Full emergency at Gatwick, 23 August 2008
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rhutch1011 - I have been in touch with someone who also was on board and who works for the airline. It was a bird strike; presumably therefore to an engine. Would have had to dump fuel before returning to land hence the "flyabout".
Well from reading your posts, there are probably around 10 very bemused guys as to how you came about this information. Again, we find speculation rather than fact coming out as gosspel here. Let the airline announce (if it wishes) its findings and don't speculate what a friend who heard this and that has said.
It doesn't help anybody.
FB
Well from reading your posts, there are probably around 10 very bemused guys as to how you came about this information. Again, we find speculation rather than fact coming out as gosspel here. Let the airline announce (if it wishes) its findings and don't speculate what a friend who heard this and that has said.
It doesn't help anybody.
FB
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I think ladyflyby has posted the most authoritive account of events as I think anybody will get for now until or if airline releases further statements, tho Im sure somebody will re-write or contradict events from their own remote stand point.
I hope you enjoyed that well deserved drink down the pub ladyflyby
I hope you enjoyed that well deserved drink down the pub ladyflyby
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Exactly, "assumed" is the problem. Assumptions are not fact.
Ladyflyby - you and I probably met on a number of occasions today, before and after the event. At any point afterwards had you asked we could have told you what we thought a range of reasons could be for it happening. As it is, we're still narrowing down the options and I'm sure the company will be aware overnight. They can then say what it was if they feel the need to. Irrespective, shes getting a new engine as I type and will be back online in the morning.
Ladyflyby - you and I probably met on a number of occasions today, before and after the event. At any point afterwards had you asked we could have told you what we thought a range of reasons could be for it happening. As it is, we're still narrowing down the options and I'm sure the company will be aware overnight. They can then say what it was if they feel the need to. Irrespective, shes getting a new engine as I type and will be back online in the morning.
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Irrespective, shes getting a new engine as I type and will be back online in the morning.
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VAA B744s are fitted with General Electric CF6's. And yes.... the Engine overhaul and storage facility is just south of the runway at LGW not far from that church that the BAA would love to knock down.
Is there a warehouse somewhere with a few spare (RR?) engines in it?
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I witnessed this incident as a passenger whilst taxiing near the runway as the 747 took off yesterday morning. Because of the angles of view I did not see if there was a problem until rotation, when it passed us. At rotation and during the part of the initial climb that I could see, orange flames trailed the No 1 engine in regular double pulses, each double pulse with an interval of about 1.5 seconds. The flames appeared detached from the engine by about 10 metres and the flames themselves seemed about 15 metres long. It reminded me of the recent footage of the ?Britannia? 757 following a birdstrike.
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Fournier Boy: "Well from reading your posts, there are probably around 10 very bemused guys as to how you came about this information. Again, we find speculation rather than fact coming out as gosspel here. Let the airline announce (if it wishes) its findings and don't speculate what a friend who heard this and that has said."
Well, some people are rather touchy. If all we wanted was to hear what was on the news, there would be no need for a forum such as this. I was of the impression that such fora allowed for the personal exchange of information between individuals, sometimes giving an insight into what is going on. Now that I have been scolded I will have to revert to only watching the BBC.
Well, some people are rather touchy. If all we wanted was to hear what was on the news, there would be no need for a forum such as this. I was of the impression that such fora allowed for the personal exchange of information between individuals, sometimes giving an insight into what is going on. Now that I have been scolded I will have to revert to only watching the BBC.
I witnessed this incident as a passenger whilst taxiing near the runway as the 747 took off yesterday morning. Because of the angles of view I did not see if there was a problem until rotation, when it passed us. At rotation and during the part of the initial climb that I could see, orange flames trailed the No 1 engine in regular double pulses, each double pulse with an interval of about 1.5 seconds. The flames appeared detached from the engine by about 10 metres and the flames themselves seemed about 15 metres long. It reminded me of the recent footage of the ?Britannia? 757 following a birdstrike.
You are describing a classic engine stall/surge response to an internal problem. The engine is not quite sick enough to run down so it tries to recover to the same power setting that it demonstrated that it could not handle.
If left alone it would probably overtemp.
One could point at the possible causes, but the idea is to just fix it for now and think about insurrance claims later.
None but a blockhead
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From where I sit it doesnt look like a bird strike......... PS Heavy things those donks!
Incidentally, the pix of the fuel venting were impressive. Surprised Beardy doesn't add a couple of red and blue diesel injectors and do the airshow circuit.
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Dumping
Not familiar with heavy aircraft ops so genuine questions:-
How much fuel would have needed to be dumped?
How does the kero dissipate?
How much overweight can you land in this situation?
Nice pictures
How much fuel would have needed to be dumped?
How does the kero dissipate?
How much overweight can you land in this situation?
Nice pictures
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Bird strike - smell of 'roast chicken?'
SLF,
If an engine ingested a hapless bird - was there a smell of 'roast chicken' shortly afterwards?
What might that prove, seriously?
DB
If an engine ingested a hapless bird - was there a smell of 'roast chicken' shortly afterwards?
What might that prove, seriously?
DB
If an engine ingested a hapless bird - was there a smell of 'roast chicken' shortly afterwards?
How much fuel would have needed to be dumped?
How does the kero dissipate?
How much overweight can you land in this situation?
Last edited by Checkboard; 28th Aug 2008 at 06:03.