SWISS LX40 [ZRH-LAX] diversion to Iqaluit
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Essex, UK
Posts: 68
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
This is going to cost someone a pretty penny presumably?
Landing fee's.
Fuel to fly A330 retrieval flight.
Compensation for A330 cancelled ex New York.
Compensation for 777 delayed/re-routed passengers.
1 x engine.
1x Anatov 124 Hire (query - will they need it again to retrieve the old engine.. presumably not scrapped?)
Engineers + equipment eg tent
When repaired - getting crew on-site
Fuel to fly plane to somewhere useful...
Landing fee's.
Fuel to fly A330 retrieval flight.
Compensation for A330 cancelled ex New York.
Compensation for 777 delayed/re-routed passengers.
1 x engine.
1x Anatov 124 Hire (query - will they need it again to retrieve the old engine.. presumably not scrapped?)
Engineers + equipment eg tent
When repaired - getting crew on-site
Fuel to fly plane to somewhere useful...
Just a guess but regardless of the age of the airframe I suspect only if you can show Boeing or GE were to be blame in some way, otherwise I suspect this might fall into the category of "S happens" ( maybe the airline itself has suitable insurance for diversions such as this - don't know if they do, would be interested to know)?
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Balmullo,Scotland
Posts: 932
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
PJ, in a previous life I was involved in warranty issues with new A/C going technical all that Boeing(don't know about AB but suspect the same policy) would pay for was the cost associated with repair and not anything else such as PAX costs ferrying crews A/C or equipment etc.
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Confusio Helvetica
Posts: 311
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Often, people (including aviation professionals) will classify any uncommanded shutdown as an "automatic" shutdown - that only really means that the engine quit without any crew input.
Educated guess, based on what I know about the GE90, is that it was a gearbox issue. Something in the gearbox fails, drive is lost to the fuel pump, no fuel pump means no fuel and the engine "automatically" shuts down...
Educated guess, based on what I know about the GE90, is that it was a gearbox issue. Something in the gearbox fails, drive is lost to the fuel pump, no fuel pump means no fuel and the engine "automatically" shuts down...
Originally Posted by The Aviation Herald
On Feb 8th 2017 The Aviation Herald received information that the angle gearbox, connecting the gear box to the N2 rotor, cracked causing the gear box to disengage, as result the high pressure fuel pumps were no longer operating causing the engine to shut down due to fuel starvation. An engine restart was not attempted in consultation with dispatch and maintenance due to ACARS messages indicating activation of the magnetic chip detector. A high power engine run is now going to commence at Iqaluit, then the aircraft is estimated to position back to Zurich.
...all that Boeing(don't know about AB but suspect the same policy) would pay for was the cost associated with repair and not anything else such as PAX costs ferrying crews A/C or equipment etc.
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: flyover country USA
Age: 82
Posts: 4,579
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
On-wing repair
Not sure of all the implicatios here, but field on-wing repair of this GE90 night have been feasible given one or two bits of data.
The loss of gearbox drive power might have been diagnosed with a simple cranking check; the N2 sensor on the mainshaft, fwd compressor bearing area would show no response to gearbox rotation. No mechanical connection. It's either the angle gearbox, or the input or output shafting.
I've done this in the test cell, but not on-wing, and certainly not in the Arctic!
The loss of gearbox drive power might have been diagnosed with a simple cranking check; the N2 sensor on the mainshaft, fwd compressor bearing area would show no response to gearbox rotation. No mechanical connection. It's either the angle gearbox, or the input or output shafting.
I've done this in the test cell, but not on-wing, and certainly not in the Arctic!
And hopefully not following a magnetic chip detector warning.
With metal chips in the oil, as avherald mentioned, it is unlikely that Swiss or the engine manufacturer would risk an on site repair of parts of the engine.
The engine swap has far less risk, compared to a possible seizure if you fly out an engine with metal chip remains in the oil.
The engine swap has far less risk, compared to a possible seizure if you fly out an engine with metal chip remains in the oil.
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Canada
Posts: 1,852
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
...and so tdracer on page 3 of this thread has the winning answer:
Actually, it's nice to know that I learned something during those 39+ years I spent working this
. 
Yea barit1, there have been a number of "infant mortality" failures of engines fresh out of overhaul due to contamination left in the oil system. As I posted a few pages back, it's really important to make sure the oil system is completely flushed out and clear before returning an engine to service.
If you've ever stripped a component that had already been flushed only to find a little pile of metallic crud wedged up next to an internal gusset you'd be very reluctant to bet your low-hours engine on flushing being as effective as it needs to be.
And a lot of metal can be circulating and damage caused before a chip detector will throw up an alarm.
And a lot of metal can be circulating and damage caused before a chip detector will throw up an alarm.
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Belgium
Posts: 67
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: Rockytop, Tennessee, USA
Posts: 5,898
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like
on
1 Post
YFB DUTUM MUSVA CLAVY 6300N/05000W 6200N/04000W 6100N/03000W 6000N/02000W ERAKA ETSOM TOPPA REMBA SUTAL UN852 GTQ UT27 BLM
From: https://flightaware.com/live/flight/...300Z/CYFB/LSZH
Last edited by Airbubba; 9th Feb 2017 at 14:34.
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: 100m South of the 45th
Age: 59
Posts: 35
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Looks now to be back at base where I hope the guys and girls who handled this challenge are being recognised for their achievements. Great teamwork all round and you deserve your rest after this.
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: uk
Age: 58
Posts: 28
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I know a few people that post here often, they knew the reason and had the photos and simply chose not to write it here along with other information.. there is a point a few posts above that's totally incorrect but I won't be correcting it 