Aviation Blogger Asks: Does Boeing Have a Problem With Falling Engines?
This week's crash of a Boeing 707 at Sharjah Airport in the United Arab Emirates has Kieran Daly of Unusual Attitude asking: Is something wrong with Boeing's engines? Daly goes all Zapruder on the security-camera video above that shows the crash (one-minute mark) that killed all six on board.
...not absolutely sure, but something big and heavy came off this Sudanese Boeing 707 just before it crashed at Sharjah, UAE two days ago. You can see it in this video, although you have to watch carefully.It's a well-documented issue on the 707 and the KC-135, although there have been several different reasons why it happened. A key issue is that the loss of one engine sometimes leads to the loss of the adjacent one - although again for different reasons.
The 707 is the granddaddy of commercial jet aviation: The most modified plane ever built and, by most accounts, the plane that made Boeing what it is today. It is also very, very old. And only still in use in a number of smaller foreign countries that don't actually make their own planes. So fortunately for you, if Daly's hunch is proven true, and the 707 does have a small problem with falling engines, you'll likely only encounter one the next time you fly Zambia Air, Sudan Airways or with the Argentine Air Force.
So, ya know, never.
4 comment(s)
Alex says:
The aircraft in question was 40 years old and operated by an African company .... That's probably a huge factor in this case. Old planes with little or no maintenance being pushed until they crash being or can't get off the ground anymore flown by poorly trained crews.
Posted On: Thursday, Oct. 22 2009 @ 11:11PM
homey says:
Agree with Alex, 707s are very old and we know the track record with African airliners and new 737s!
Posted On: Friday, Oct. 23 2009 @ 6:25AM
Frank says:
boeing does not make engines
Posted On: Friday, Oct. 23 2009 @ 11:38AM
aviationpilottraining says:
you can recreate this problem in my free simulator available at http://aviationpilottraining.blogspot.com/ plus loads of tips on how to become a pilot.
Posted On: Sunday, Oct. 25 2009 @ 7:20AM