Two Engines As Safe As Four Ruling Soon

[JohnK]

Two Engines As Safe As Four Ruling Soon

June 5, 2006

US regulators are near to concluding that passenger jets with two engines are as safe as those with three or four engines and should have the same flexibility in flying long-distance routes, a report said on Monday.

The Federal Aviation Administration is nearing completion of rules that are expected particularly to benefit Boeing's twin-engine 777 airliner, The Wall Street Journal said.

The rules also are expected to benefit Boeing's strategy of building planes capable of flying passengers directly to their destinations without transferring through busy hub airports, the paper said, citing industry officials.


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A helping hand for Boeing?

 

[bigjobs]

or a help for travellers like me ... ? That's how I think of it. if i can get on a plane that busts hubs like LAX etc and get to my destination with one check-in and boarding then that is going to be great.

 

[thadocta]

Interesting then that the FAA wants to fine BA for flying a 744 on three engines (when one of the engines failed after take-off), rather than aborting to the nearest airport which was capable of taking it, despite this flight being within the UK CAA rules, and despite the UK CAA and BA having no problem with the continuation of the flight.

Dave

 

[NM]

Statisticly, a 4-engine aircraft has almost twice the probability of an engine failure than does a twin-engine aircraft.

 

[oz_mark]

The issue is whether a twin jet would have a double outage. Statistically it is quite a small chance, but given CX's experience with the Airbus/RR engines, and Qantas more recent 717 experience the possibilities of a double failure was recognised in both these cases.

So I wonder when a new jet is introduced, how long it will need to be ins ervice to prove itself as a reliable piece of equipment.

 

[NM]

The issue is whether a twin jet would have a double outage. Statistically it is quite a small chance, but given CX's experience with the Airbus/RR engines, and Qantas more recent 717 experience the possibilities of a double failure was recognised in both these cases.

So I wonder when a new jet is introduced, how long it will need to be ins ervice to prove itself as a reliable piece of equipment.

Gimli Glider, anyone?

 

[oz_mark]

Gimli Glider, anyone?

Not sure that the CX Airbus problems or the Qantas Link 717 problems were the result of running out of fuel, they were problems with the engines themselves. And if there is a double outage, two or three hours is a long time to glide for.