Singapore Airlines A380 turns back after engine failure

[SnowYeti]

A Singapore Airlines A380 was forced to turn round mid-flight and head back to Paris on Sunday after one of its four engines failed, the head of the airline's French operations said.

The doubledecker A380 took off from Paris at 12.30 pm with 444 passengers aboard and headed for Singapore, but had to turn round after 2 hours 45 minutes because of the engine problem, airline director Jerry Seah said.

The plane landed safely back in France at 5.45 p.m. and the passengers were sent to hotels as the airline tried to lay on an alternative flight for them.

Seah said he believed it was the first time the plane had suffered such a problem since it had started operating the Singapore-Paris route earlier this year.

The giant jet, built by Airbus, is designed to continue flying with only three engines, but came back to Paris as a safety precaution.

The engines on the Singapore A380s are built by Britain's Rolls Royce Group.

Source: Singapore Airlines A380 superjumbo turns back after engine failure

 

[chrizzz14]

"...designed to continue flying with only three engines..."

what happens if another engine dies... who would be dumb enough to continue flying a monster like that with only 3 engines?

 

[v8Statesman]

"...designed to continue flying with only three engines..."

what happens if another engine dies... who would be dumb enough to continue flying a monster like that with only 3 engines?

Unsure about the A380, but the 747 series can happily maintain flight with only 1 of the 4 engines working.

I am not 100% sure, but I also believe it can takeoff happily with only 2 of the 4 in operation. Not sure about at full load though.

 

[chrizzz14]

Unsure about the A380, but the 747 series can happily maintain flight with only 1 of the 4 engines working.

I am not 100% sure, but I also believe it can takeoff happily with only 2 of the 4 in operation. Not sure about at full load though.

and thats why i love 747's! So many crashed in the early days, nowadays all the teething problems have well and truly passed!

as for the A380 - its like a 15pound new born baby.

 

[samh004]

Why on earth would they turn around when it's designed to be able to safely fly like that. Depending on how far they were along (what is halfway), I'd have thought getting to Singapore with their main facilities would have been smarter. Even though it's a European plane. With British engines.

 

[chrizzz14]

Why on earth would they turn around when it's designed to be able to safely fly like that. Depending on how far they were along (what is halfway), I'd have thought getting to Singapore with their main facilities would have been smarter. Even though it's a European plane. With British engines.

it was only 2 and a bit hrs out of CDG - and approx fly time CDG-SIN 11hrs!

 

[samh004]

it was only 2 and a bit hrs out of CDG - and approx fly time CDG-SIN 11hrs!

Ahh. My brains not in gear, should have realised the flight time would be a lot longer.

 

[oz_mark]

Normal procedure is to divert to somewhere relatively close by to wherever you are. Witness the recent QF flight from SIN-SYD that diverted to PER after an inflight shutdown.

 

[BAM1748]

Unsure about the A380, but the 747 series can happily maintain flight with only 1 of the 4 engines working.

I am not 100% sure, but I also believe it can takeoff happily with only 2 of the 4 in operation. Not sure about at full load though.

Does not bode will for the first time two engines fail on a 380. Give me a 747 any time, even an old one.

 

[straitman]

"...designed to continue flying with only three engines..."

what happens if another engine dies... who would be dumb enough to continue flying a monster like that with only 3 engines?

Any pilot who was following a published procedure that said to do so:!:

 

[samh004]

Does not bode will for the first time two engines fail on a 380. Give me a 747 any time, even an old one.

Would you like the one with the hole in it's nose?

 

[oz_mark]

The doubledecker A380 took off from Paris at 12.30 pm with 444 passengers aboard

Here's the problem. 444 is a bad number :!:

 

[SnowYeti]

Here's the problem. 444 is a bad number :!:

Only if you're asian, hehehe :shock:

 

[samh004]

Only if you're asian, hehehe :shock:

Or play cricket, as it's quadruple Nelson.

 

[Dee Thom]

Does not bode will for the first time two engines fail on a 380. Give me a 747 any time, even an old one.

What happens if a 777, or 330 loose two engines, with no miricle island within reach ?

Cheers Dee

 

[FlyboyAl]

They probably had to go back to get the warranty paperwork!
I wonder if its a 12 month/20,000 km warranty. If that's the case, I hope they took out an extended warranty.
Can you imagine the media interest if this had been a QF badged aircraft?
The headlines would have been "Disaster narrowly avoided" or "444 passengers nearly killed".

In my heart, I still have a real soft spot for the 747 - its just a great plane to fly in.

 

[NM]

What happens if a 777, or 330 loose two engines, with no miricle island within reach ?

Then the aircraft will always have sufficient momentum to carry to the crash location.

 

[Flying Fox]

Then the aircraft will always have sufficient momentum to carry to the crash location.

Funny.

Sounds like a std feature of all aircraft

 

[BAM1748]

What happens if a 777, or 330 loose two engines, with no miricle island within reach ?

Cheers Dee

Hope you have Captain Sullenberger at the controls.

 

[Dee Thom]

Hope you have Captain Sullenberger at the controls.

Touche !

Cheers Dee