"Alarm of frequent engine failures"

One by one, planes fail in flight. What's happening? The first -class pilot, the former KVS A320 Aeroflot, meets Andrey Litvinov

Chronicle of breakdowns of Russian airlines aircraft
December 1
The superjot of Iraero flew out of Novosibirsk with 78 passengers on board. After departure, autopilot, flaps and datingrals were refused. To eliminate problems, the plane returned to the Tolmachevo Airport and, after the necessary work, was again allowed to fly.
On the same day, the indication of the air conditioning system Airbus A321 Aeroflot (Kaliningrad -Moscow flight) worked. The plane was forced to land in Pulkovo.
Boeing 737 with 408 passengers on board, flying from Moscow, made an emergency landing in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk due to the indication of the pressure drop in one of the landing gear.
December 2
When performing a regular flight from St. Petersburg to Moscow, Airbus A321 Aeroflot, being at an altitude of 3600 meters, requested an emergency landing in Sheremetyeva due to the refusal of the left engine. The plane sat safely in Sheremetyevo.
At the Tyumen International Airport, Roshchino, due to malfunctions, landed Superjet 100 of Yamal, which executed the Noyabrsk-Ufa flight.
December 5
Boeing-737 of the Victory Airlines, which performed the Moscow-Kazan flight, returned to the Sheremetyevo departure airport due to a malfunction in the hydraulic system. On board were 188 people.
On the same day. The crew of the An-12, belonging to Sibnia. Chaplygina, when performing a flight along the route, Pvek -Khabarovsk reported on the refusal of the trimmer of the steering wheel. The plane landed safely at the Komsomolsk-on-Amur airport.
December 6th
Upon approaching the airport, the commander of the Boeing-737-800 vessel of the Yutair airline reported on the refusal of the hydraulic system. The plane flew from Igarka to Vnukovo, landing was carried out safely.
On the same day on board the Boeing-777 Aeroflot, the Moscow-Kamchatka flight occurred. No one was injured, Boeing was removed from flights.
December 7th
At the Tu-204 Aviastar-Tu Cargo Air Force, when taking off at Ulan-Ude airport, the left engine caught fire. The aircraft was successfully landed, no one was injured.

The legendary pilot of the first class, the former captain of the aircraft a -320 Aeroflot Andrei Litvinov. Photo: Vlad Dokshin / "New Gazeta"

- Andrei, during the sanctions, this is our third conversation about panic moods related to Russian aviation. It seems to everyone that she now holds on “on snot”, and you remember how we took the birds for the drones? Now winter, and nothing, fortunately, is not heard about drones or birds. But the breakdown of aircraft during flights is already, it is difficult to explain to the phenomena of nature or someone's negligence.

- All recently, they tried to explain any breakdown of the aircraft with sanctions. Perhaps this happened with the presentation of your journalists, who, at any opportunity, repeat this mantra as the wounds.

“But the logic is obvious here.” There are no native spare parts due to sanctions, which means what remains? Yes, there are donors aircraft, spare parts for the rest are removed from them. But any details are still missing? So, you have to take some left.

- No, this is not so. I recently talked with a specialist who is engaged in the supply of spare parts. Very high requirements are imposed on the quality of these spare parts - objectively - everything is seriously considered. And he told me that if suddenly we see some even the smallest drawback of spare parts-we refuse acceptance, we return it back.

- Is it about the original details?

- Namely, about the original spare parts, and the most thorough control is carried out. You see,

“Left” spare parts to put, for example, on Airbus or “Boeing”-a huge risk, this is, firstly. And secondly-why? There are original spare parts, their delivery is carried out through third countries - China, India, Arab Emirates, Turkey.

- That is, there is no shortage?

- There is no deficit, but there is a rise in price, as logistics has become more complicated and, of course, the prices of intermediary firms have increased. They want to make money on the situation. And the situation is such that if earlier spare parts were directly bought from the same Airbus, now through some kind of laying companies. And if earlier it was possible to directly order them from Toulouse, for example, - a direct flight flew in, brought spare parts - now through Turkey. Naturally, the cost of spare parts increases. This rise in price is very significant. And, perhaps, I emphasize, perhaps, that is, I do not affirm this, but I admit that somewhere airlines begin to save. For example, it is supposed to change a certain part through a thousand hours of plaque, and change after 1200, or after 1300. To spend less, at exchanging - let it fly a little more, then we will change it.

This can be allowed, but categorically I do not even allow thoughts, about some left spare parts that were pulled out of the garages and put on the plane. This is unlikely.

What can I say about the above circumstances. I recall the times that were long before the sanctions. Well, you come to work, open a computer, and there you always read what technology failures were about a week in two, what happened. And it is written in detail - this one returned from the start for such a reason, here the filter clogged, then another refused, there the third. That is, all refusals have always been posted to service computers. And we had to be acquainted with them before departure.

It has always been, just only for official use, and not for wide masses. In order not to scare people, do not disturb. The breakdowns have always been everywhere, not only in our country.

- That is, there is no reason for concern?

“There is a alarm that has been alarming me recently, are frequent engine failures.” And even two Boeing engines at once 737 from Tolmachev. Here you need to understand. This happened before, but now these cases have become noticeably more frequent.

The commissions, which will understand technical issues for each refusal, must be very closely checked whether there are violations on the deadlines for replacing some spare parts. This must be approached very seriously and fundamentally.

- And what is it - pumping?

- Pomp -fingering is a breakdown of the flow from the engine blades and, as a result, the loss of traction. What I want to repeat: the breakdowns have always been, their sanctions were not generated. But as for the frequent engine failures in recent years, this must be seriously approached. It is possible to figure it out that it was so easy - coincidences. It happens in aviation: suddenly there is one engine refusal, the other, the third, but it is possible that this is saving on the situation: everything has risen in price, pull a little time, then we will change the already developed unit in the engine. The technical commission should investigate each such case very fundamentally.

- Of course, if suddenly it is, then this is "deadly savings." Can a pilot understand that something is wrong with the engines before departure?

- No, the pilot sign in the journal about the acceptance of a working aircraft. This means that the plane is solid and ready for departure. There is a signature of a technician, an engineer, and the commander of the vessel also signs. All. Then the operation of the aircraft by the crew begins, and when the engine is launched, we already see in the cabin whether all the parameters are normal, this is shown to us the computer. It happens that they began to steer, and after five minutes some information jumped out-something does not work. This can be immediately after launch, and in the process of steering, and, worst of all, after taking off. That is, at any stage, some information may appear-the engine may not necessarily refuse.

- Have you ever had such cases? And what did you do in this situation?

- If the breakdown does not allow the flight - turned off the engines, called the tractor and enlisted the parking lot. I did not have such that I had to make a forced landing because of the engine, but my colleagues also had sanctions. There are many reasons for this: increased engine vibration, a drop in revolutions and so on. There are many options for breakdowns that can be associated with the engine. And it is not always necessary to turn it off, it is enough, for example, just put it on small gas.

The pilot works according to documents, if something happens on an airplane, any breakdown, there is a book-a list of failures. Now it's all in electronic form, in the tablet. You open the corresponding section. For example, since you were refused by hydraulics, you are looking for a specific column, and it clearly says whether it is possible to fly out with this breakdown or not. It may be enough for the engineer to come, painting a breakdown, and you can fly on.

That is, for example, you flew from Moscow to Novosibirsk, and something happened there. If it is written that with this breakdown you can return to the base, to Moscow, I call an engineer, he signed in the journal, which is familiar with, and allows the departure with this breakdown. And already in Moscow they will repair the plane.

And there are such breakdowns with which the departure is strictly prohibited. And not a single commander will fly with this.

- Well, not suicides. This is understandable.

- It's not only that. Everything is now recorded by means of objective control. Even if he performs this flight, if we assume that he violated and flew somewhere with a breakdown with which it is forbidden to fly, he is then simply dragged around the offices, and can reach dismissal. This is a serious violation of the rules. You are at risk of people's lives.

-But if the refusal of equipment occurs due to savings, this is, in fact, the same risk.

- From what I know for sure, this is that, for example, superjets had an acute deficit in fuel filters. They must be changed, and they were simply removed, washed and put back. I do not know how, from a technical point of view, is it justified or not. But there was such a nuance, no one hid it. That is, technically, somehow people are trying to circumvent sanctions, they get out of the situation. That's why I admit that some other units that need to be changed through a certain interval do not change in time. Something is pulled, washed, increased expiration date. And yes, this began after sanctions, because before, even such a thought would not have arisen - there is a regulation, the time is suitable to change - you change.

People get out, I don’t know if it is dangerous and whether it is connected with the breakdowns that occurred in the first week of December. We will wait for the conclusions of the commissions.