FlyerTalk Forums - View Single Post - BA93/25APR LHRYYZ Engine issue
View Single Post
Old Apr 26, 2010 | 10:16 am
  #10  
Jenbel
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
10 Countries Visited20 Countries Visited30 Countries Visited20 Years on Site
 
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: back to my roots in Scotland!
Programs: Tamsin - what else is there to say?
Posts: 47,843
Originally Posted by Jumbodriver
There is a 5th engine mount on the port wing but its rarely used these days. Mainly because engines rarely fail and partly because if it happens downroute the aircraft are nowadays generally ferried empty with the 3 working engines back to base by a training captain so approved.
I think I came across mention of it when dealing with engines trashed by birds (which in fairness I would imagine is probably one of the more common causes of failure - and even that should be becoming less common, particularly on the bigger a/c). An undisclosed aircraft had a large birdstrike, taking out one engine, at an undisclosed location in Africa. If I haven't confused the event with one in Belgium, they got a new engine sent out (or the required replacement parts), fitted it, taxied out, took off - only to hit more large birds on take-off, requiring them to go around and land again at the airport and yet more engine repairs.

Safety officer was livid. It was way up there in the 'expensive events in which no plane crashed' league!
Jenbel is offline