pretty planes

that one screw makes no difference, it can be there or not - it doesn't affect the integrity of the wing. In fact, that panel doesn't even need to be there as it doesn't affect the wing at all. It just covers what's underneath it and provides a smooth airflow.
Smooth airflow is important. An interruption of laminar flow will stall that part of the airfoil.

Of greater concern, it's an indicator of sloppy maintenance and no QC inspection. What else was left undone? What if the screw gets ingested by an engine? It's the little things...
 
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Smooth airflow is important. An interruption of laminar flow will stall that part of the airfoil.

Of greater concern, it's an indicator of sloppy maintenance and no QC inspection. What else was left undone? What if the screw gets ingested by an engine? It's the little things...
Not really, screws can come loose. Some panels even have some missing. there are tolerances allowed in certain areas. Airflow is important but the airplane would still fly whether that panel is there or not. It wouldn't affect the airspeed as much as you think it would. That panel missing would NOT cause the wing to stall. A wing only stalls when there is insufficient airflow over the wing and only at certain angles of attack.
 
that one screw makes no difference, it can be there or not - it doesn't affect the integrity of the wing. In fact, that panel doesn't even need to be there as it doesn't affect the wing at all. It just covers what's underneath it and provides a smooth airflow.
Still disturbing. Means that someone wasn't paying attention so it makes you wonder what else they missed?
 
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Still disturbing. Means that someone wasn't paying attention so it makes you wonder what else they missed?
No, it happens. Things wear out especially when they are under constant stress from the forces of multiple takeoffs and landings a day and the sudden thumps of landings and the g-forces of accelerating and decelerating. Not to mention the bending of the wings when landing and carrying loads in the air.
 
No, it happens. Things wear out especially when they are under constant stress from the forces of multiple takeoffs and landings a day and the sudden thumps of landings and the g-forces of accelerating and decelerating. Not to mention the bending of the wings when landing and carrying loads in the air.
That would be true for any friggin machine or complex mechanical structure. Still doesn't negate the fact that the ground crew/maintenance should have picked that up. From the short vid it was shown in, it looks like the screw is part of an access panel and as such it should have been checked or reported if it didn't torque properly. It's an obvious flaw.
 
that one screw makes no difference, it can be there or not - it doesn't affect the integrity of the wing. In fact, that panel doesn't even need to be there as it doesn't affect the wing at all. It just covers what's underneath it and provides a smooth airflow.

in my job, this was in the - what could possibly go wrong Dept.
or stranger things have happened.
a saying we lived by -

The major difference between a thing that might go wrong and a thing that cannot possibly go wrong is that when a thing that cannot possibly go wrong goes wrong, it usually turns out to be impossible to get at and repair
 
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in my job, this was in the - what could possibly go wrong Dept.
or stranger things have happened.
a saying we lived by -

The major difference between a thing that might go wrong and a thing that cannot possibly go wrong is that when a thing that cannot possibly go wrong goes wrong, it usually turns out to be impossible to get at and repair
Murphy's law of auto mechanics: Any tool or parts dropped will roll to the exact geometric center underneath the vehicle or the most difficult area to reach.
 
That would be true for any friggin machine or complex mechanical structure. Still doesn't negate the fact that the ground crew/maintenance should have picked that up. From the short vid it was shown in, it looks like the screw is part of an access panel and as such it should have been checked or reported if it didn't torque properly. It's an obvious flaw.
For one thing, if it's on top of the wing, the ground crew can't see it. Another thing, this could have happened on this one flight. Since it's a video there is no context to know if it's an ongoing thing or it just now happened on this particular flight.

As a commercial pilot with over 36,000 hours and an A&P for over 40 years, this is NOT something that you worry about. Yes, the screw is loose, but there are a lot more on there to make sure that the panel doesn't come off. The panel doesn't need to be there for the plane to fly, it just hides what's underneath the panel and helps to smooth out the airflow - it doesn't affect the flying characteristics of the airplane at all.

That one screw, whether it's there or not is NOT going to make the plane fall out of the sky, or create an emergency.
 
Murphy's law of auto mechanics: Any tool or parts dropped will roll to the exact geometric center underneath the vehicle or the most difficult area to reach.
Or the part that needs to be changed will always be the most difficult to get to - same with planes!
 
  • During 1963, a KC-130F aircraft made history by landing and taking off from the aircraft carrier; USS Forrestal (CVA-59). The crew successfully negotiated 29 touch-and-go landings, 21 unarrested full-stop landings, and 21 unassisted takeoffs at gross weights of 85,000 pounds up to 121,000 pounds.


View attachment 2170912
 
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