Call Me Paranoia But I Have My Vibes
By skysuccess
@skysuccess (8858)
Singapore
June 14, 2011 6:31pm CST
About airplanes fitted with Rolls Royce engines.
Of late, I believe a lot of you would have realized the many air incidents that had happened with Qantas and the recent Cathay Pacific airlines, where the former's latest Airbus airplanes (A380) are being fitted with the Rolls Royce engines - had been full of nothing but incidents nearly causing air disasters.
Then, came this recent Cathay Pacific Singapore bound for Jakarta flight, which resulted in one of its engines catching fire right after taking off. Fortunately, the captain of the flight was able to contain the situation by extinguishing the faulty burning Rolls Royce engine and land the plane in Singapore without any further incident.
Being Cathay's frequent flyer as well, I was glad that nothing happened with this flight and considering how close I was taking this flight to Jakarta. After this incident, I just have further reservations with planes fitted with Rolls Royce engines.
I wonder what's happening with Rolls Royce's air engineering I don't think it is good. Are they having some big and undisclosed internal problems?
Read more:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2003276/Emergency-landing-photos-passengers-trapped-flaming-Airbus-A330.html
3 people like this
7 responses
@blacks94 (161)
• Italy
23 Jun 11
Well, two accidents aren't enough to determine whether Rolls Royce has a problem or these were simply two faulty engines.
I would wait for the investigations to reach a conclusion, but since all aircrafts equipped with RR engines are still flying, I don't think the company has a problem. When they found out about serious issues (B737 rudder, ATR72 inflight ice formation and many other cases) the aviation authorities in various countries grounded aircrafts until the problem was fixed.
If I remember well, even the Boeing 747 was grounded for a short time (or it was about to be grounded).
Anyway, I agree with you that this is strange. Engines on airplanes fail very rarely, and these two cases are quite weird. Fortunately there were good pilots on both planes.
1 person likes this
@skysuccess (8858)
• Singapore
24 Jun 11
blacks94,
In aviation, anything occurring the second time is totally unacceptable and is enough to flip any airline company concerned.
You need to know that on any particular flight on these super jumbo jets, we are talking about 400 people passengers on a 95% capacity and with the latest Airbus A380, we are talking about at least 500 passengers. So, unlike cars the intensive attention for details and safety needed will be mandatory and no short of 100%.
While engine failures are very rare but these incidents which happened with both Qantas Airways and Cathay Pacific are just unacceptable. Imagine, these planes are relatively new and for this to happen now is just unthinkable especially when these airplanes eventually come of age.
Well, lady luck indeed smiled - even when one of them actually exploded in midair 6 minutes into takeoff. But, I am not going to be dicey here. So, I will avoid them for the time being.
@blacks94 (161)
• Italy
24 Jun 11
What you say is absolutely correct, accidents in aviation should never repeat. But my point is, the problem might be with some engines, not with the whole company.
I was stunned after the second A380 made an emergency landing due to engine failure, but the other accident you posted is about an A330, which is well known for its reliability - I cannot remember any other accidents involving an engine failure in an A330.
So, while there might be a problem with the RR engines on the A380 (investigators will answer this as soon as possible) I believe the engine failure after takeoff in the A330 might have been an isolated case.
This is a very interesting discussion, though; I hope we'll be able to talk about this again once the investigations are concluded.
@bobmnu (8157)
• United States
15 Jun 11
One of the beauties of flying is the redundancy built into them. In all of the problems with the engine the plane landed safely and the people were able to leave the plane. Instead of fearing flying this should reassure you that it is safe. If you were driving to the airport and the car engine blew up when you were traveling 60 miles per hour where would you be?
1 person likes this
@skysuccess (8858)
• Singapore
23 Jun 11
bobmnu,
Well, I would probably have to add that perhaps there's a stroke of luck that all these incidents did not turn out to be catastrophic. In fact, it is so serious that after Qantas Airways had one of their aircraft experience a mid air explosion - they grounded their A380 fleet. I just could not imagine if the debris from explosion had severed the wing or hit the wiring and/or hydraulics in the wing structure.
Thank you for your advise, but I am not afraid of flying as my job requires me to jet about quite frequently. Out of concern for my own personal safety, I would prefer to fly other airlines that does not use Rolls Royce engines.
Better safe than regretting later.
@skysuccess (8858)
• Singapore
23 Jun 11
P.S.
Some references for your further reading
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-11691197
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2010-11-04/qantas-airways-grounds-airbus-a380-fleet-after-engine-fault-forces-landing.html
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/40000040/ns/travel-news/t/europe-issued-warning-over-plane-engine/
@maximax8 (31053)
• United Kingdom
16 Jun 11
I am very keen on traveling to different countries in the world. I have to travel by plane to countries that are far away. Like I went to Colombia this year, to Canada last year and to South Africa the year before. I am shocked when I hear about these accidents on planes. The Rolls Royce engines sound awful. When I booked a flight I know the airlines name, the flight numbers and the duration. I don't know how to find out which sort of engine the plane will have. I feel sorry for the people on the Cathay Pacific flight at Singapore that had been on its way to Jakarta. I know a lady that had an experience like that and she is now too scared to fly on planes.
1 person likes this
@skysuccess (8858)
• Singapore
24 Jun 11
maximax8,
Currently, airlines like Cathay Pacific Airways's entire fleet are retrofitted with the Rolls Royce engines which is due to corporate reason - the airlines is under the Swire Group which has Rolls Royce in their wings.
And, most of the latest Airbus A380 aircraft for Cathay Pacific Airways and Qantas Airways are currently fitted with the questionable Rolls Royce engines. So, just be wary.
Read more:
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2010-11-04/qantas-airways-grounds-airbus-a380-fleet-after-engine-fault-forces-landing.html
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/40000040/ns/travel-news/t/europe-issued-warning-over-plane-engine/
@Adoniah (7513)
• United States
14 Jun 11
I find this post interesting because as a boater I found that a lot of boats with rolls engines in them had a lot of problems too. Yeah, believe it or not they are in boats too, not a lot but they are in there. They are hard to work on. Parts are hard to get and they were forever breaking down. I wonder if they were ever great engines? Only the very rich could afford the cars, so who knows if the engines are really great in cars. The rich can afford to fix whatever they have without complaint.
1 person likes this
@skysuccess (8858)
• Singapore
23 Jun 11
Adoniah,
Wow!
What can I say?
It seems like there are really problems inside Rolls Royce that a lot of people do not know about. As for the airlines, Qantas airways grounded their entire A380 airplanes for precautionary checks.
Ref:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/40000040/ns/travel-news/t/europe-issued-warning-over-plane-engine/
@lovinangelsinstead21 (36850)
• Pamplona, Spain
15 Jun 11
Hiya sky,
Well I never fly now so it does not bother me in that sense for my safety but it does bother me about other People who do fly a lot.
Not even trains are safe even the new fast trains can get thrown off the tracks too as well.
One happened here the other week no injuries but it did make and delay seven thousand People altogether that were in other Trains besides that one.
It´s good to trust your intuition I do most of the time and although People close to me don´t understand it I do.
Okay in principal Planes are safer than Cars but I would much rather be on the ground just in case.
I once had a great love of flying but now I don´t like all the hassle that goes with it in the Airports even if you are in good mood and want to enjoy a flight I find it too plastic that is for me anyway. However I still love to watch the Planes go in and out they fly about three metres above me when I am there watching them.
xxx
1 person likes this
@skysuccess (8858)
• Singapore
23 Jun 11
lovinangelsinstead21,
I cannot help sensing that you've worked with an airline company in the past and as an air crew as well. So, my apologies if I've been intrusive here.
Anyway, I do agree with you that nothing is really safe proof and that trains can derail sometimes or often, depending where you are. This is the reason why I avoid the rails in countries like India, where overcrowding is simply a common thing and the authorities could bat an eyelid with it.
I noticed that airlines are or rather were usually safer in earlier days before flight frequencies and distances (in the air) increased, where common wear and tear would be rampant with the stress that comes with such implementations. So, I can accept the costliness in air travel, however, since the emergence of low cost airlines, I believe all passenger commercial airlines have found it challenging to provide expensive maintenance. I just hope that they've not arrived at a stage of using recon or recycled parts that have suspicious shelf live in their repairs. Believe me, I know for a fact some airlines and aircraft companies are guilty of doing this - even to this day.
After these incidents, I think I will stay away from these airlines and aircrafts that are using the Rolls Royce engines for the time being. My life is already hectic enough and I do believe my paranoia is justifiable here.
Read more (Links below are non referrals):
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-11691197
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2010-11-04/qantas-airways-grounds-airbus-a380-fleet-after-engine-fault-forces-landing.html
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/40000040/ns/travel-news/t/europe-issued-warning-over-plane-engine/
I noticed that airlines are or rather were usually safer in earlier days before flight frequencies and distances (in the air) increased, where common wear and tear would be rampant with the stress that comes with such implementations. So, I can accept the costliness in air travel, however, since the emergence of low cost airlines, I believe all passenger commercial airlines have found it challenging to provide expensive maintenance. I just hope that they've not arrived at a stage of using recon or recycled parts that have suspicious shelf live in their repairs. Believe me, I know for a fact some airlines and aircraft companies are guilty of doing this - even to this day.
After these incidents, I think I will stay away from these airlines and aircrafts that are using the Rolls Royce engines for the time being. My life is already hectic enough and I do believe my paranoia is justifiable here.
Read more (Links below are non referrals):
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-11691197
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2010-11-04/qantas-airways-grounds-airbus-a380-fleet-after-engine-fault-forces-landing.html
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/40000040/ns/travel-news/t/europe-issued-warning-over-plane-engine/
@skysuccess (8858)
• Singapore
24 Jun 11
Cutie18f,
I am sorry if my discussion is putting you off further to air travel, which is really never my intention.
My discussion is for one intended to be informative and create an awareness for safety, i.e. to avoid certain airlines and aircraft types for the time being for all future travels by air.
Anyway, let me assure you that other than this, air travel is indeed very convenient and enjoyable. For one it saves time getting from one place to another thus, letting us have more time to enjoy our destinations.
So, please take my discussion as an awareness especially for safety.
Read more:
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2010-11-04/qantas-airways-grounds-airbus-a380-fleet-after-engine-fault-forces-landing.html
@youaremylush (479)
• United States
14 Jun 11
I would be freaked out to get on one of those planes as well. There is a good cause for your paranoia. What I don't understand is that the airline is keeping these planes still. You'd figure that if the incident has happened to more than one plane, they'd look at it and see the similarities and change it. However changing it could be quite expensive.
1 person likes this
@skysuccess (8858)
• Singapore
23 Jun 11
youaremylush,
I hate to say this but it is a fact that the current super Airbus A380 for Qantas Airways and Cathay Pacific Airways are being fitted with Rolls Royce engines. So far, all of them have had engine trouble incidents but fortunately none of them had been fatal.
I am glad that Qantas made the effort in grounding their entire A380 fleet to rectify the problem. Though, they have resumed I still have my reservations and with this incident, it just made me more wary to avoid them for my travels.
On the hindsight, IMHO nothing is more expensive than human lives and the airlines have every obligation to see to it.
Ref:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-11691197
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/40000040/ns/travel-news/t/europe-issued-warning-over-plane-engine/
