Thursday, January 10, 2008

F-15 A- D Models Cleared For Return To Flight


According to published USAF reports today the majority of the A-D Eagle fleet will be returned to flight status. After multiple groundings since the in flight structural failure of a Missouri ANG F-15 this comes as welcome news for the AF and the F-15 pilots.
According to the release “Inspections are more than 90 percent complete. Remaining inspections have primarily focused on the forward longerons. The longerons are a critical support structure. Time compliance technical order inspections have discovered nine other aircraft with longeron fatigue-cracks. Additionally, approximately 40 percent of inspected aircraft have at least one longeron that does not meet blueprint specifications. Deviations in these longerons will be analyzed at the WR-ALC. The analysis is expected to take approximately four weeks to complete. Once the analysis is complete, ACC will be able to better determine which aircraft will need further inspection, or repair, before returning them to flight. “
The longerons in question did not meet specification and are a result of manufacturing problems when the A/C were built. I wonder if Boeing will absorb any liability and cost of repair, Boeing took over MCAIR years ago.
One thing I do find amusing is right after the accident the Air Staff was crowing about aging aircraft and this proves we need more F-22’s. When the realty was this was a hidden defect caused by quality control failures when the jets were first built not simply flight fatigue. The Air Force’s negligence during the 90’s, sacrificing the existing fighter force for the F-22 has led us down the path of disarmament caused by bad procurement practice. Instead of buying additional Strike Eagles to help recapitalize the fleet they continued to pour money into the F-22 black hole. At the end of the day as the F-22 procurement winds down we will have a much smaller fighter force than today and one that will not have the same strategic war fighting capabilities of the current force

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