Air safety specialist Lito Sousa declared, this Sunday (20), in an interview with CNNthat the collision of a balloon with an airplane can cause the complete engine failure, if the object is sucked in by the force unit.
A balloon fell in the courtyard of the Guarulhos airport, in São Paulo, this Sunday. The artifact was located next to a Gol aircraft that was in the process of boarding a flight to Buenos Aires, Argentina.
“When planes are close to airports, they are lower because they are approaching for takeoff or landing. If you collide with a balloon of that size, it is almost half the size of the plane. A balloon being swallowed by the engine will cause a complete breakdown and generate an emergency landing, because the aircraft will have to return to the airport, and this obviously increases the risks for everyone”, said Lito.
According to the expert, the operating cost for an airline in the event of losing an engine due to a collision with a balloon is in the range of US$ 6 to 10 million (between R$ 30.8 and 51 million, at the current price).
In a statement, Gol stated that the ground crews acted to remove the balloon. The incident left no injuries and the aircraft was not damaged, being released to perform the scheduled flight.
Source: CNN Brasil
