HackerTube.dev

A380 Blade Off Test

Manuito · 2.6M views · 2006-11-13 · 5:36

Open on YouTube ↗

If playback is restricted in your region, try opening the original video. Use Mark watched to add it to your marked videos.

Overview

Footage of an Airbus A380 engine blade-off test, in which a fan blade is deliberately released at full thrust to show the engine contains the failure.

On Hacker News

Linked in aviation threads to show that engines are designed to contain a failed fan blade.

Recommended by 1 HN people across 1 months · HN mentions 2010–2026

Topics

Search by tags

What people said

hazeii · 2021-02 · Recommendation

They normally have high-speed cameras running; that short video is a mish-mash of super-slow-mo and regular speed footage. There are much longer versions on YT, e.g. this one [0] which covers it in more detail (watch the people in the room jump when it blows - despite being a fair distance away). [0] [VIDEO]

Read the original HN comment ↗
KennyBlanken · 2026-07 · Reference

> A failure in these blades would be catastrophic, resulting in the destruction of the engine, likely followed by the plane itself. Aaaaand the author just lost any credibility with me whatsoever. This is someone who knows big words, maybe did some research and ChatGPTing, and doesn't actually know shit about aircraft or their engines. On passenger aircraft because passengers sit directly inline with the path a blade with insane levels of kinetic energy will probably go, the nacelle is designed to contain it. The engine must be able to contain a "blade off" event where a blade snaps during full rated thrust. Two videos: [VIDEO] [LINK] The aircraft will not be "destroyed." The blade could fail during takeoff climb and the plane would still be able to climb because all twin engine passenger jet aircraft must be able to conduct all phases of flight on one engine. SWA 1380 had a passenger fatality not because of the blade hitting them, but because part of the cowling disintegrated, broke the window, and she was partially sucked out of the aircraft, which killed her. If she'd been wearing her seatbelt, she would likely be alive today. As would several other passengers who, over the years, have been killed by debris breaking the window and them being sucked out. The blade itself did not leave the engine. [LINK] That article lists a number of incidents, in roughly half of which the blade was contained. All the flights made it back to an airport...

Read the original HN comment ↗
sandworm101 · 2021-02 · Reference

fan blade failures are expected. Engines are designed to contain failed blades. There is a huge test that is done whereby a blade is "failed" at full throttle. Engine dies but damage is to be contained. [VIDEO] (A380 "blade off" test, rare footage of giant engine failing)

Read the original HN comment ↗

Sources

Video by Manuito, played through YouTube.

Data and selection notes

HN summaries and labels may contain AI errors. HN dates refer to discussions, not video publication.

HN Library: HackerTube export (2026-10-31) and open-index/hacker-news. Upstream summaries and classifications may contain AI errors.

Views, duration and playback status refresh separately from the published catalog. When an update fails, existing data remains visible.

Selection checks
  • SaaS & AI candidates: Topic keywords do not match
  • Editor-approved picks: Editorial review is required

Rule matches identify candidates. They do not guarantee video quality or financial results.

About the library and its sources