what would YOU do? (pic)
 

Imagine, your the captain flying along happily, there is a small vibration engine reading indicate it as well, then a sudden bang, vibration stops, all reading normal.

then a few sec later, a member of the cabin crew call you out to look out the window, you then see this!
http://home.exetel.com.au/pamuva/Oth...inkneeded.jpeg

what would you do.

ladies and gentlemen, this is your captain speaking....
we are just about to start todays lesson on the inner workings of a jet engine...

Who got the tin opener past security?

The Irish guy in the seat beside you says,

" If we lose the other engine we'll be up here all night!"

"Well, you gotta hand it to those company engineers -- that engine is so clean you could eat your dinner off it."

Mr Ramsden would be proud of it :) his "exploded" view drawings of just about everything that flew or was on an aircraft were an absolute work of art and the first stop when I got the mag.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome aboard this Jetstar flight from Sydney to Sydney. Please notice due to Dixon's Economics, we are returning to where we started from. Thank for for choosing to fly Budget Skippy"

OR

Airbus - Vive la Differance!

I would flick to the 'flapping cowl' section of the qrm.

"Afternoon Ladies & gentlemen, This is your captain, to the Gentlemen in 6a who wanted to know how a Jet engine works, I Sent the FO out , who removed the Cowls so you can have a better look, alas the FO hasn't returned so we are goign to have to go back & get him :E "

Well I'll be doggonned!!

How does the engine look on your side?

OK we've got one left. That'll get us back. And I don't see any malfuntions indicated yet.
The damn thing is still working but I'll back off on its power while we slow down a bit.

Call a Pan and tell them that we need priority for a heavy landing and emergency services alerted.
Better add that the cowlings have dropped off our left engine and we don't know where they went..

The pax are probably having fits. Better give them a confidence burst. Natter natter.

This one isn't in the book so I'll just do what seems best.

Some buffet. Why didn't we notice that before.?

Better at this speed.
Hydraulics OK.

While we are up here I'll drop the gear as a precaution and try some flap.

What speeds so I need for the landing at this weight.

Routine return?

How would a pro handle it?

I'd shut it down and land. Next?

Shut Down.
Land.
Beer. :ok:

Shut it down?
 

Leave it running (use it) till you have to shut it down.
Land.:eek:

Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome aboard Jetstar. Looks like one of our pushback devices lost it again. But dont worry. We are just as good as Virgin Blue. Watch now as I stall the aircraft to prove it! Yee haa!:}

Capt. to F/O: " Thats the first time I have ever seen whats in there ! "

Why would you shut it down? It's only the cowl that's failed, the engine is running normally. There will be a slight increase in drag on that side which will be easily corrected with rudder and/or increased thrust on that side. Reduce to minimum speed to reduce the aerodynamic forces on the now exposed bits and make a normal two engine approach and landing. As to where that would be would depend on my position reference departure/destination/alternates.

Assuming that the cowl has gone over the back and not down the intake (logically) and the engine's vital signs are good, keep it running and reduce to minimum practicable speed. Land at the nearest suitable and don't use reverse on that side. Turn it off after rollout and have a visual check for leaks before taking it to the gate.

Take a note of the exact position of the point of cowling departure (if possible) for subsequent recovery.

If nothing hit your flaps / aft surfaces - you are not that badly off at all. Any airframe vibration might well prompt a low speed handling check at a safe altitude. That top cowling support and associated connected panels looks like a candidate for departure so a track away from built up areas - as far as possible - would be worth asking for.

Definately a PAN to get traffic, routing and landing priority - but nothing more drastic.



The PA would prove the biggest challenge.

DG

As schweinhund suggested, don't forget to roll in 30o of bank Mc McGoo.