El Al has issued new operating instructions to pilots flying its Boeing 747-200 aircraft, pending completion of an investigation into a recent series of inflight engine problems on these planes.
The instructions include a warning to pay special attention to the flow of gas to the engines to avoid engine stall-out.
Initial findings of the investigation indicate that some of the engine problems were caused by faulty calibration and turbine failure. Internationally renowned experts from the engine manufacturer, Pratt & Whitney, will join the investigation, together with representatives from Boeing.
In one of the most serious of the recent incidents, two of the four engines on a 747-200 plane stalled during a flight over Europe.
The captain of the plane declared an emergency, brought the plane to a lower altitude and managed to restart one of the stalled engines.
El Al’s five 747-200 planes are among the oldest components of El Al’s fleet and are mainly used as cargo aircrafts, but can also be used as passenger planes.
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May 17, 2004 at 6:30 am