Question icon
Grade 11Mechanics

The mounting bolts that fasten the engine of a jet plane to the structural framework of the plane are designed to snap apart if the (rapidly rotating) engine suddenly seizes up because of some mishap. Why are such structural fuses used?

Profile image of Simran Bhatia
11 Years agoGrade 11
Answers icon

1 Answer

Profile image of Aditi Chauhan
11 Years ago
The mounting bolts that fasten the engine of a jet plane to the structural framework of the plane are designed to snap apart if the engine seize up. In case of engine failure, the rotational stability of the plane would be lost, and it would start to wobble if the bolts stayed at their place, connecting the engine to the structural framework.
Therefore if the bolts were not to snap apart, the plane would be impossible to handle and would create more injuries to the people in it.