Running Aircraft Engines
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Join Date: Jun 2005
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Running Aircraft Engines
i was on a recent flight from manchester when a technical problem forced the crew to divert to a remote parking area shortly after taxying out ,we spent about thirty minutes there whilst a couple of engineers worked on one of the engines, the crew then anounced that hopefully the problem had been rectified and that a short engine test was required , however as the engine started i noticed the crew were in the galley area chatting to one of the engineers while the other one ran the engines!,is this normal surely the only people qualified to do this are aircrew, im suprised engineers can do this with passengers on board ,surely this isnt normal procedure?
Join Date: Jun 2001
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surely the only people qualified to do this are aircrew
Licenced Aircraft Engineers are just as qualified as aircrew. Even more so if the engine run required are more than a simple start-idle-shutdown drill.
Licenced Aircraft Engineers are required to undergo specific training to qualify for engine runs. They are then subject to recurrent training and checking. Just like aircrew.
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The engineers are the ones qualified to to engine runs, but was the entire flight deck outside whilst this engine run was performed? If yes, then that is a bit naughty in my opinion. This is because if anything went wrong (like catering truck bangs into aircraft, fault in toilet flush motor causes smoke in cabin etc. - not to mention open access to cockpit with engines running!), the crew would be in wrong place to do anything about it.
1/ Engineers are indeed qualified to conduct engine runs, with or without crew present. Certain engineers are indeed qualified to taxi the a/c under power rather than with a pushback/tow tug. some engine runs I have witnessed go outside the normal flight crew operations, so we are consigned to the jumpseat for 10 minutes or in the cabin for a cup of tea.
2/ An aircraft with engines running has anti collision lights on, if you remember that part, and also with engines running, a qualified engineer will be on the headset so all vehicles should not approach the aircraft. Also a post departure engine run such as this, all catering will already be on board.
3/ Would you argue with a hairy engineer, whom you have pulled away from his mug of tea or the afternoon football. After all, the aircraft if subjected to what you are insinuating, still needs to be pushed back.
4/ What would be different from being in the cockpit or in the cabin when smoke from a faulty motor puts some smoke in the cabin, make you own assesment quicker than ahving it relayed to you on the flight deck.
2/ An aircraft with engines running has anti collision lights on, if you remember that part, and also with engines running, a qualified engineer will be on the headset so all vehicles should not approach the aircraft. Also a post departure engine run such as this, all catering will already be on board.
3/ Would you argue with a hairy engineer, whom you have pulled away from his mug of tea or the afternoon football. After all, the aircraft if subjected to what you are insinuating, still needs to be pushed back.
4/ What would be different from being in the cockpit or in the cabin when smoke from a faulty motor puts some smoke in the cabin, make you own assesment quicker than ahving it relayed to you on the flight deck.
