[lesmore49]

When you look at what hit his pickup, all you see is the leading edge of the cowling, not the whole thing.

The shiny ring in this picture:



It was separated from the rest of the cowling, which is composite, and likely was broken into dozens of pieces by the engine fan failure.

This is that ring.



Here is a generic diagram of a jet engine and all the stuff that surrounds it. You see very little of the engine when it is hanging from the wing.

I've spent a lot of time in our local air plane museum, as my wife's grandfather was an early pilot. When you look at the planes from the teens and early twenties of the last century and look at the material that was used to cover the plane's bodies...it was canvas, soaked in something. Looking at your diagrams, airplanes have come a long way.

[lesmore49]

I'm a gearhead and like any vehicle, although I realize that most people aren't. However, I came across this news item about a new postal van that will be used in the USA. It is made by Oshkosh, previous mail vans were made by Grumman and rated for a 24 year life, which when you think about it, is incredible, given the hard, daily service these vehicles do. BTW, I believe many mail trucks in Canada are similar to past American mail trucks...Grumman bodies.

I'm fascinated by the length of life that commercial vehicles...trucks, planes, trains have.

The US Postal Service revealed its first new mail truck in over 30 years - and some will be electric

[Fries]

Then there is this car with another engine piece sticking out of the roof.

That picture likely is from a recent incident near the Dutch town of Maastricht where a Boeing 747-400 had trouble with one of it's engines. A report in Dutch:
Vliegtuig verliest motoronderdelen bij Maastricht, vrouw en auto's geraakt | NU - Het laatste nieuws het eerst op NU.nl

[StiffLegged]

I've spent a lot of time in our local air plane museum, as my wife's grandfather was an early pilot. When you look at the planes from the teens and early twenties of the last century and look at the material that was used to cover the plane's bodies...it was canvas, soaked in something. Looking at your diagrams, airplanes have come a long way.

That something was dope – no, not recreational pharmacology – and originally nitrocellulose which is er, highly inflammable, but gives a very durable finish as long as it doesn't get over-heated... Other cellulose-based butyrate dopes took over later, but some nitrate dope was still needed since it stuck to the airframe better. The dope shrank the fabric as it dried giving a smooth, taut finish to wings.

[tim60]

Actually it was only a portion of the inlet cowling.

The majority of the engine was still attached the wing. Had the whole engine fallen on that pickup, there would be a large depression in the driveway, with a flattened pickup underneath the engine. Jet engines weigh about 12,000 lbs.

Here are a pair of inlet cowlings.

Even the pylon it hangs off is a few tons.

[lesmore49]

That something was dope – no, not recreational pharmacology – and originally nitrocellulose which is er, highly inflammable, but gives a very durable finish as long as it doesn't get over-heated... Other cellulose-based butyrate dopes took over later, but some nitrate dope was still needed since it stuck to the airframe better. The dope shrank the fabric as it dried giving a smooth, taut finish to wings.

That's it. Couldn't recall the name of the product.

[Racer X 69]

That picture likely is from a recent incident near the Dutch town of Maastricht where a Boeing 747-400 had trouble with one of it's engines. A report in Dutch:
Vliegtuig verliest motoronderdelen bij Maastricht, vrouw en auto's geraakt | NU - Het laatste nieuws het eerst op NU.nl

You’re right.

See what happens when Uncle Google gets involved?

[jeallen01]

That's it. Couldn't recall the name of the product.

Pratt & Twhitney: D

PS: "Prat" & "Twit" = "same thing"!

[lesmore49]

Pratt & Twhitney: D

PS: "Prat" & "Twit" = "same thing"!

In my burg the city police used Webley revolvers, which out here, were known as 'Wobley' revolvers, because of their build quality.

[MarkJerling]

I'm a gearhead and like any vehicle, although I realize that most people aren't. However, I came across this news item about a new postal van that will be used in the USA. It is made by Oshkosh, previous mail vans were made by Grumman and rated for a 24 year life, which when you think about it, is incredible, given the hard, daily service these vehicles do. BTW, I believe many mail trucks in Canada are similar to past American mail trucks...Grumman bodies.

I'm fascinated by the length of life that commercial vehicles...trucks, planes, trains have.

The US Postal Service revealed its first new mail truck in over 30 years - and some will be electric

That is the ugliest thing I've seen in years.



Why do they build these things from scratch? There's many RHD vans on the market that could do the job nicely. (Probably at a fraction of the cost)

[lesmore49]

That is the ugliest thing I've seen in years.



Why do they build these things from scratch? There's many RHD vans on the market that could do the job nicely. (Probably at a fraction of the cost)

It is ugly, I grant you that, but it is essentially a box on wheels and a box carries the most cargo in a closed truck body.

In Canada we have a number of purpose designed, large Grumman vans used as postal vans, that I believe use proprietary engines/transmissions like the old Chevy 4.3 V6 or Ford 4.9 liter, inline six. These mechanicals are tough as nails, provide good torque to move the truck in stop and go in urban areas.

Pretty sure that was the current large mail van also used in the USA. They were made to last 24 years of day in, day out hard use in weather extremes of North America.

Think they came out in the '90's and up here I still see them doing the job, no rust, still running.

In the past few years the Canuck mail got some new Econolines and I thought why on earth for...the bodies/chassis will not have the durability...or the capacity of the larger Grumman vans, in my opinion.

Don't get me wrong , I put on many 100's of thousands of miles driving delivery on both Ford Econoline (E300/E 350) and Chevy full size, 1 tonner vans and while they (bodies, chassis) are tough, I do not believe they are as tough as these purpose made vans....when it comes to 25 years of daily delivery.

BTW, two best Ford, or any engines in my book are the 460 cube -385 series V8 and 300 inline six, both no longer made, but boy were they tough, durable engines. But to return to the subject .

In the end, it's all guess work, except when I look at these 25 year old Grummans and 25 year vs Ford/GM full size commercial vans...the Grumman bodies (all aluminum, I believe) show no sign of rust, while the Ford/GM commercial vans at that age do have rust.

Talking about rust, the most rust prone commercial vans for rust I've seen, are the older Mercedes and Dodge Sprinter vans.

Rust will kill a commercial vehicle, that is why I think real long term, needs aluminum, rather than steel.

On the other hand, maybe the key is to buy a cheaper regular production van, like a Ford or GM, run it for 15 years, then replace it with the same. Because although a body maybe durable and work for 25 years...what about the heating/air conditioning/ seats, etc...will they be still working well at a quarter of a century or just blowing warm, rather than hot air into the cab at -30. So, from that standpoint, maybe replace every 15 years, to ensure better driver comfort, working conditions.

Anyways, just my opinion and as we all know on this forum...what the heck do I know .

[MarkJerling]

If I was them, I'd run Ford Transit vans or Toyota Hiaces. Our courier drivers all run around in Hiaces.
Transits are available as full EV's from next year.

[lesmore49]

If I was them, I'd run Ford Transit vans or Toyota Hiaces. Our courier drivers all run around in Hiaces.
Transits are available as full EV's from next year.

Don't know why I said Econolines, guess I'm living in the past. What I meant to say is that Canada Post have been using some Ford Transits (large version) alongside the old Grumman vans.

I don't think the Transit...or the Mercedes, or the Ram, which are based on Fiat vans, and are the regular production vans on offer in North America, from manufacturers, have the durability to last a quarter of a century or more of hard service, as did the Grumman, in climates that uses lot of salt, extreme cold, extreme heat, etc. The Oshkosh new postal van is to replace the old Grumman .

To really tell for sure, one, say an engineer would have to look at the complete specs of the regular production vs the purpose designed vans, such as the new postal vans from Oshkosh.

Oshkosh specializes in the manufacture of purpose built, severe service vehicles.

Oshkosh Beats Workhorse For Postal Service Delivery Vehicle Contract

[tim60]

Pratt & Twhitney: D

PS: "Prat" & "Twit" = "same thing"!

I guess you like the posh rollers.

[tim60]

That is the ugliest thing I've seen in years.



Why do they build these things from scratch? There's many RHD vans on the market that could do the job nicely. (Probably at a fraction of the cost)

They do not realise that there is a rest of the world who often have ideas that would be worth learning from.