The fifth engine?

[G-CIVA 62]

In actual fact both RR & PW powered 744s could be equipped for V Pod operations, although I to the best of my knowledge no PW operator has ever actually opted for this fit or ever carried out a VPod flight.

 

The VPod 'experts' seem to be QFA - one look at their route network & you will begin to understand why although with only 4 RR 744s left the sight of a VPod is now a rare occurrence.

 

GE 744s (including the ER) are not capable of VPod ops.

[phil747fan 14]

Thats why I was careful to say 'passenger operator'; in my first statement.. i guess the cargo operator is cargolux. they are the only one with an extensive RR fleet. Could an assembled RB211 fit on a 744F through either door?

not assembled.

[Qavion 19]

I just read that V Pods were available for Classic 747 PW-powered aircraft. When the designers started working on the 744, they realised that there would be no difference (aerodynamically) to fitting V-pods on the 744, but as Steve says, it seems no one requested one for PW-powered 744's.

 

Cheers

John H Watson

[phil747fan 14]

John,

 

the most reason why only RR and PW in the classic had the 5th pod is because KSSU and ATLAS operators didnt want to pay the new certification and had all of them combi and freighter in their fleet and can splitted for the lower deck or to be transported on the main floor of the combi or cargo. Ge engine has always to be different. lol

[phil747fan 14]

SAA and Qantas were the only two passenger operators that ordered the 5th pod option from factory, from what I have read. There may be -F operators, or operators who converted a former SAA or QF bird to a BCF/BDSF

ANZ RR engine aircraft are certified also just read some material on it ...

[Aonang 1]

I travelled on a Singapore 747 from Sydney to Singapore that had a 5th engine under the port wing.

I think that was pre -400 days though; in fact I am pretty sure it was.

 

Mike M

[77west 139]

 

 

ANZ RR engine aircraft are certified also just read some material on it ...

I did not know that. Sadly, they are all gone now...

[phil747fan 14]

I did not know that. Sadly, they are all gone now...

yes saddly. but this is certainly the reason we can find some options not well known ... and maybe they never used it .... 

[hunterjerry 0]

 

Excuse my ignorance but why do they do this - carry the v pod?

 

Cause it is faster to get a replacement engine to the aircraft

Last year Qantas flew in this config from SYD to JNB as QF63, it made a stop over at PER for refuel and final checks before continue to JNB. the broken engine is then ship back to Australia by continer.

It by far cheaper to get an aircraft back in operation this way then wait for a spear engine to be shipped via boat.

[Avantime 81]

11 hours ago, hunterjerry said:

It by far cheaper to get an aircraft back in operation this way then wait for a spear engine to be shipped via boat.

Sometimes you cannot even get an engine to be shipped via a boat, like that Swiss 777 that got stranded in Iqaluit where the harbor is iced up and the town has no overland connections. These days it's either the Antonov or you fly it in disassembled with an engineering team.

Early 747 JT9D engines were notoriously unreliable, from fan case oval-ization to premature turbine blade failures. Even the inaugural Pan Am 747 flight had to be swapped with a spare aircraft because of engine failures. As the problem was foreseen during flight testing the 747 was designed by Boeing to carry a fifth pod. And the fifth pod was very much a necessity back then.