'Excessive' rubbing of engine blades caused F-35 failure: Pentagon

[unhappycamper]

http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/07/13/us-airshow-britain-f-idUSKBN0FI0XD20140713



'Excessive' rubbing of engine blades caused F-35 failure: Pentagon
By Andrea Shalal
LONDON Sun Jul 13, 2014 2:40pm EDT

(Reuters) - The engine failure that has grounded the entire fleet of Lockheed Martin Corp F-35 fighter jets was caused by "excessive" rubbing of fan blades in the plane's Pratt & Whitney engine, but does not appear to be a fundamental design flaw, the Pentagon's chief weapons buyer said on Sunday.

Defense Undersecretary Frank Kendall told reporters on Sunday there was still a chance that the grounding order could be lifted in time for the F-35 to make its international debut at the Farnborough air show.

Organizers of the show confirmed that the F-35 would not appear on Monday, but said it could still arrive and fly later in the week.

The United States' newest combat jet had already been pulled out of a British military show last week, after the entire fleet was grounded following a massive engine failure on a U.S. Air Force F-35 at a Florida air force base on June 23.

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Design As We Go rarely produces anything worthwhile.

[DetlefK]

1. What the f**k is excessive rubbing?

A problem with the bearings?

Did the fans scratch the inside of the engine?

[jakeXT]

3. fan vs. cowling

The problem with the fighter engine was a fan blade rubbing against the engine cowling, which led to a fire,
http://www.forbes.com/sites/lorenthompson/2014/07/18/no-pain-no-gain-pratt-whitneys-f135-engine-still-looks-like-a-winner/

[JayhawkSD]

2. What is rubbing at all?

The fan baldes are in a fixed rotor assembly that rotates at extremely high speed around a fixed axis parallel to the airflow. Where can the blades "rub" against anything to even the slightest degree without disasterous effect?