Man Allegedly Throws Wheel Block Into Running Engine of Plane

AP / Fox News ^ | 1.3.03

[babygene]

" I agree that the aircraft should have been stopped, but not by throwing a chock down the inlet."

My point Tennessee_Bob, was not that this was the correct way to stop the plane, only that as a last resort it would not be as catostophic as was being said.

Unlike the compressor blades in a Jet that that you drscribed comming apart on a teststand (that turn at 50 to 75 thousand RPM), these engines were CFM56-3C-1 Turbofans. You know the difference.

These blades, the ones you see from the front of the engine with there cute little spinners on them, do not turn at engine speeds. They turn at speeds closer to "prop" speeds. At the gate, not even that... probably less than 1000 rpm.

And yes, a forign object can do dammage even at these speeds, but it won't destroy the engine much less the plane. These blades are designed (believe it or not) to perform a side function similar to the blades in your blender, precicely because forign object do get sucked in. Little furry animals, birds, beer cans etc.

[Tennessee_Bob]

Unlike the compressor blades in a Jet that that you drscribed comming apart on a teststand (that turn at 50 to 75 thousand RPM)

Ummm

Wrong. A small gas turbine engine turns at about 20K-30K RPM. Those are the kinds of turbojet engines that you'll find in a ground power cart. That's not what I was working on. I was working on the F-100-100/200/100DP/220/220E/229 series - F-15 and F-16 engines (check my profile). They turn, at max, at about 15,000 RPM.

Inlet fan on the CFM56 will turn at around 5100 rpm at 100% power. The N2 will turn at around 14500 rpm at 100% power. On pushback, if they're using thrust reversers to assist with the pushback, they'll be turning faster than at idle.

And yes, a forign object can do dammage even at these speeds, but it won't destroy the engine much less the plane. These blades are designed (believe it or not) to perform a side function similar to the blades in your blender, precicely because forign object do get sucked in. Little furry animals, birds, beer cans etc.

Umm...no. They're not designed to chop, frappe, or blend. They're designed to pull air in, compress it, and pass it along to the next stage of compression. Suck in a "little furry animal," and you'll damage the engine. Suck in a beer can, and you'll trash it. Tear a blade, and turn it at speed and watch that blender go to work.

I don't have one for my boat, but I took them apart, repaired them and put them back together for ten years.

[dcwusmc]

Ugly Angels as in UH-34D? I worked on them in my first squadron out of "AE-A" school in '67. The following year we got the frogs.... at New River MCAF (later MCAS (H) )....

[Experiment 6-2-6]

Umm...no. They're not designed to chop, frappe, or blend. They're designed to pull air in, compress it, and pass it along to the next stage of compression. Suck in a "little furry animal," and you'll damage the engine.

OBVIOUSLY YOU HAVE NEVER WORKED WITH babygene AND HIS TURBO CUSINART! (that he keeps in the garage)

I think the PROPER setting he was looking for is liquefy... 'course, I don't know WHY anyone would WANT to liquify a chock block, but hey: Different cultures, different customs. Mustn't be prejudiced, Peachy!

Good luck on your hearing, by the way..

Meega, Nala Kweesta!

[stands2reason]

I saw a show on engineering disasters last night. Talked about how helpless the NASA workers who knew the O-rings could fail under 53^º felt that icy morning of the space shuttle Challenger liftoff.

[Political Junkie Too]

This looks like a gutsy move by someone who could not get the attention of the authorities. I will suggest withholding judgement for now.

So, given this story on the US Air flight that crashed in Charlotte (Ramp Worker Objected To Takeoff ), have you come to your final conclusions yet?

-PJ