Just seen a pic of a '5 engine' BA 747-200 and wondered if this still happens and if anyone has flown on an aircraft with an extra engine?
Was talking to a long serving employee who said it was quite regular in the 80s/early90s.
In my 16 years as a Ramp agent I have personally seen a couple of B747 flap fairings being sent in via Pallets in the hold and that's it.
I will probably answer my question in this sentence in thinking with all Airlines (certainly major) being in close ties with each other nowadays that a spare part is easy to get hold of at all the Hubs?
BO)am
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- Newbiepilot
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Re: Replacement engine/major part transportation?
A 747 freighter can carry almost any engine inside. It is no longer necessary to carry spare engines on a pod.
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- BojamDelta
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Re: Replacement engine/major part transportation?
I have just seen a pic of a '5 engine' BA 747-200 and wondered if this still happens and if anyone has flown on an aircraft carrying an extra engine?
Speaking to a long serving employee he said it was fairly common in the 80s/early90s.
In my 16 years as a ramp agent I have only seen a couple of 747 wing fairings come in on Pallets.
I will probably answer my question in this sentence in thinking that Airlines (certainly major) and their close ties with one another at Hubs can easily get hold of parts nowadays!
BO)am
Speaking to a long serving employee he said it was fairly common in the 80s/early90s.
In my 16 years as a ramp agent I have only seen a couple of 747 wing fairings come in on Pallets.
I will probably answer my question in this sentence in thinking that Airlines (certainly major) and their close ties with one another at Hubs can easily get hold of parts nowadays!
BO)am
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- BojamDelta
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Re: Replacement engine/major part transportation?
Sorry for the double post there, oops!! Told me the thread was not posted.
With regards to cost isn't it cheaper to send a spare part under wing or in the belly on a scheduled flight rather than a freighter?
With regards to cost isn't it cheaper to send a spare part under wing or in the belly on a scheduled flight rather than a freighter?
Re: Replacement engine/major part transportation?
I've once flown a 747-200 on UA with the 5th engine. It was the late departure from San Francisco to Honolulu, around 7:45pm, it was taken to replace an engine on a sister aircraft stranded at HNL. The flight I was on continued onwards to Auckland. I didn't stick around to watch them take the engine off, I wish I had, but it was late & after working all day prior to the flight that evening I wanted to get into Waikiki & get some sleep.
We were in the nose of the plane & only caught a few glimpses of the 5th engine under the right wing, but the pilot was kind to explain before departure, obviously heading off the inevitable questions about having lost an engine or why there were 3 & 2. Flight was uneventful & actually one of the best, old F product experiences I ever enjoyed.
We were in the nose of the plane & only caught a few glimpses of the 5th engine under the right wing, but the pilot was kind to explain before departure, obviously heading off the inevitable questions about having lost an engine or why there were 3 & 2. Flight was uneventful & actually one of the best, old F product experiences I ever enjoyed.
Re: Replacement engine/major part transportation?
Looks like DC-8, DC-10, L1011 and VC-10 all could take a spare engine underwing. No idea on the 707 though.
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lightsaber
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Re: Replacement engine/major part transportation?
Modern engines have the fan removable from the rest of the engine/nacelle to ensure a fit in an MD-11 freighter (design requirement to literally FedEx the engine).
Early airframes were faced with a market without a global freight network. Now there is a network with Charters supplying the final leg (if required). But engines also give more warning before issues, so they can now be legally flown a few times to a service depot (the benefit of computer sensors). Almost all service depots have regular freighter service so there is only a little delay for engine shipments.
On wing carry was neat and dramatic, but not required anymore.
Lightsaber
Early airframes were faced with a market without a global freight network. Now there is a network with Charters supplying the final leg (if required). But engines also give more warning before issues, so they can now be legally flown a few times to a service depot (the benefit of computer sensors). Almost all service depots have regular freighter service so there is only a little delay for engine shipments.
On wing carry was neat and dramatic, but not required anymore.
Lightsaber
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- jetblueguy22
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Re: Replacement engine/major part transportation?
We always talk about air transporting of engines, but a vast majority go by ground. There is a company that I know of it Atlanta that has made a killing transporting engines for DL.
Re: Replacement engine/major part transportation?
QFs RR engined B744s are equipped for this and they still use it. Last time was last year SYD-PER-JNB [PER stop was due to extra fuel consumption]. See following thread: viewtopic.php?f=3&t=600439&hilit=fifth+pod
Gemuser
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- ZaphodHarkonnen
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Re: Replacement engine/major part transportation?
I would also expect major hubs have one or two spares as a lot of airlines do the power by the hour thing where the manufacturer still owns the engine and handles such things.
And as mentioned the much more present freight links around the world compared to when the 747, DC-10, etc came out means you can have a spare engine that was already prepped for movement out on a flight long before the next scheduled flight leaves.
And as mentioned the much more present freight links around the world compared to when the 747, DC-10, etc came out means you can have a spare engine that was already prepped for movement out on a flight long before the next scheduled flight leaves.
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- george77300
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Re: Replacement engine/major part transportation?
QF did this last year to JNB and carried a 5th engine on a passenger flight. It's not that common but used a lot more fuel and required a stopover.
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