a. Foreign object damage. One of the major problems faced by
the turbine engine is foreign object damage (FOD). A turbine engine
requires tremendous quantities of air. This air is sucked into the
engine at extremely high velocities, and it will draw up anything
that comes near the inlet area. The turbine engines used in Army
aircraft are fitted with filters around the engine inlet to prevent
foreign objects from entering the engine and damaging the compressor
vanes. However, even with this precaution, FOD is still a menace to
turbine engine operation, as shown in figure 1.8.
Figure 1.8. Compressor Foreign Object Damage.
b. High temperatures. In the combustion chamber, the
temperature is raised to about 3, 500 F. in the hottest part of the
flame. Because this temperature is above the melting point of most
metals, proper cooling and flame dilution must be employed at all
times to insure that the engine is not damaged.
c. Slow acceleration. The acceleration rate of a turbine
engine is very slow in comparison with that of a reciprocating
engine. The pilot must be aware of the time lag in the turbine
engine acceleration between the instant when power is requested and
when power is available.
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