• Skunk
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    12 days ago

    Toxic oil fumes getting into the bleed air system already made one dead.

    A young flight attendant on a Swiss A220 (formerly BCS3) right before Christmas.

    It’s another engine (PW1524G) than the Leap A or B, without the “anti wobbling system” (can’t remember the name) purging the oil, but nevertheless, an oil leak getting burned by the engine will end up in the bleed air.

    https://avherald.com/h?article=521ec68d&opt=0

      • Skunk
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        12 days ago

        Costs? Most probably. Until we have bleed less aircraft but even if the tech exists none are in the pipes, not at Airbus and Boeing tho, not until they design an all new aircraft (so in minimum one decade at Boeing and Airbus is not in a hurry because of that).

        Today only the B787 is not using bleed air. Even the latest designed airliner Comac C919 use bleed, as well as the A350.

        Including a sensor in the bleed duct might mitigate the issue but it’s more work than a simple software upgrade, so, cost…

        Maybe the next incident will force the industry. It would probably need a big enough incident involving a strong investigation board. So not the Swiss STSB (in the case I linked) as they and FOCA lack the influence, nor the FAA (in the video case) as they have proved this last decade to be incompetent as a regulator and ANSP, they have to get their shit in order first and put the money where it is needed.

        Best case scenario would be an Airbus and BEA as the latter would put huge administrative and political pressure on the manufacturer whatever the costs are. Then once all Airbus are retrofitted Boeing and FAA would not have a choice but to do the same.