Engineers - any sign of ash damage so far?

[Agaricus bisporus]

To all you engineers out there, have you seen any physical sign of damage to engines/airframes/systems following the recent volcanic ash event in Europe?

[smudgethecat]

Up to now no signs of any problems we are also checking the oil system scavange and px filters and the fuel LP filters for contamination, so far so good

[BUGS/BEARINGS/BOXES]

My cup of tea seemed to have a rather powdery taste up at FL350 today.........perhaps thats was just for insulting the crew though??

[IFixPlanes]

Originally Posted by Agaricus bisporus

...have you seen any physical sign of damage to engines/airframes/systems following the recent volcanic ash event in Europe?...

To make a long story short:
NO

[Piper19]

A captain came to me this week that he smelled something. F/O did not however. We investigated, some grey dust in ram air exhausts, but I think most of it is already there for years. All our aircraft have the same grey layer, also the ones that didn't fly in the cloud. We began to see things just because you pay attention to them. So I guess no damage till now.
In Oostende an MD11 was grounded, news reports said because of ash found in engines. However a collegue in Oostende told me they grounded it in waiting for a borescope. I suspect this comes out to be nothing found.

[mcdhu]

Had a brief chat with out chief engineer yesterday - no signs of ash in a very comprehensive monitoring program including boro inspections.

Europe wide network - CFM

[Intruder]

Looks like the flight ban through the ash cloud worked!

[Bruce Wayne]

Looks like the flight ban through the ash cloud worked!

As above..

All our aircraft have the same grey layer, also the ones that didn't fly in the cloud.

[falconer1]

correct Intruder

Looks like the flight ban through the ash cloud worked!

And the final bill for maybe starting one or two days early to resume full flight ops will only be known to the beancounters of the airlines once they start comparing engine maintenance bills for the two years from now, with those from the last two years..

[gavthespotter]

Smudge, so why waste time money checking oil filters how could ash ever get into a sealed oil system doesnt make sense unless some one left the cap off that is

[spannersatcx]

how could ash ever get into a sealed oil system

Because they are not sealed, read up on basic turbine engines.

[gavthespotter]

dont come all high and mighty with me mate i know how plane engines work and i dont see how ash can get in a oil system if ash can get in then oil can get out ..right

[brooksjg]

Maybe not 'ash' in the oil.

But reports after volcanic ash encounters (eg. the NASA DC-8 Incident in 2000) include references to very high levels of SULPHUR in the oil. This was taken as a confirmation that the aircraft had indeed gone through an ash plume. Sensors that happened to be on the aircraft also recorded high levels of SO2 in the outside air - so that's the route by which the sulphur gets into the oil.

[gavthespotter]

your not making sense how can sulphur get into a sealed oil system?????????

[Pugilistic Animus]

Read what the cool dude Spannersatcx says

hint: a spanner is the British term for 'Wrench' and Cx has a few planes on hand

[SHUNT]

Hi, You may want to read up on Labyrinth seals.
Rgds

[spannersatcx]

I guess the spotter in the name gives it away.

i know how plane engines work

You obviously don't that's why I suggested you read up on them.

See SHUNT knows.

[Mr @ Spotty M]

Yet again we have some excellent posts from spannersatcx.
Which is why the engine manufactures are telling airlines to check oil filters for ash contamination.
This is why my company is sampling some engines across its fleets at reduced intervals, this to be on the safe side.

[Biggles78]

Just Googled Labyrinth seals. I had seen them before but had no idea what they were called (sort of seems obvious now). It is sort of a closed system that is open. A Labyrinth seal is an oxymoron.
Thanks guys for todays education.

[gavthespotter]

sorry i forgot spannersatcx , as a spotter im not welcome on the "professionals" forums my mistake get over yourself