Was there soemthing wrong with the engine (Boeing 747)?

Question

ok.....

this happened in October 2006.

I was on a JAL flight from Osaka to Brisbane (Australia) and it was an overnight flight (nighttime takeoff) in a Boeing 747-300

I was sitting towards the back of the plane, and at a window seat. As the plane was going down the runway and about to take off, I saw an small orange glow coming from the engine!

is that normal for that to happen? sure, the 747 needs A LOT of power to lift, but should the engine be slightly glowing an orange fire like colour?

Answer 1

Could it have been an optical illusion like in this picture?

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http://www.airliners.net/photo/Singapore...

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Answer 2

this is quite normal.

the power required for a 747 at takeoff, in addition with the nighttime lighting and possible other atmospheric phenomenons (humidity temperature etc.) can let you see the back of the engines glowing.

when the 747's engines are firewalled, or close to firewall, it is essentially on afterburner, like a fighter jet, the back will glow and sometimes a little flame can be seen from the proper angle.

You can see if from directly behind of course but the thrust will blow you a few miles away like a leaf.

Answer 3

It is just jetfuel burning heating up the turbines causing them to glow. It is normal for that to happen you were just sitting at the right angle to acutally see it.

Answer 4

The turbines inside are essentially hit by the equivalent of a blow torch; so yes, it is bound to get hot in there and glow.

If there had been something wrong, the instrumentation would have alerted the crew, and they would immediately have turned around. The fact your flight went normally after is proof that all was OK.

Answer 5

normal esp. if in the exhaust area but at any part of the wings/engine areas then it is FIRE. You must notify the crew to shut down the engine.

Answer 6

Let me see, the engine is burning fuel, or as some folks say in here, fule.

It gets pretty warm. Or as we say in the USAF, pretty frikkin' hot, or something along those lines.

You will see this at night at full power.