Unusual passenger for jumbo jet

Press, 5 March 1980, Page 1

Unusual passenger for jumbo jet

This Qantas jumbo jet with an extra engine slung beneath its port wing took off from Christchurch Airport last evening. The story of the extra engine began on Monday evening when it was noticed that a small part of the compressor blade in the engine of a Boeing 747 was missing. The damage was detected during a routine turn-around check on the plane, which was to have left for Melbourne that evening.

The flight was can* celled and the 330 passengers were accommodated in Christchurch hotels or returned home for the night. During the night a replacement engine was flown in from Australia beneath an empty 747, which arrived at Christchurch about 3 a.m. This aircraft was then used last evening to fly to Melbourne the passengers booked on Monday’s flight.

Air New Zealand engineers worked all day yesterday to replace the damaged engine on the first 747. Finally it, too, left for Australia last evening, empty but with the damaged engine slung beneath its wing. It is shown here with an Air New Zealand leading hand, Mr Bob Bush.

A Qantas spokesman said yesterday that he could not say what the repair had cost.