Boeing 777 Warning over fault on several jets

[Al.]

I have just read this Yahoo News What I don't understand is if as they say there is a high probability of something happening again why are they still being allowed to fly or is it going to take a major catastrophe to ground them until the fault is rectified.

 

Warning over fault on several jets

Friday, March 13 12:55 am

 

Air accident investigators in the US have warned there is a "high probability" that a fault leading to the crash landing of a BA jet at Heathrow will strike other Boeing 777s.

 

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) issued an urgent safety recommendation calling for a redesign of a Rolls-Royce engine component in the plane, following two engine rollbacks - sudden power losses - last year.

 

It came as a UK accident report showed how a build-up of ice on the fuel/oil heat exchanger (FOHE) could have caused the incident at Heathrow in January last year that left one person seriously injured among the 150 people on board.

 

The BA flight from Beijing just cleared a perimeter fence at Heathrow before crash landing short of the Runway.

 

The plane's captain Peter Burkill and co-pilot John Coward were hailed as heroes for their skilful handling of the aircraft.

 

A second incident involving a Boeing 777 occurred 10 months later when a Delta Air Lines plane experienced a single engine rollback while cruising over Montana en route to Atlanta.

 

In both cases, a build-up of ice on the FOHE restricted the flow of fuel to the engine, resulting in the engine rollback.

 

As a result, the NTSB has called for a redesign of the FOHE that would eliminate the potential of ice build-up. Rolls-Royce has said that a new version of the component is already under way and it is estimated that it will be ready to be fitted within 12 months.

 

But until then, all Boeing 777s will have to operate with the suspected fault. There are currently 220 Boeing 777s in operation, 15 owned by British Airways.

 

Mark Rosenker, acting chairman of the NTSB said: "With two of these rollback events occurring within a year, we believe that there is a high probability of something happening again."

Edited March 13, 2009 by Al.

[gogo dog]

This Yahoo news item appears to have been prompted by the Air Accident Investigation Branch's report on the 777 that lost power on the approach to Heathrow in Jan 2008. See http://www.aaib.gov.uk/cms_resources/Inter...20%20G-YMMM.pdf

Edited March 13, 2009 by gogo dog

[Al.]

It's on BBC World News at the moment.

 

Al.

[RedRackam]

Because the media love to hype things that's why.

 

"Problems On Boeing Planes" is a headline that won't pull.

 

"Fly On A Boeing And Your Might Die - Some Experts Are Suggesting"

 

is a headline that pulls.

 

Basically it's a non story.

[coolman]

Am not geting on boeing 777 for no one.

[SlickMonkey]

Newsflash....Bangkok Taxi drivers take large amounts of Yaba to continue driving long hours and drive at break neck speeds in order to make more money. High chance of accidents occuring.

 

Bottom line is that your probally 1000 times more likely to die or get injured from a taxi driver that you are to crash in the new 777's.

 

Put things into perspective and move on with life....

[landslide]

That was the first crash ever of a 777 resulting in a hull loss. On hours flown, the 777 is the safest plane in the sky. Another thing to consider is that the BA plane was powered by a Rolls Royce engine, and the flaw seemed to be specific to that engiine installation. I do not know what engine powers the Delta jet, but 777s are optioned out with different engines, depending on who the carrier prefers, so not all 777s have this potential flaw.

[gogo dog]

All 300ER's and 200LR's are powered by GE90's. Other variants can be powered by Rolls Royce, General Electric or Pratt & Whitney.

[MrDK]

Following this announcement I would expect one 777 after another to fall out of the sky in the near future.

I certainly would not trust the pilots qualifications or common sense to determine whether their families wish them home for dinner.

[lantern]

AAIB Report

 

http://www.aaib.gov.uk/cms_resources/Inter...20%20G-YMMM.pdf

[waterboo]

Newsflash....Bangkok Taxi drivers take large amounts of Yaba to continue driving long hours and drive at break neck speeds in order to make more money. High chance of accidents occuring.

 

Bottom line is that your probally 1000 times more likely to die or get injured from a taxi driver that you are to crash in the new 777's.

 

Put things into perspective and move on with life....

 

Funny how some peoples minds work, you're safer on a plane than in a friggin automobile

[LTGTR]

There is already a procedure in place if it happens again inflight.And to coolman,thanks for posting you will not fly a 777,great,because I'm a retired Delta Air Lines employee who travels space available.I take the 777 from Tokyo to Atlanta several times a year to visit the States.

Only applies to RR powered acft and the permanent fix is still a year off.

Delta's 777-232LR is powered by GE 90-110s.BTW,we were the launch customer for the LR.

Edited March 14, 2009 by LTGTR

[Newton]

I think if you check the statistics , You are not as safe on a plane as you think. yes safe but questionable. Rolls Royce have identified the problem and are rectifying it now,

[MrDK]

I think if you check the statistics , You are not as safe on a plane as you think. yes safe but questionable. Rolls Royce have identified the problem and are rectifying it now,

 

The major US airliners fly about one trillion passenger miles per (combined).

The has not been a single loss of life on any of the US major airliners in over 7 years.

The last was AA Nov 2001.

Seven trillion (7,000,000,000,000) miles without a loos of life.

Not so safe?

[KDNG]

I have flown on 777s (200 and 300ER) and prefer to fly Boeing all the time....the only times (knock on wood) I have been on planes with problems have been while riding on an Airbus 330. When the BA flight lost power last year I said fuck that sucks I like triple 7s a lot.

 

I also believe 777s can still operate/fly if one engine loses power, pretty sure it is the only two engine plane that can do this (not totally sure as others may have come out that can do this)

[freedom42]

I am not a pilot, but an avid enthusiast of airplanes. From the information I have read, is that there has been some icing issues on the 777, however it has only occurred on the 777 with the Rolls Royce engines. What is happening is that the fuel lines are forming ice. This causes fuel starvation, which rolls back the engine(s) to idle.

 

Pilots are using a method in which during approach, they spool up the engine to full throttle to ensure that there is no fuel starvation problem. They do these on a frequent basis during the cruise portion of the flight as well (over and above the autopilot commands and FMC commands).

 

Boeing and Rolls Royce are working on a fix. No problems have been reported on the General Electric or Pratt and Whitney engines thus far.

 

There have only been two reported incidents, one with ground impact (one too many though).

 

I guess for those scared of this aircraft, stick with the 747, where you have 3 other engines to back up a failed one.

[gogo dog]

I also believe 777s can still operate/fly if one engine loses power, pretty sure it is the only two engine plane that can do this (not totally sure as others may have come out that can do this)

All multi engine aircraft are designed to fly with the loss of one engine.

[RedRackam]

So after the scare when these things were supposed to be dropping out of the skies like rain, how many have actually crashed?

 

Not one. Proof if it was needed that the media yet again hyped a non-story.