Airbus A330 engine explosion on take off (video)

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Ockie

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[video=youtube;XRL8MPnXmFw]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XRL8MPnXmFw[/video]

It’s the scenario every airline pilot prepares for but hopes they never experience: an engine failure on takeoff.

In this case, the right engine of a Thomas Cook Airbus A330 exploded on Monday afternoon during the takeoff run from Manchester Airport in England. The crew’s quick reaction keeps the airliner more or less in the center of the runway as the pilot immediately applies opposite rudder and the thrust reversers are deployed.

The pilots of the A330 would have practiced this precise scenario in the simulator countless times. Had the engine failed after rotation, the A330 would have been able to continue the takeoff and circle back for a landing.

Check out these videos of the incident from two different vantage points:

Read more at http://www.flyingmag.com/technique/...ine-explodes-takeoff-roll#LPw2RVEPhcCIw4L0.99
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http://www.flyingmag.com/technique/accidents/video-airbus-a330-engine-explodes-takeoff-roll

I wonder what it sounds like inside the cabin when this happens.
 
Rickster said:
Wow, I never knew engines had flaps on them.

Interesting.
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called thrust reversers. It basically redirects the thrust of the engine forward instead of out at the back of the engine when in normal flight. This is to brake the plane. It is cool to watch them deploy if you sitting on the wing.
 
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I heard some time back that on take-off they push the engines quite hard purposefully for this reason, if anythings going to break then rather have it break during the take-off run than when they're actually in the air. I'm clueless but that does make sense.
 
Beerisgood said:
I heard some time back that on take-off they push the engines quite hard purposefully for this reason, if anythings going to break then rather have it break during the take-off run than when they're actually in the air. I'm clueless but that does make sense.
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It does make sense....but I do think the main purpose is also just to get the required speed. You only have a certain amount of runway to get to your required speed...but what you say also makes sense. Will have to do some reading and see if I can find anything on it.
 
Beerisgood said:
I heard some time back that on take-off they push the engines quite hard purposefully for this reason, if anythings going to break then rather have it break during the take-off run than when they're actually in the air. I'm clueless but that does make sense.
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Negative. Engines thrust is never set to full power on take off as it's not really needed. Plus this gives the engine a longer life.
 
Quickly reacted with opposite rudder steering and reverse thrust. Textbook.

Most people will be amazed how quickly a plane can stop when it needs to. The wheel brakes deploy automatically with maximum braking if you are on a takeoff run and pull the thrust levers back. This is why they start smoking in the video which doesn't happen on a normal landing. It will probably take 2 or 3 hours for those brakes to cool down after that.

Also, the spoilers on top of the wings pop up to disrupt the airflow and prevent the wings from creating unwanted lift.

The reverse thrusters vary based on who made the engine. Some have those flaps which open, but most South Africans are used to the CFM engines where the whole rear portion of the engine cowling slides backwards. Same effect though.

EDIT: Take-off thrust is calculated based on weight, runway length, temperature, air pressure etc. Most airlines will use reduced thrust takeoff to save gas, but taking off from high altitude (Joburg) on a hot summer's day, it is not uncommon to use 100% takeoff thrust. Especially if you opt to use a shortened runway length to save some time getting to the very end of the runway.
 
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Respect. Well controlled in a difficult situation. The pilot's reaction was near instantaneous.
 
Had the engine failed after rotation, the A330 would have been able to continue the takeoff and circle back for a landing.
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Sorry to nitpick here, but if the engine fails after V[SUB]1[/SUB] but before rotation, the crew is still committed to continuing the takeoff. After V[SUB]1[/SUB], an aborted takeoff will likely result in a runway overrun.

The V[SUB]1[/SUB] speed, for those who would like to know, is the takeoff decision speed, and is based on several factors, including: aircraft type and weight, external air pressure, length and surface condition of the runway, flaps selected, engine thrust used, and that kind of thing. These days, the on-board computers in the cockpit calculate the optimum takeoff parameters based on inputs made by the crew during pre-flight (though mistakes can be made, see Emirates Flight 407).

If the runway's length is extremely long compared with the takeoff distance required, then V[SUB]1[/SUB] will be the same speed as V[SUB]R[/SUB] (the speed at which the pilot flying rotates). If we use Durban's 3,700 m runway at sea level as an example, then V[SUB]1[/SUB] would likely equal V[SUB]R[/SUB] for the CRJs that SAX and Airlink fly out of there, but V[SUB]1[/SUB] would be lower than V[SUB]R[/SUB] for the Emirates B777.
 
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