1010101

Most (all?) newer aircraft already have cameras integrated to the cockpit displays to aid ground movements, including the 77W. You may not be able to zoom in on a postage stamp but you could certainly see if something was on fire or no longer there. Perhaps after BA2276 this is something Boeing will work on for the 777X.

Professor Yaffle

Whether my logic is sound or not, I will NOT book a BA flight if there is a chance of getting this aircraft post-repair - I would just not feel comfortable given the level of damage to the fuselage and wing.

I am not a nervous flyer - I just feel that Boeing are going into the unknown here.

I am sure I am not alone either.

Globaliser

But have you seen how much fuselage patching / repairing goes on as a matter of routine? You just don't know about it normally.

And by your logic, presumably you'd refuse to fly any Ethiopian Airlines flight operated by a 787, because it might be operated by the aircraft that had to have its tail chopped off and then stuck back on again as part of the completely unprecedented Boeing repair job?

vibrex

Well each to their own and you may not be alone. However, Boeing have the repair schemes for this type of thing. In addition full ground testing, ground pressure tests followed by an air test will follow I would suggest.

Sigwx

A nice idea for future aircraft designs but a retro fit to existing airframes would present enormous costs for only a very small chance that cost will be in anyway useful. Design, installation and certifications costs are just the start of it. Submitting type design changes to the relevant aircraft certification bodies is a whole other cost all together. The costs to some airlines for retrofitting iPad type EFBs with aircraft powered charging capability has been staggering, but this technology is used on every flight, thus justifiable.

I would hazard that a significant proportion of aircraft worldwide would be unsuitable for Professor Yaffle to travel on. Thus inducing your own IRROPS on your travel plans. As Globailiser points out, 'ramp rash' is a fact of aviation, and other environmental damage also gets repaired meaning there are a lot of aircraft out there with patch repairs et al. The effect is most notable on brand new aircraft. New metal seems to have a strong magnetic influence on other near by metallic objects and vehicles. It is as if they attract damage.

vibrex

^

moneypooraviosrich

Re: repairs to aircraft. I have a friend that works for a subcontractor of RR in Derby. He repairs engine turbine fan blades.
When they get chipped or indeed broken they don't just fit new ones, they splice a new piece onto the existing blade.
He does them in a vacume environment and each one gets x-rayed after repair and the serial number recorded. He says he has worked on several blades numberious times.

WHBM

Boeing are quite competent in all this and the aircraft are designed for repair. A D-check can see the airframe dismantled and reassembled, especially for corrosion replacement, far more than this one is going to be.

Waterhorse

Last time I had figures for it (2012) ground damage to aircraft was costing BA c�20million per annum. Most aircraft have some damage that has been patched up.

WHBM

One BEA Trident G-ARPI was in the hangar when a Comet 4B outside on an engine test suddenly overrode its chocks and crashed forward into the hangar doors, bringing them down on the tail of the aircraft. It was repaired. Shortly afterwards it was parked at Heathrow when an out-of-control landing aircraft crashed into it, completely severing the tail. It was repaired again. It had a further subsequent accident and there was a check that the repairs were nothing to do with it, but they had been fine and the third issue was a piloting one.

G-BUSI

And that third tragic accident is the reason BA skipped G-EUPI in the registrations of the A319 fleet. I believe they did not want to use Papa India again.

Global321

I am aware of the camera's in new planes, but, I was not aware there are camera's that view all outside (potential) areas, such as wings and tail.

I agree. And like many changes, the next generation of aircraft are where the big changes are (reasonably) made.

vibrex

An Airworthiness Directive, relating to the engine, has now been issued. AD Number- US-2015-27-01 Effective 27 Jan 16.

http://ad.easa.europa.eu/ad/US-2015-27-01

Calchas

Seems to be a cracked turbofan blade in the compressor

kanderson1965

The AD states:

Costs of Compliance
We estimate that this AD affects 1 engine installed on an airplane of U.S. registry.

I find this hard to believe (though I have to accept it at face value) unless I have misunderstood what this means.