FAA Says Boeing 787 Dreamliners Have 'Urgent Safety Issue'

FORTUNE ^ | APRIL 25, 2016 | Laura Lorenzetti

[sukhoi-30mki]

The Federal Aviation Administration is ordering fixes on General Electric engines used on some Boeing 787 Dreamliners after it found that an icing problem can cause the engines to shut down mid-flight.

[Bobalu]

That is a very SERIOUS problem!

Especially when you only have two engines.

In many ways the old four engine 707 was a safer plane.... but those four engines did use a lot of jet fuel.

I’m not sure if the 707 could remain in slow-speed flight with just one engine running but at least the single engine would give you a longer time to chose where you were going to attempt an emergency landing.

If it ain’t Boeing then I ain’t going.

[Jane Long]

Glad to find this out AFTER I've flown in the 787 😳

[Bobalu]

It is a beautiful plane though!

Somehow it seems odd that the huge beast is not made of aluminum but rather of carbon fiber. Saving 20% on the jet fuel bill is yuge!

[cpdiii]

In many ways the old four engine 707 was a safer plane.... but those four engines did use a lot of jet fuel.

Not really. If one looks at the in flight failures of these new turbines as compared to the old 707 turbines, statistically you are safer with a two engined 757, 767 or the 787 dream liners.

It all has to due with hours to failure. Four turbines that fail often are much less safer than 2 turbines that fail at a much lower rate.

I have crossed the ocean many many times in the old 707s and miss them. The last time was 1981 on Pan Am from DC to London. The new aircraft with only two engines are safer.

[Bobalu]

I accept that the newer engines make a two engine jet safer than the old four engine 707.

But imagine a new jet with four new engines.... now that would be safe :-)

Safe, but a real fuel guzzler.

[publius911]

Bookmark

[libh8er]

I have flown at least half a dozen times on the 787. The engine never once shut down in mid flight.

[Talisker]

I have flown at least half a dozen times on the 787. The engine never once shut down in mid flight.

That's what they WANT you to think.

[NY.SS-Bar9]

But imagine a new jet with four new engines.... now that would be safe :-)

HEY - I have an idea.

They could make this really big jet with four engines and call it

THE 747!

[Bobalu]

Lol....a revolutionary new idea...the 747

I think they are moving to two engines for a fuel savings...but I just like the idea of four for extra safety.

But what do I know.

[Psalm 73]

NEWS FLASH!
Every aircraft model flying has "urgent safety issues". That's the nature of aviation - you identify issues, and you fix them. Constantly.
Nothing to see here - move along folks....

[mkjessup]

Two things come to mind, the first that it is ironic that an icing problem has shown up with the 787, when it was a carburetor icing problem that caused so many issues with the B-36 Peacemaker strategic bomber of the 1950's, which led to the loss of more than one of those giant six-engine monsters. Different times and different technology of course.

On the subject of two engines vs. four engines, I long ago found this video on YouTube that any aviation enthusiast should enjoy, titled "Flying With Arthur Godfrey", Godfrey who was at one time bigger than Rush Limbaugh and Paul Harvey combined, was also a fully qualified and certified pilot, and personal friends with Captain Eddie Rickenbacker (essentially the founder of Eastern Airlines after purchasing it from General Motors in 1938). Rickenbacker made Godfrey an honorary Captain, and this film (48 minutes in length) takes the viewer on an Eastern flight on board an old (new at the time) Lockheed Constellation, it is a fabulous film.

One of the notable parts of the flight begins at 32:20, when Godfrey (along with the crew) demonstrate how the Constellation, even with THREE motors feathered, could continue flying on only ONE engine, that is an impressive feat to say the least.

Anyway, here's the URL for the video, hope somebody might enjoy it like I did:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U6VfkKjlhXs

[Moonman62]

I have flown at least half a dozen times on the 787. The engine never once shut down in mid flight.

...

The 777 probably had hundreds of thousands of flights before the one landing in London had two engines ice up at the same time.

[HokieMom]

My understanding from touring the Boeing plant in Everett, Washington, is that the customer chooses between the GE engine or the Rolls-Royce engine when placing an order for planes. This finding should boost the sale of the Rolls-Royce engines.

[PrairieLady2]

Wow..I havent heard Arthur Godfries name mentioned in forever!
My grandmother listened to him every day when I was growing up.

[Lonesome in Massachussets]

The engines on the Me-262 had a mtbf (Mean Time Between Failure) of about 10 hours and a mission endurance of about one hour. With two engines, there was about a 20% chance of losing at least one engine. The US (and Britain) had fighter jets with better reliability, but they did not meet the operational needs of either force.

There is also the problem of common mode failures, e.g., bird strikes, bad fuel, unusual environmental conditions, in which the likelihood of losing four engines about the same as the likelihood of losing one.

[Tucker39]

Godfrey.
Chesterfields! Buy ‘em by the carton.

[NOVACPA]

Yep, I talked with ta BA pilot after our flight from Heathrow to Dulles on the 380.

Even with 4 high-efficiency engines, he noted that it’s still a “thirsty aircraft”.

BA has pulled the dedicated 388 off this route, at least temporarily, and added a 744 back in the rotation on its Dulles originating flights. The 744/388 covers the 630pm flight to LHR, while a 772 cover the 10pm flight.

I’ve got an around the world trip coming up IAD-LHR-HKG-LAX-IAD, with BA744 - BA388 - CX773ER - AA738, all biz class except for 1st class on AA metal from LAX.

[mkjessup]

I can remember hearing him on radio as a kid, my parents and grandparents listened to him regularly, there is an unproven but often circulated rumor that Arthur Godfrey, at President Eisenhower’s request, recorded a record intended only for use in the wake of a sneak nuclear attack by the Soviets, sort of a “America is going to survive this thing, and we all need to pull together” message, it hasn’t been found as of yet and might never be, but it wouldn’t surprise me if it were true.

Have a great day!