A380 Blade Off Test
Why Hacker News recommends it
Linked in aviation threads to show that engines are designed to contain a failed fan blade.
What it is
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.
Recommended by 1 HN commenters across 1 different months, 2010 to 2026.
What Hacker News said
Recommends hazeii · 2021-02 · on “United B772 at Denver on Feb 20th 2021, engine inlet separates from engine”
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] [this video]
Cites yread · 2010-11 · on “Qantas keeps A380s grounded over engine 'anomalies'”
the engines are designed to contain a fan blade[1], not a turbine disk [2]. Fan blade is a thin piece of light alloy where turbine disk is solid piece of steel. [1] [this video] [2] [LINK]
Cites sandworm101 · 2021-02 · on “United B772 at Denver on Feb 20th 2021, engine inlet separates from engine”
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. [this video] (A380 "blade off" test, rare footage of giant engine failing)
Cites KennyBlanken · 2026-07 · on “Why Jet Engines Aren't "Made in China"”
> 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: [this video] [LINK] The aircraft will not be "destroyed." The blade could fai