Ingenious System Airlines Found to Pull Out the Biggest Aircraft Engines

[Music] hello everyone and welcome back to the fluctus channel [Music] an average large cabin jet can cover over 4 000 miles in a day [Music] which is about 10 hours flight or more this means active planes are putting many hours on their engines each week and with the current high standards for safety all across the industry proper maintenance is of prime importance [Music] most commercial airplane engines are carefully inspected by a maintenance team every day [Music] during this process fluid levels are checked to ensure proper function and any damage promptly reported [Music] if there is a problem the aircraft is grounded for a more thorough inspection and repair [Music] however even if everything is functioning as intended all planes must undergo a heavy inspection once every two to three years [Music] during which every inch of the plane will be carefully checked to ensure that cracks and flaws are detected and solved early before they reach a critical stage during this process very special attention is given to the engine which is typically removed with its cowling to allow for closer and more thorough inspection removing the engines of large passenger jets like the boeing 777 the airbus a380 and the boeing 747 is no easy task ground crews have come up with an ingenious system for servicing the engines easily efficiently and safely [Music] first the cowling is separated at the bottom and lifted to expose the inner workings of the unit [Music] once this is complete the special cobra hydraulic engine change system is moved into place this equipment is more frequently used on aircraft with wing mounted engines but is also suitable for many other aircraft types due to its interchangeable adapters that make it flexible enough for universal handling of engine dollies and cradles through this mechanical platform maintenance crews can be lifted to gain access to the upper and inner parts of the gigantic engine it also allows the entire engine unit itself to be lowered onto the lift and moved to another area for easy maintenance [Music] fighter jets have a similar process but there is much more risk involved due to the nature of the airplane's function [Music] for instance the repair process starts with the careful removal of all armaments and the disabling of all other potentially dangerous components though some military bases have mechanical lifts like the cobra hydraulic system others rely on a special wheeled dolly to transport the engine once it's removed from the airframe [Music] even after repairs are made replacing the engine is a delicate and sensitive process this is because the mechanical lift and airframe need to be perfectly aligned with one another to make sure no damage occurs as it is moved into place even in the event of minor bumps and scrapes the entire repair and inspection process can be repeated just to ensure that the final outcome meets quality standards which includes engine cleanliness proper cleaning is also an essential part of the overall maintenance process this allows for the removal of any dust grime dirt sand or other buildup and helps inspection crews spot cracks and other potentially dangerous damage in the fuselage [Music] a process typically performed by the maintenance squadron modern technology in the form of robotic washing is slowly introduced to perform this duty for its undeniable advantages typically when you wash an aircraft it takes three to four maybe five people to wash the aircraft and it takes them four to six hours with this system it takes one person 52 minutes it is a huge amount of savings and time effort and it allows us to have our maintainers in other places where we could use them to be servicing aircraft and getting other aircraft fixed similar to the robotic arms you might see on an assembly line automatic jet wash robots use lasers to carefully move around the craft without physical contact while covering each surface with streams of hot water and detergent the robot works with incredible precision to make sure no part of the craft is overlooked while avoiding harming sensitive sensors or engine components since this automated process can be performed overnight crews can begin the day with a clean dry and safe aircraft back in the civilian world things are a bit different due to the sheer size of the average passenger plane special pressure washing crews must be deployed to clean them once every six to eight weeks [Music] first they need to carefully cover up the engines and sensors ensuring they do not come into any contact with the soap or water [Music] the process takes about five hours thick detergent is applied and rinsed off several times with special extension scrubbers being used wherever there is significant dirt buildup the process is always very meticulously done and thoroughly rinsed to the satisfaction of the inspectors they'll just make sure everything's rinsed down they'll call the inspectors and the inspectors will make sure all that soap soap is off everything's clean and then they'll start taking all these tape tape off the inspectors will double check that all the you know the probe covers and the wheel covers and everything the plane is then left to air dry as inspectors and mechanics perform more checks like the air force and navy commercial airlines are also beginning to show interest in the robotic plane washing process this has led to the development of a scrubbing robot from swedish company the nordic dino able to be controlled by just one person the fast-moving scrubber and telescoping arm can clean planes much faster and more thoroughly applying detergent and rinsing simultaneously this not only has the potential to save costs by reducing man hours but more frequent washes can also help to increase plane's flight frequency still despite the excitement regarding the advances in automation across the airline industry humans will always remain a part of the process [Music] at the end of the day nothing can replace the human eye when pulling out delicate aircraft engines or washing their massive fuselages that's the end of this video i hope you enjoyed it make sure to subscribe to this channel so you don't miss any of our new content see you next time [Music]

Channel: Fluctus

Views: 26,440

Keywords: aircraft engine, Boeing &&&, Airbus A380, Boeing 747. CObra hydraulic engine change system, engine dollies, F-16 Fighting falcon, robotic washer, BTT international, scrubbing robot washer, aircraft engineer, fluid check, engine fan blade, Pratyy & Whiteney, General Electrics

Id: Olv-n-x_8K0

Length: 10min 16sec (616 seconds)

Published: Thu May 12 2022