Pratt & Whitney Turbine Failures

[TWU informer]

AA MD-80 Pratt engines have suffered three stage three turbine failures with the last two weeks. Very low time engines.

These turbine blades were overhauled by outside vendor.

There are up to 50 engines with these blades and 18 are currently considered critical and will be removed before July 16th.

Vendor has admitted to being the cause.

Rumor has it that these blades were sent to Mexico and now we have very low time engine turbine failures.

AA is currently in a scramble to find replacments parts (turbine blades) and engines, plan is in place to use engines from aircraft in desert to gain some turbine blades.

Outsourced Overhaul Maintenance is not always as cheap as the invoiced bill!

 

[TWU informer]

Some things just leave folks speechless I guess?

 

[jimntx]

As a f/a, I have to say that Ignorance is, in fact, bliss. I really didn't need to know about turbine failures on the S80s. That's about all we fly out of STL.

 

[TWU informer]

S80 will fly on one engine, and any aircraft that may have had two of these engines installed has now been addressed and one removed.

AA Maintenance Program is second to none when it comes to concern for safety. But sometimes, the lower cost of outsourced maintenance is of interest when it comes to the bean counters.

My point was not to scare anyone, but instead to simply point out a failure within the outsourced maintenance program at AA.

Outsource vs Insource of Maintenance is a huge issue with those of us that work in M&E. To find that "cheaper" is now more "expensive" by this method is a calculation the bean counter never gets around to using.

Again, you can feel safe as you fly, just remember to help us advocate keeping all maintenance in-house, so that AA's safe maintenance standard is always in the direct eye of the work being accomplished, instead of a cheaper outside service vendor.

 

[Wretched Wrench]

Anyone got any numbers on what is outsourced out of the country as well as out of the company? I know the TWU does, but they ain't talkin'.

 

[TWU informer]

Anyone got any numbers on what is outsourced out of the country as well as out of the company? I know the TWU does, but they ain't talkin'.

All the TWU has is the numbers AA gives them, and I personally doubt the accuracy of those numbers.

The blind TWU sheep believe everything the company tells them.

The problem with the current situation is available 3rd stage turbine blades to replace the suspect sets.

I am not sure how AA will recover the associated cost with this debacle.

The vendor has already stepped forward and admitted fault, but how does AA account for the total cost of this mess?

 

[TIME FOR CHANGE]

its like the ford explorers with all those tire failures. It wasnt cost effective to recall them until more than 60 people died. :down:

 

[Wretched Wrench]

"The bitterness of poor quality remains long after the sweetness of low price disappears."

 

[eolesen]

Let's see... A problem was discovered and tracked back to the cause, and the engines are being removed.

So, how exactly is this like Ford's problem with tires?...

I'd expect that the vendor is picking up some if not all of the downtime cost, plus the expense of harvesting engines out of the desert to backfill those being taken out of service.

 

[AMFAMAN]

All the TWU has is the numbers AA gives them, and I personally doubt the accuracy of those numbers.

Speaking of outsourcing, Delta mechanics were in town the other day working in AA hangars on an AA ex-TWA 757 engine. TWU had no problem with the non-union workers working on our plane. :down:

 

[MCI transplant]

Speaking of outsourcing, Delta mechanics were in town the other day working in AA hangars on an AA ex-TWA 757 engine. TWU had no problem with the non-union workers working on our plane. :down:

<_< ----- Another case of aa management ignorance! So we're still aa's red headed step children! Send those damn engines home to us to work on! Damn! aa loves to through money away! They'd rather pay someone else to work on our old metal, than acknowledge that we're still here!!!! :angry: So aa might have to rob engines off MD80's out in the desert? TWA bails them out again!!!!

 

[scorpian]

<_< ----- Another case of aa management ignorance! So we're still aa's red headed step children! Send those damn engines home to us to work on! Damn! aa loves to through money away! They'd rather pay someone else to work on our old metal, than acknowledge that we're still here!!!! :angry: So aa might have to rob engines off MD80's out in the desert? TWA bails them out again!!!!

Consider your wish granted! As of right now mci will get 4 of these engines to work and the number could go higher.

 

[TWU informer]

Let's see... A problem was discovered and tracked back to the cause, and the engines are being removed.

So, how exactly is this like Ford's problem with tires?...

I'd expect that the vendor is picking up some if not all of the downtime cost, plus the expense of harvesting engines out of the desert to backfill those being taken out of service.

This is correct FM, the vendor will be picking up the expense, to the extent that it can be calculated.

The cost associated with placing our regular production of engines behind schedule and what expense it will take to get caught up is not likely to be calculated because it will be unkown.

There is no way the TOTAL cost of this damage can be fully billed. There are still many functions inside the turbine building that AA cannot bid to third parties because our own cost to do business is not even known. Plans are being worked to remedy this problem, but as of right now, the cost of work has never been taken to the bottom level, it has always just been an overall budget based on past overall averaged expenses.

 

[TIME FOR CHANGE]

Let's see... A problem was discovered and tracked back to the cause, and the engines are being removed.

So, how exactly is this like Ford's problem with tires?...

I'd expect that the vendor is picking up some if not all of the downtime cost, plus the expense of harvesting engines out of the desert to backfill those being taken out of service.

AA will find another low cost repair shop to do the same job and they will continue to do so until one of those T-Wheels slices through row 32 and takes your head off.

 

[Wretched Wrench]

I'd expect that the vendor is picking up some if not all of the downtime cost, plus the expense of harvesting engines out of the desert to backfill those being taken out of service.

I would be surprised if the shop in Mexico is able to pay that much. I would be even more surprised if thay are willing to do so.