full of leaks. Emptied ten whole litres of water from the 2nd row footwell on landing.

And yes, Cessna wing root vents are a constant source of watery annoyance.

Regards.

[Capt Claret]

Ground Run,

During the 'rectification' I overheard some of the airline staff talking and someone mentioned that water often enters through the gull-wing doors (their term) on the upper deck.

The water dripped out of the projector for about an hour and a half and I saw it poor out of the head liner near the P.S.U., too much to be condensation.

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bottums up !

[The Kelly Gang]

Clarrie,

Gone to Tech Log.

Informative Dan

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The Kelly Gang,
Dunnunda & Godzone Forum Moderators