Bolt Science Website

[DaveW]

Really good general info on threaded fasteners:

www.boltscience.com

[Steve Demeter]

Interesting cause I just watched an episode of "Air Disasters" on Smithsonian Channel.

To make a long story short a KC 135 was on a refueling mission in Desert Storm when for no apparent reason it rolled over on it's top. With much effort and luck the crew managed to save it and then discovered an engine fire alarm in both left side engines. When a crewman looked out the window he reported to the captain: no fire and No engines.

With much skill they managed to get it home and land without crashing.

They had hit wing vortexes and the violent banking broke all 3 bolts holding both left side engines on, hence their departure. It also broke 2 of three on both right side engines.

Get this: Boeing checked the airframe out and declared it straight and the USAF repaired it and flew it another 13 years.

Those guys really needed that bolt science or perhaps they should be very happy that Boeing used it, because the G forces in the violent tossing and turning were way above what the plane is rated for.

[BeerBudgetRacing]

Get this: Boeing checked the airframe out and declared it straight and the USAF repaired it and flew it another 13 years.

Those guys really needed that bolt science or perhaps they should be very happy that Boeing used it, because the G forces in the violent tossing and turning were way above what the plane is rated for.

Maybe they were designed to break and lose the engine rather than break the airframe....
I'd rather end up in a glider than a missile.

[Steve Demeter]

The analysis of the gyrations showed that the rolls were in the 8g range. More than the airplane can generate on it's own. The rolls were 0.14 G higher on the side that lost the engines.

If you ask the guys flying it they would have preferred that the engines stay attached.

Remember that this is a 707 carrying about 150 tons of fuel. Not too much gliding.

They had to dump a bunch of fuel just to stay airborne

[BeerBudgetRacing]

The analysis of the gyrations showed that the rolls were in the 8g range. More than the airplane can generate on it's own. The rolls were 0.14 G higher on the side that lost the engines.

If you ask the guys flying it they would have preferred that the engines stay attached.

Remember that this is a 707 carrying about 150 tons of fuel. Not too much gliding.

They had to dump a bunch of fuel just to stay airborne

Certainly they would have preferred to keep the engines, but the alternative might have been a wad of tinfoil - with engines.

Power is pointless if you can't control it and there's not telling what might have 'given up' and whether it would remain flyable.

I agree with your point re balance. I had the engine in a Bonanza munch itself but if it had 'dismounted' I doubt the plane would be controllable.