Jet Engine Problems

By National Transportation Safety Board

Book Id: WPLBN0000702889
Format Type: PDF eBook
File Size: 38,649 KB.
Reproduction Date: 2006

Title:	Jet Engine Problems
Author:	National Transportation Safety Board
Volume:
Language:	English
Subject:	Government publications, Transportation and society, National Transportation Safety Board (U.S.)
Collections:	National Transportation Safety Board Collection
Historic Publication Date:
Publisher:	National Transportation Safety Board


Citation APA MLA Chicago Safety Board, N. T. (n.d.). Jet Engine Problems. Retrieved from http://www.gutenberg.us/

Description
Government Reference Publication

Excerpt
Excerpt: Jet engines in use on today?s commercial airliners are quite reliable. It is not uncommon for engines to operate for tens of thousands of hours without difficulty before being removed from service for scheduled inspection. However, engine malfunctions or failures occasionally occur that require an engine to be shut down in flight. Since multi-engine airplanes are designed to fly with one engine inoperative and flight crews are trained to fly with one engine inoperative, the in-flight shutdown of an engine typically does not constitute a safety of flight issue. In fact, these events are generally not reportable to the NTSB. Following an engine shutdown, a precautionary landing is performed with airport fire and rescue equipment positioned near the runway. Once the airplane lands, fire department personnel assist with inspecting the airplane to ensure it is safe before it taxis to the gate. Most in-flight shutdowns are benign and likely to go unnoticed by passengers. For example, it may be prudent for the flight crew to shut down an engine and perform a precautionary landing in the event of a low oil pressure or high oil temperature warning in the cockpit. However, passengers may become quite alarmed by other engine events such as a compressor surge - a malfunction that is typified by loud bangs and even flames from the engine?s inlet and tailpipe. A compressor surge is a disruption of the airflow through a gas turbine engine that can be caused by engine deterioration, a crosswind over the engine?s inlet, ingestion of foreign material, or an internal component failure such as a broken blade. While this situation can be alarming, the condition is momentary and not dangerous.