acunningham

Since approach speed (Vref) is calculated based on aircraft weight and configuration, I would imagine that yes a higher approach speed is required when overweight. An airline pilot (or someone with an A380 POH) would be able to confirm this. Possible effects of an overweight landing that spring to mind are:

- Increased landing distance required due to slower deceleration.
- Increased landing distance required due to higher approach speed.
- Blown tyres due to higher landing forces.
- Landing gear strut damage.
- Airframe overstress.
- Excessive brake temperatures leading to tyre fires if using maximum braking (which may be required due to longer landing distance required and lack of reverse thrust due to the engine failure*).

A professional airline pilot can probably come up with a much longer list.

* Though reverse thrust is never calculated into required landing distance in case it's not available.

acunningham

Interestingly, the EASA issued an Airworthiness Directive in August that seems closely related to this engine failure:

http://www.channel4.com/media/c4-new...0-0008R1_1.pdf

It'll be interesting to see whether QF had carried out these inspections beforehand.

Keyser

i agree completely....

DenverBrian

Still trying to figure out why we have multiple threads on this topic, including this one called "Jet Explosion," which is obviously erroneous.

biggreen

Here is a very informative (and worrying) set of slides and pictures more closely describing the damage and raising the very real possibility that this could have been much much worse. Rolls Royce comes out looking rather bad.

The Anatomy of the Airbus A380 QF32 near disaster

Keyser

wow....that looks bad....