4 ms·
The safety calculus isn't quite as simple as "more engines = safer". Having more engines also increases the chances of one of the engines failing, and engine fa
by foldr 3y ago
The safety calculus isn't quite as simple as "more engines = safer". Having more engines also increases the chances of one of the engines failing, and engine failure can be quite immediately dangerous to the aircraft if it's uncontained. (You don't want to get hit by a detached fan blade.)
- musha68k 3y agoGood point.
- cmurf 3y agoEven if contained it can be dangerous. Light twin piston airplanes, likwise double the odds of engine failure, but due to the dramatic loss of excess thrust, the good engine actually becomes the problem, e.g. Vmc limitation. The assymetric thrust force can exceed control surface force needed for controlled flight. The solution is never go below Vmc airspeed, but if you do it requires immediate power reduction. And that has consequences that often inhibits committing to the proper action prior to loss of control. In most cases power reduction commits the pilot to landing sooner than preferred, and in a likely suboptimal location.
- accrual 3y ago> You don't want to get hit by a detached fan blade. For the morbidly curious, this occurred on Delta Flight 1288: https://admiralcloudberg.medium.com/written-in-metal-the-story-of-delta-air-lines-flight-1288-1205599c1b55 https://admiralcloudberg.medium.com/written-in-metal-the-sto...