Whisper on recent planes crashes

[Friar]

I have a good friend who is a senior aircraft engineer at Heathrow and he has updated me on a couple of things.....

You may remember the recent Airbus crash...

http://www.flightglobal.com/blogs/fligh ... hotos.html

Well, he told me last night that the plane was undergoing tests. Sitting in the seat was an engineer who been running some tests on the engines. As he was getting out of the seat to hand over to a flight crew (with the engines still idling) he slipped and fell on to the throttles. It was about 10 seconds or so before he could be physically yanked out of the way and as no one was in the seat, they could not reach the brakes, the rest as they say is history.....

On the BA crash at Heathrow...

Again the whisper in the hangers is that it was caused by an unusual severe cold weather front at altitude. Other airlines had reported an effect on fuel iceing and requested permission to decend in order to warm their fuel up.

The fuel that they use, when very cold develops something known as waxing. the parfin element in the fuel becomes lumpy and can block filters.

BA have a policy of not altering altitude apparently. So he thinks that is why the plane became starved of fuel (as it has waxed and blocked some inlet filters) then by the time they were examined, it had all melted and evaporated, thus leaving no trace and nothing to find.

One of the engines was turning as the blades have been destroyred in such a way to indicate as much. This seems to bear out the fact there has been no recall / inspection ordered on RollsRoyce engines or a make check on the plane type.

If I hear any more I'll post back.

[GreyKnight]

Good stuff Friar, now get back deep undercover again.