DLL1011 From Germany, joined Jul 2009, 8 posts, RR: 0 Posted (3 years 10 months 2 days 19 hours ago) and read 11456 times:
I heard that DL flight 1022 to PHL was missing part of the wing. From what my freind said, a few people noticed it and wanted off durring bording. Any ideas was part was missing? Any Delta Mec's out there can answer also what part missing would still allow them to fly?
JBirdAV8r From United States of America, joined Jun 2001, 4459 posts, RR: 22 Reply 3, posted (3 years 10 months 2 days 18 hours ago) and read 11219 times:
Psh. Wings are redundant...we have two, for pete's sake...
Quoting EMBQA (Reply 2):
Maybe a flap track fairing...??
Sounds like the most likely scenario to me.
A few years ago I was on an airliner and some guy turned stupidly to his wife, an obvious nervous flier, and said "Is that duct tape on the wing?"
Didn't end up being a very pleasant flight for either of them...
Pilotboi From United States of America, joined Sep 2007, 2366 posts, RR: 10 Reply 4, posted (3 years 10 months 2 days 16 hours ago) and read 10914 times:
Quoting EMBQA (Reply 2): Maybe a flap track fairing...??
My vote too. Seen it plenty of times. While it make look serious to some people, they have to be explained to that it's simple like a fairing on your car. Not important.
Deltabobo From United States of America, joined Jul 2003, 200 posts, RR: 1 Reply 6, posted (3 years 10 months 2 days 10 hours ago) and read 9013 times:
If it can be CDL'd than I'm sure its fine, but in hindsight, the average Joe flying public doesn't understand what CDL means, so I can totally understand what's going on.
Dispatchers...saving pilots from themselves and their egos since 1938!
AA737-823 From United States of America, joined Mar 2000, 5340 posts, RR: 11 Reply 7, posted (3 years 10 months 2 days 9 hours ago) and read 8617 times:
Quoting Deltabobo (Reply 6): If it can be CDL'd than I'm sure its fine, but in hindsight, the average Joe flying public doesn't understand what CDL means, so I can totally understand what's going on.
If the flying public had ANY IDEA what all we can MEL, they'd never fly again!
I mean, shoot, BA even MEL'd an engine! On a 747! After takeoff! From LAX! And went all the way to London!!
But more seriously, yes, you can MEL all sorts of things. And if not MEL, then CDL, NEF, etc etc. Lots of good acronyms for "We're flying without that today."
OPNLguy From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 8, posted (3 years 10 months 2 days 9 hours ago) and read 8385 times:
Quoting AA737-823 (Reply 7): If the flying public had ANY IDEA what all we can MEL, they'd never fly again!
I mean, shoot, BA even MEL'd an engine! On a 747! After takeoff! From LAX! And went all the way to London!!
Actually, the MEL had zippo to do with that one...since it was after takeoff, the QRH applied, not the MEL (which is a pre-departure document).
BMI727 From United States of America, joined Feb 2009, 14342 posts, RR: 26 Reply 10, posted (3 years 10 months 2 days 9 hours ago) and read 8273 times:
Quoting JoseKMLB (Reply 9): The plane in question is the 757 and the A/C is 625 and you guys nailed it CDL FLAP TRACK FAIRING-1 MISSING.
That was my first thought when I saw the thread too. Apparently pax don't like the idea of a missing canoe fairing.
Why do Aerospace Engineering students have to turn things in on time?
I knew it had to be this ship in question it made a few visit to LGA last week....Go to show you we New Yorkers have no fear when we want to go nothing will stop us....
Aviateur From United States of America, joined Apr 2004, 1346 posts, RR: 12 Reply 16, posted (3 years 10 months 2 days 8 hours ago) and read 7734 times:
See those big, carrot-shaped "pods" that stick off the back of a wing? Those are fairings -- protective coverings that streamline the airflow around the flap mechanisms inside. Their function is mostly just superficial.
An airplane can fly just fine without one or more of these fairings, though it might entail a slight fuel-burn penalty. Whether a fairing can be missing, and what the penalty might be, is spelled out in the plane's CDL (configuration deviation list).
PS
Patrick Smith is an airline pilot, air travel columnist and author
Viscount724 From Switzerland, joined Oct 2006, 21488 posts, RR: 24 Reply 17, posted (3 years 10 months 2 days 8 hours ago) and read 7702 times:
Quoting SSTsomeday (Reply 5): Don't know what the A/C type was - but sometimes one winglet of two can be missing, for maintenance or other reasons, if I am not mistaken.
Yes, there are many A.net photos of aircraft operating with one winglet missing, including the A320 family, A330, A340, 747-400 and CRJ. Can't find any photos of 737s or 757s with one missing winglet so it may not be permitted on those types.
DeltaHolland From Netherlands, joined Dec 2008, 94 posts, RR: 0 Reply 18, posted (3 years 10 months 2 days 8 hours ago) and read 7645 times:
Quoting Aviateur (Reply 16): See those big, carrot-shaped "pods" that stick off the back of a wing? Those are fairings -- protective coverings that streamline the airflow around the flap mechanisms inside. Their function is mostly just superficial.
An airplane can fly just fine without one or more of these fairings, though it might entail a slight fuel-burn penalty. Whether a fairing can be missing, and what the penalty might be, is spelled out in the plane's CDL (configuration deviation list).
Ohhh, I get it now. How would something like that come off the wing though?
Simpilot459 From United States of America, joined Sep 2005, 137 posts, RR: 0 Reply 19, posted (3 years 10 months 2 days 8 hours ago) and read 7626 times:
Saw the same thing on a QX Q400. At least on that one it wasn't visible to the pax inside the plane. I asked the captain about it, and she said it was not a problem and had been noted in the maintenance logs (MEL I think). Saw it again a week later. It'll maybe cost the airline a little $$ in fuel, but nothing that compromises the safety of the aircraft.
Aviateur From United States of America, joined Apr 2004, 1346 posts, RR: 12 Reply 20, posted (3 years 10 months 2 days 7 hours ago) and read 7572 times:
Quoting DeltaHolland (Reply 18): Ohhh, I get it now. How would something like that come off the wing though?
Usually they are removed for some maintenance-related purpose. It's not that they * fall off.*
Though yes, that's happened a few times. Here at BOS, a flap fairing once fell from a British Airways 747 on approach to runway 22L and crashed onto somebody's car in Revere. Late 1970s I think that was.
PS
[Edited 2009-07-26 18:37:59]
Patrick Smith is an airline pilot, air travel columnist and author
OPNLguy From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 21, posted (3 years 10 months 2 days 7 hours ago) and read 7124 times:
Quoting Aviateur (Reply 20): Usually they are removed for some maintenance-related purpose. It's not that they * fall off.*
Not usually, but it does happen, albeit rarely.
Sometime back, oh, at least 15-20 years ago, somebody had a 767 lose part of a trailing edge flap while on a left downwind to DFW to 17L/R. It impacted close to the intersection of Old Denton Drive and W. Jackson Rd., in Carrollton, just east if I-35E Kind of an industrial area, and thankfully nobody injured (or worse).
MSYPI7185 From United States of America, joined Oct 2007, 699 posts, RR: 0 Reply 22, posted (3 years 10 months 2 days 5 hours ago) and read 6093 times:
Another way to explain this is, and I know cars are not planes, but the premise is the same. Nowdays most cars have a rubber cover over the front and/or rear bumper. This cover can be removed, torn off, etc. The safety of the car is not compromised, as the bumpers still function as they should, gas mileage may even be affected, albeit minimal, it just looks like hell.
SSTsomeday From Canada, joined Oct 2006, 1276 posts, RR: 1 Reply 23, posted (3 years 10 months 2 days 3 hours ago) and read 5552 times:
Quoting Aviateur (Reply 16): An airplane can fly just fine without one or more of these fairings, though it might entail a slight fuel-burn penalty.
Perhaps a missing fairing creates a little turbulence that can be felt as well? Similar to when the gear comes down, or when the spoilers are used for en route descents.
Mascmo From United States of America, joined Mar 2008, 93 posts, RR: 0 Reply 24, posted (3 years 10 months 2 days 1 hour ago) and read 5037 times:
shoot you can fly with cracks in the flap tracks! As long as its within limits of course.
25 Pliersinsight: Flap parts fall off, it happens...... even three doors up the street from where your parents live: http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pitt...trib/news/ci
26 AVLNative: Thank you in advance for not posting that list...
27 DALMD88: I know on the DL 737 the winglet must be installed. Without it you have no nav lights. Not sure about the 757, but it could be the same.
28 Brilondon: No it can't. It would upset the balance of the aircraft and the aerodynamic aspect of the aircraft. The collision in Brazil showed you can't fly with
29 OPNLguy: If ever there was an apples-and-oranges situation, this is it. The "apples" part is the discussion of whether an aircraft can fly without one of the
30 EMBQA: Wrong.... yes they can fly with just one winglet. There are several photos in the A.net data base of aircraft flying with just one winglet....and it
31 TWAL1011727: That "somebody" was a Delta flight into DFW see... http://www.ntsb.gov/ntsb/brief.asp?ev_id=20001208X07526&key=1 KD
32 Scrumpy492003: Geez !! I've just finished reading that other thread about no wheels, and now this one about more pieces falling off or not being required etc. As som
33 OPNLguy: By jove, I think he's got it..! Minor "molehill" event + slow news day x (Sweeps ratings period) = "Mountainous TV Movie"