UAAG CH10

The engine used by the McFly F435 is the Trent 810, produced by Rolls-Royce.

In the 1990s, major aircraft manufacturers like Boeing, McFly, and Airbus launched their own ultra-large long-range airliners within a few years to compete for the market. As an engine supplier, Rolls-Royce was not to be outdone; through technological reforms, they developed a new type of engine: the Trent 810.

At the time, the Trent 810 represented the pinnacle of engine technology.

Composed of a three-shaft layout and equipped with the most advanced high-pressure system modules, it provided greater thrust for the aircraft while being shorter, lighter, and saving on flight costs, thus becoming extremely popular.

To this day, the Trent 810 remains one of the best-selling aircraft engines.

Zhuo Huan: “In order to save costs and reduce engine weight, Rolls-Royce lightened every detail of the engine, including its MCD magnetic chip detector.” It was as if he had written a book about the Rolls-Royce engine; every word was imprinted in his mind. Without needing to read from a script, he rattled off this complex and vast knowledge effortlessly. “Normal magnetic chip detectors use conventional physical means, specifically magnetic metal.”

Casually picking up a black marker from the desk, he drew a diagram on the whiteboard.

“When lubricating oil flows from the oil tank through the return line and passes the MCD magnetic chip detector, magnetic chips in the oil are attracted by this magnetic metal. It acts like a filter, filtering out metal chip residues that shouldn’t be in the lubricating oil,” Zhuo Huan said. “To achieve this, a normal engine uses one main magnetic plug and seven secondary magnetic plugs to ensure the filtration of magnetic chips from the lubricating oil. However, the Trent 810 has no magnetic plugs at all.”

The vast majority of people present were professional aircraft accident investigators, but before consulting the materials, no one dared to say they were clear about the design of the Trent 810 engine.

Only Reid Irvin Patrick could do that.

Old Joseph raised a question: “If it doesn’t use magnetic plugs, what magnetic device does the Trent 810 use?”

Zhuo Huan looked at him: “Electromagnetic induction.”

An uproar ensued.

Zhuo Huan wrote a formula on the whiteboard: “Through precise calculations, when an electric current passes through the MCD magnetic chip detector, a powerful magnetic field is generated due to the electromagnetic effect. This magnetic field is directly utilized to adsorb magnetic chips floating in the lubricating oil. This measure allows the Trent 810 engine to not load a single magnetic plug, directly saving 6kg in weight costs.”

He paused, then announced in a plain but solemn voice: “This is a genius design.”

Not using magnets but using electricity directly to generate a magnetic field through electromagnetic induction to adsorb magnetic chips drifting through the oil pipes.

This was the domain of God, a design only a genius could conceive.

Hearing this sentence, a hesitant look appeared on Old Joseph’s face. He seemed to realize something, but he hesitated to speak it out. Among everyone present, some also thought of an almost impossible answer, but none dared to voice it.

Finally, someone couldn’t help but speak up: “The original design of the Trent 810 was to create a magnetic field using electricity. Are you trying to say that this device instead caused a fault in the electrical system?”

Is that possible?

Rolls-Royce spent years designing it, expending the painstaking efforts of thousands of people. They must have conducted countless experimental tests on the MCD magnetic chip detector. Over twenty years had passed without a single accident occurring.

How could something suddenly go wrong now?

Moreover…

Old Joseph looked at Zhuo Huan seriously: “What changed this magnetic field to cause an electrical fault?”

Everything had been calculated by scientists and would absolutely not go wrong.

This MCD magnetic chip detector contained the painstaking efforts of thousands of designers who had meticulously calculated every step.

Just like code written into a computer, the machine is only responsible for executing the code and will never rewrite it. Therefore, a mysterious external factor must have rewritten this line of safe code.

Fu Cheng’s brain whirred into action as he pondered every sentence, every word Zhuo Huan said.

All the investigators present were also thinking frantically, discussing in low voices, trying to seek answers from the collision of ideas.

In the end, they raised their heads to look at the man standing in front of the whiteboard, wanting to hear the answer from him.

However, this time, Zhuo Huan put the marker back on the table.

He looked down at the small MCD magnetic chip detector on the table: “Regrettably, I don’t know either. But what we need to do now is to verify—under the influence of an external magnetic field, will the magnetic field of the MCD magnetic chip detector change? If it changes, will this change react back and affect the aircraft’s electrical system?”

“Everyone—”

“This is our next task.”

People from Rolls-Royce arrived at the investigation headquarters that same afternoon.

The name Rolls-Royce is not unfamiliar; as everyone knows, it is one of the world’s top luxury car brands.

In fact, it is indeed that Rolls-Royce.

Rolls-Royce is divided into two major parts: one part produces Rolls-Royce cars, and the other produces aircraft engines. To distinguish them easily, the latter is also known as Rolls-Royce engines (RR).

Researchers from Rolls-Royce engines arrived at the investigation headquarters to assist UAAG in troubleshooting the engine fault.

Upon arrival, they stated directly: “Science always stumbles forward through repeated mistakes. Failure is a necessary path to success. Rolls-Royce is very willing to cooperate with the investigation, but we do not believe this is an engine fault.”

“The MCD magnetic chip detector of the Trent 810 has undergone 3,176 experiments in our laboratory without ever experiencing a single failure.”

“The magnetic field of the magnetic chip detector is provided by the electrical system. If its magnetic field changes, the electrical system must have changed first. This is a chicken and egg problem. If the electrical system didn’t malfunction, the magnetic field wouldn’t malfunction. So ultimately, it cannot be a problem with the engine itself.”

Zhuo Huan: “Where is the designer of this MCD magnetic chip detector now?”

The researcher sent by Rolls-Royce was choked by this single sentence. He hadn’t expected that after saying so much, the other party completely ignored him. But considering who the person in front of him was, he could only forgive this man’s arrogance.

“Due to limited personal ability, Rolls-Royce dismissed that designer twelve years ago.”

Zhuo Huan “tsk-ed.” He turned his head to speak, only to find Lina standing beside him.

Frowning, Zhuo Huan called over Fu Cheng, who was studying a flight map of JAL JL917. Once he arrived, Zhuo Huan first had Lina tell him everything that had just happened there, and then said to Fu Cheng, “See, I told you, geniuses are always lonely.”

The bewildered Rolls-Royce personnel: “…?”

Fu Cheng: “…”

The Rolls-Royce researchers firmly believed that it was absolutely not their engine that had malfunctioned.

The engine’s magnetic field was entirely provided by the aircraft’s electrical system. If the electrical system didn’t fail, the engine’s magnetic field couldn’t possibly fail.

However, Zhuo Huan didn’t give them a chance to defend themselves.

The group placed a new Trent 810 MCD magnetic chip detector in the laboratory and applied a special magnetic field to it from the outside, constantly changing the direction and intensity of the magnetic field. A conclusion was reached after just 37 experiments.

Old Joseph smiled faintly: “It’s obvious. When the MCD magnetic chip detector’s magnetic field is affected externally, as long as the magnetic field is greater than 156 Gauss and the direction angle is greater than 18.6 degrees, it will alter the original magnetic field of the magnetic chip detector. When this magnetic field intensity exceeds 865 Gauss, it will react back and affect the electrical system, overloading the aircraft’s electrical system and causing a brief crash—that is, a system freeze.”

The Rolls-Royce researcher’s expression fluctuated, but he quickly calmed down again, smiling as he retorted: “Where would an external magnetic field of 865 Gauss come from?”

The smile on Old Joseph’s face gradually disappeared.

A magnetic field of 865 Gauss is negligible in a laboratory; a permanent magnet has a magnetic field strength of 1000 Gauss.

But on an airplane, without any external force, where on earth could such a magnetic field be found?

Old Joseph couldn’t help but turn his head to look at Zhuo Huan.

Under the clear, cold moonlight, the man glanced at them indifferently, took off his lab coat, and casually placed it on the back of a chair. He didn’t speak but turned and pressed the button for the laboratory’s glass door, striding out.

Through the window, a spark lit up in the silent night.

Leaving the laboratory, Zhuo Huan and Old Joseph returned to the investigation headquarters.

Everyone looked at them expectantly, waiting for them to give the final experimental results.

Old Joseph smiled bitterly and said, “Indeed, an external magnetic field can change the electromagnetic field of the MCD magnetic chip detector. Once it reaches 865 Gauss, it will impact the electrical system, causing a crash. However, where do we find this external magnetic field?”

Everyone revealed disappointed expressions.

After returning to the investigation headquarters, Zhuo Huan searched for relevant papers in front of the computer.

“Unhappy” was written on his left cheek, and “very annoyed” on his right. Four words were stamped on top of his head—

Keep Away From Me.

A terrifying low pressure rolled down with unstoppable force like a mighty army, suppressing the entire investigation headquarters so that no one dared to make a sound.

Su Fei was hiding behind his computer, secretly observing the Great Demon King, when suddenly a figure flashed in his peripheral vision.

Su Fei raised his head: “Hey, don’t go, don’t pay attention to him! Come back!”

The light was blocked by a human figure. Zhuo Huan slowly raised his head and saw the person who had arrived.

Zhuo Huan: “Hmm?”

Fu Cheng placed a document in front of his eyes: “On December 19, 2019, JAL JL917 took off from Tokyo, flying to Helsinki, Finland. On the night it flew into the Arctic Circle, a rare aurora surge, seen once in 38 years, erupted there. According to eyewitness records, at the same location, auroras erupted 73 times within just two hours.”

Lips slightly parting, Zhuo Huan looked at the black-haired young man in front of him, suddenly unable to say a word.

Fu Cheng: “I reviewed the interview reports of the 89 survivors on board. 65 of them reported seeing auroras while the plane was flying—”

“It was a fine day in Finland that day, but regrettably, within the Arctic Circle, it seems it was not.”

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