A terrified passenger witnessed an engineer fixing a broken part of an airplane with tape, only minutes before the aircraft set off.
The EasyJet flyer was shell-shocked to see the worker applying tape to the shell of an engine in order to make the plane safe for flying. The passenger made sure to take a quick snap of the incident and then uploaded it to Reddit to share. Adam Wood also took to his Twitter account to upload an image of the DIY approach to plane maintenance too.
Always worrying when @easyJet are duct taping the plane together :-s #finaldestination pic.twitter.com/daYKgR9ssp
— Adam Wood (@adtomwood) May 29, 2015
However, rather than simply being your run of the mill duct tape, what the employee was actually applying was speed tape. According to Metro , this nifty little invention was actual devised to be applied for quick flight repairs , and it’s integral to minimize delays.
In response to the image, an EasyJet spokesperson explained to the Daily Mail , “The high speed metallic tape is in place as a result of some cosmetic work that is required to the aircraft paintwork. It is nothing structural and in no way compromises the safety of the aircraft.”
Meanwhile, EasyJet was also quick to respond to the passenger’s original tweet too, writing, “Hi Adam, Please be reassured that the duct tape is in place as a result of some cosmetic work that is required to the aircraft paintwork. It is nothing structural and in no way compromises the safety of the aircraft.” Adam then responded, “Phew because we’ve taken off and I forgot to pack my parachute lol.”
On the original Reddit thread, one user explained that this tape is able to stick onto an airplane fuselage and is commonly used by engineers.
“Without the tape, high-speed air can get in-between the engine and the fairing and cause vibration or throw off the balance of the engine,” they explained. “Under rare circumstances the fairing can be torn off by the air pressure forming on the leading edge. The tape closes this gap safely, immediately reducing the chance of mechanical failure. Then they can get the plane fixed at the next convenience or service schedule.”
[Image via IMGUR]
