Did the engine just blow up in flight or just disintigrate? Either way – very odd indeed.

Shame really, the Flights been going for as long as I can remember – with the MEGATOPS. Lets hope some other Asian carrier(s) takes advantage of the capacity.

So lets be sceptical for a moment. Lets say it’s possible that the sparks came from maybe something on the wing mechanics or one of the gears, maybe it was something to do with the flap motors and so the flaps weren’t extended enough and hense the long unexpected take-off because something happened after V1.

Might be cltching at straws here but just a thought to give the claims some credability.

Nice shots, maybe if you hang around a bit long next time, you might…..just might catch a B777 :p

Love the Gulf Air btw.

Aaah that makes sense now, I thought he was on about dodgy things lol.

Talking about flying the day before/after disasters, I departed on a Dan-Air 1-11 who’s wings looked not too disimilar to a patchwork quilt the day after the Airtours disaster at MAN, I was only young one but I remember taking great pride in reminding the passengers in the cabin about that burnt out wreck at the side of the runway. I remember the take-off was like a rollercoaster – up a bit, down a bit, up a bit more, drop a bit, up a bit more again. They don’t make em like they used to.:D

If you knew half the things that went on in the pointy end you’d probably never fly again!!!

Hmmmm…..you got me wondering now. You can’t just drop something like that and not say any more about it. Come on then, spill some beans on the subject…

You’ve got to remember that it isn’t just one tiny contact with the runway and once happened ends instaneously, there would have be contact for a significant period of time which in turn would have caused a large amount of sparks.

Yeah but when you look backwards out of the windows, you can’t see much or if any of the horizontal stabalizer and surely the sparks would be going backwards behind the aircraft and not out to the side with the aircraft moving forward so fast.

Look the same thing happens with most new types…i remember Qantas had teething problems with both the 707 and the 747 in the first few years of revenue service!!!

Thats the kind of thing I’m getting at, no aircraft starts life perfectly.