[TimB]

This was posted on another forum I frequent

Fuel is constantly mixed in the tanks. Water contamination is not the problem. If there was enough water in the fuel to cause flameout, the engines would have died long before takeoff. Each engine get fuel from its' own wing unless fuel is transferred. Aircraft attitude would only be an issue if he were flying inverted during approach. Don't want to get into the details of a fuel system, but attitude couldn't possibly be the problem.

The throttles are electronic and they do have a common component, the PCM (throttle assembly), or whatever they chose to call it.

The same mechanic services both (or all) engines frequently. What has been changed is that service requirements are alternated between engines. If all engines are serviced in such a was as to be a concern, ground runs are accomplished. ETOPS does have different requirements depending on engine type.

In the business we define ETOPS (extended twin operations) as Engines Turn Or People Swim.


Both engines quitting at the same time due to starvation is about as likely as two cars driving down the road running out of gas at the same time.

The engines will continue to make power even if ALL wing fuel pumps fail. There are no filters in the fuel system until the fuel reaches the engine. The fuel pumps (about 10) each have their own pressure indication. The engine monitors its' own pumps pressures.

If it were already in an emergency low fuel situation this may be possible, but not unannounced. Even if they ran out of gas, they would know about it for a minute or two before flameout. Although there is unusable fuel in the tanks, there isn't much.

The throttles are electronic, a failure in the wrong area can kill both systems.