Catastrophe averted? A Frontier A320 Airbus was set to take off from Nashville when a passenger noticed the deicing looked strange. He alerted the flight crew to the green liquid sitting on top of ice and snow on the wings.
John and Greg share the details of what may have happened, going beyond news coverage of the incident. They offer their insider knowledge of plane deicing procedures.
Among the insights:

• Deicing is extremely expensive for airlines
• Why some flight crews like to avoid “shooting” their planes
• Value of listening to observations from people onboard

Greg shares a story from a recent flight with expert mechanic Jason Lukasik. When Jason noticed a crack in the wing skin of a relatively new Embraer in flight, even he had trouble convincing the flight crew to take note.
The episode includes a review of the latest NTSB update on the United Airlines 777 engine explosion. The Flight Safety Detectives discuss the details shared and items not yet mentioned. John has some predictions for what’s next.
Flight Safety Detectives is sponsored by Avemco Insurance. Mention the Flight Safety Detectives podcast and receive a 5% discount!
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Discussion of the United Airlines 777 engine explosion (initiated in Episode 60) continues with guest Mike Borfitz. The focus is the three systems that make up the engine cowling.

At the initial NTSB hearing, the chairman was pointed in saying that the recent event was technically a contained engine failure. Yet, most industry experts say the evidence points to an uncontained failure.

Borfitz is an FAA designated engineering representative. He shares his knowledge of current regulations and expectations. Among his key points is that airframe manufacturers and engine manufacturers must work together to prevent future disasters.

John, Greg and Mike walk through the evidence so far. They discuss the three separate systems that make up an airframe’s engine cowling and how they interface with the engine.

Is it time for regulations to be updated to reflect the current aircraft and engine design and technology? Are new approaches needed to cowling design?

Flight Safety Detectives is sponsored by Avemco Insurance. Mention the Flight Safety Detectives podcast and receive a 5% discount!

John and Greg are giving meticulous attention to information available on the recent United Airlines engine explosion. In this episode, they share their initial expert observations and predict what’s next.
Learn what the evidence so far really shows from two of the world’s most experienced accident investigators.

They explain why the crew and air traffic control personnel who handled the flight were “the ideal scenario for handling the situation.” The outcome could have been far worse.

John shares his extensive knowledge of Pratt & Whitney 4000 series engines. He walks listeners through the critical components. The forces the fan blades need to endure are explained. John offers an expert look at the engine components and maintenance procedures.
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What’s next? John and Greg talk about the implications of mandated inspections. They also have some predictions for potential actions such as declaring blades in service for a certain period of time at end of life.