Any clues what was wrong with my plane?

I have just been to Scotland and being lazy I decided to fly the 500 miles.

First flight something was not right with my Jet a easy jet A320.

It while taxiing on the runway, while in the air before landing and while landing it was making a horrible grating noise. If it was a car you would say the transmission was going (I know Planes dont have them).

So what was wrong? I have been on Dozens of planes and none have made that noise.

Didn't fly from Southend did you. ? Just curious .. Sorry can't provide any information for you

ThePeaceMaker
Didn't fly from Southend did you. ? Just curious .. Sorry can't provide any information for you

edit on 24-3-2014 by ThePeaceMaker because: (no reason given)

Gatwick airport to Glasgow International.

reply to post by crazyewok


I've heard a few planes make godawful sounds when they extend or retract the flaps. This is something that happens at the times you describe. Sounds like marbles in a coffee can being rolled.

Bedlam
reply to post by crazyewok

 

I've heard a few planes make godawful sounds when they extend or retract the flaps. This is something that happens at the times you describe. Sounds like marbles in a coffee can being rolled.

I was thinking maybe flaps.

I have been on many planes and its a new sound for me.

It's the flaps. I've been on the same type of plane, sitting right behind the wing, and heard that noise while watching the flaps operate. It made me wonder how good that mechanism could be. Sure sounds like there's quite a bit of wear going on inside there.

I dont blame you tbh, trains are a bastard and cars are lonely and worse.

A plane like that shouldnt be making any major sounds like you describe, but on the other hand engineers wouldnt let it fly if it wasnt safe.

Probably just an engine on the way out, and a plane can fly just fine with just a single jet, albeit not efficiently.

Was this worry brought on by the missing 370 flight?

reply to post by soulwaxer


I copy that, flaps. Probably the air noise, flap bend. I do not think it could be gears because -If I´m not mistaken- they work on hydraulics.

Biigs
A plane like that shouldnt be making any major sounds like you describe, but on the other hand engineers wouldnt let it fly if it wasnt safe.

No it´s pretty normal. To be honest, I hear them everytime I fly. Did about ~70 flys in my life and it´s common for me. It starts when the flaps are out and the nose of the plane goes up the last moments before touch. Probably more force on them and you can even see them vibrate.

Probably nothing was wrong with it.

Also did it sound like a barking dog?

verschickter
reply to post by soulwaxer

 

I copy that, flaps. Probably the air noise, flap bend. I do not think it could be gears because -If I´m not mistaken- they work on hydraulics.

They are powered by hydraulics but the hyddraulic pressure does power worm gears or jackscrews.

reply to post by Biigs


My only point that was relevant: that the un-nerving noise most likely is not a danger.

Sorry for even saying anything

Biigs

Was this worry brought on by the missing 370 flight?

Na I had just been on 20 odd flights and never heard that sound.

Wasn't too worried as it was a domestic flight, if something really bad had happened they would have just landed it.Plenty of Civilian and RAF airfields.

Airbuses are notorious for making a terrible sound when the fuel transfer pumps are running. This is common during taxi and sometimes before landing or just after takeoff.

It sounds horrible, but there's nothing wrong.

F4guy

verschickter
reply to post by soulwaxer

 

I copy that, flaps. Probably the air noise, flap bend. I do not think it could be gears because -If I´m not mistaken- they work on hydraulics.

They are powered by hydraulics but the hyddraulic pressure does power worm gears or jackscrews.

Yeah, and in this case it is. You can hear the whine of a hydraulic motor, and then it sounds like what you hear with a bad bearing. Something like rocks in a tumbler. It happens when they reposition the flaps. The first time I heard it, it bothered me a bit but I've heard it a lot, and I'm assuming that's what that particular plane sounds like normally.

I think it mostly worried me because at that time I had the reputation of being a sort of air flight Jonah, and any plane I was on was going to have a major systems failure. I think I single-handedly broke maybe 8 aircraft in ways that required us to abort, and I induced weather that caused us to divert at least twice.

reply to post by Biigs

Could it be we both overreacted, your sentence was like "I said it, why you post and dont star me, all has been said" to me. I also think you missed my edit and this is probably my fault for late editing.
No hate mate

reply to post by F4guy


You are right but -I may be mistaken- thought the noise comes from outside, not from the bay or where the pumps and valves would sit. Well one thing is sure, it´s common and it has to do with the flaps.

Sounds like a flap vibration issue, but you wouldn't think that they would make noise while taxiing down the runway unless they were testing the flaps. Could be the sound coming from them as they adjust them. Maybe something to do with vibration in the landing gear also, when they lower the landing gear airflow could be causing some noise somewhere and this noise could be also while taxiing if it is caused by turning wheels. That would be a wheel bearing vibration

Just a couple of guesses, maybe there is an airplane mechanic that will comment.

There have been a couple of good possibilities posted by others here already.

reply to post by crazyewok


The jackscrew that operates the flap needs periodic lubrication. If it is getting close or is past that point then it's metal on metal contact and sounds godawful bad. Nothing to worry about.

Unless of course they reinstalled them recently and didn't install them properly (like they did on a B-52 recently). Then they tend to do things like fall off.