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when the 747 was designed it was designed to carry a third engin on the inside of the left wing to ferry it as a spare or replacement.
why doesn't anyone still do this?
is the -400 designed to do this and if so why didn't BA last week just do that rather then charter Volga to carry over a spare?
It's called "fifth pod" and I don't think any airline in the world uses that to carry engine anymore. The last few I have seen out of JFK were either TWA or PAA.Quote:
Originally Posted by Ari707
The fifth pod flights are altitude and speed restricted, I think FL250 and 280KTS. Burns too much fuel and takes too long comparing to current options to move large diameter engines.
At Polar, the pilots were "3" Engine Certified & I think there was a qualification for carrying the 5th engine.
Not all aircraft were able to do this, the aircraft had to be ordered from Boeing with the mounts and the fan blades were removed and covers were put on the inop engine.
In the early days of 747's, The Easiest way to transport a 747 engine was inside a 747 but all were set up for passengers then. Pan Am/National and many others had a few birds that were set up for the 5th engine pod but they were only used if needed. I remember many days in Pan Am engine shop where they would pull the blades to relocate engines to airfields were they did not have spares.... I think I remember seeing a few 747sp's with 5th engines but this is very dim as those cells were probably damaged by binge drinking in my high school years!
I think they should have added fuel, spark and worried about Asymmetric thrust later!
Qantas does it quite often, especially with the 747-300's which seem to be lacking in RR engine parts worldwide.
http://www.jetphotos.net/viewphoto.php?id=310776
transporting a spare to Auckland, it did another pod trip not to long after for another busted 743. Nalanji is no-longer because the RR's are used for the 5 other aircraft in the fleet.