I came accross this video on YouTube. It shows pieces of what appear to be rubber strips falling off the B777’s wing while inflight.
The author of the video says the following in the video description:
“I was told that it is used to improve the 777’s aerodynamic efficiency. It wasn’t improving anything, as I saw it. We were at cruising altitude and at A tad over 1000kmh (ground speed) when it fell off.
I reported it to the crew and the captain viewed this video while still in flight. Just before he viewed it, I reported another section was unstable.
We landed on a stopover and departed again but they had not removed or repaired it.
After we departed the 2nd reported section also fell off, hit the tail section with a loud “thud”, but this time over a populated area.
The airline said there were no safety concerns from the engineers or crew after I complained.
I am still baffled on how knowing a part of an aircraft might fall off can be viewed as safe in any circumstances.
I would like to hear your views on this, so don’t be shy Pilots, Airline staff, Engineers or the public at large.”
Does anyone know what these objects were, and was the airline correct to say that safety was not compromised?
By: murph - 24th October 2006 at 07:36
At uni we get taught about fail-safe and safe life in the aerospace context. Worrying for passengers who know nothing about aeroplanes, worrying for the man whos house got attacked by a flying bolt but flight critical? I doubt it.
By: steve rowell - 24th October 2006 at 04:00
Just last week a bolt fell from a Singapore 777 taking off from Kingsford Smith on it’s way to Changi
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,20867,20603402-23349,00.html
By: Bmused55 - 23rd October 2006 at 09:47
If you knew nothing about aeroplanes however, would you not be worried about bits (however big, medium or small) falling off of the aircraft?
If it had been a safety concern there would have been backups, as explained previously by much more knowledgeable people it won’t make much of a difference. Just tidies up the aerodynamic surfaces and makes sure theres no holes for the air to find, improving efficiency 😀
Meh
By: murph - 23rd October 2006 at 09:22
Hoo Ha over nothing I say.
The video poster is just making a mountain out of a molehill.
Anyone can see it is just bit of rubber.
If you knew nothing about aeroplanes however, would you not be worried about bits (however big, medium or small) falling off of the aircraft?
If it had been a safety concern there would have been backups, as explained previously by much more knowledgeable people it won’t make much of a difference. Just tidies up the aerodynamic surfaces and makes sure theres no holes for the air to find, improving efficiency 😀
By: Bmused55 - 23rd October 2006 at 09:05
Hoo Ha over nothing I say.
The video poster is just making a mountain out of a molehill.
Anyone can see it is just bit of rubber.
By: Cking - 22nd October 2006 at 19:18
Hear is a picture of the same seals (Correctly fitted) on a 767 taken this morning.
The seal is about 1″ X1″ and is of a “D” cross section. It is slid into a track riveted onto the aileron. It is stopped from sliding out again by a piece of locking wire.
Rgds Cking
By: Rickt - 22nd October 2006 at 00:33
from as safety asspect the plane would be ok…… however if it was me watching bits fall off the plane im on at 35k feet i dont think i would say… never mind… just a bit of rubber…. i dont mind flying but when u see bits fallen off its a different story..
Rickt
By: Cking - 21st October 2006 at 23:34
It’s a seal between the flaps. Nothing to worry about. There are yards and yards of the stuff sealing odd gaps between the flaps and the spoilers. In fact there is a length sealing the gap between my garage door and the floor!!! I doubt if there was a bump when it fell out too. It is fitted to reduce the aircrafts fuel consumption. If all of it were to fall out the aircraft’s fuel consumption would increase by 0.00000000001 %
Rgds Cking
By: Jon Taylor - 21st October 2006 at 22:18
Hmm very intresting too watch! Too me and im probably wrong is my thought are it being a rubber tubing i have forgotten the name of this, this is the only thing i can think, as i cant think of what else it looks like,
Jon =) would be very intresting too find out what it was.
By: caz66 - 21st October 2006 at 20:55
Sorry i dont npo what it is ? Any ideas what airline this is ?
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October 21, 2006 at 8:49 pm