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From: ron@brl-tgr.ARPA (Ron Natalie )
Newsgroups: net.aviation
Subject: Re: More on the Air India Crash
Message-ID: <11511@brl-tgr.ARPA>
Date: Thu, 11-Jul-85 17:25:20 EDT
Article-I.D.: brl-tgr.11511
Posted: Thu Jul 11 17:25:20 1985
Date-Received: Wed, 17-Jul-85 03:31:58 EDT
References: <1984@ut-ngp.UTEXAS> <11505@brl-tgr.ARPA>
Distribution: net
Organization: Ballistic Research Lab
Lines: 23

> >> 
> >> The New York Times quoted a report in the Montreal Gazette saying that
> >> the Air-India crash might have occurred because
> >> of the structural breakdown of the plane caused
> >> by it carrying a fifth defective engine.
> >> According to the Air-India office as well as the
> >> Boeing company spokesman, this was a routine
> >> practice by all airlines and such an act could
> >> not have caused a structural breakdown in the
> >> plane.
> >> 
> Does anyone have any idea as to what the paragraph above means? Does it
> indicate that the plane had a fifth engine somewhere on board? (In the
> cargo hold? Would a 747 engine fit inside the cargo space of a
> passenger-carrying 747 version?) Or does it mean that one engine had been
> replaced five times, due to defects, and that the repeated replacements
> caused weakening? Or what? 

I don't know about the Air India situation, but the common way to transport
engines on 747 is to strap the extra one below the wing.  Looks kind of silly,
but I guess it's the most econmical arrangement

-Ron