Grounded P-3s

[stick717]

I have just heard that 39 fleet P-3s have been permenantly grounded. What's going to happen with the pilots?

 

[SIG600]

Shooter tours for all my friends

 

[puck_11]

That sucks for all of my friends who were sucked up into a huge P3 draft while I was in primary. They're just hitting/finishing the RAG right now, not sure they're going to do.

 

[COpilot]

I have just heard that 39 fleet P-3s have been permenantly grounded. What's going to happen with the pilots?

What resason; costs, emergency grounding (ie F15), USN done with it?

Thanks, ex girlfriends husband chief engineer for P-3 project with Lockheed in Atlanta, "so sad for him, NOT"!

 

[erj-145mech]

What resason; costs, emergency grounding (ie F15), USN done with it?

Structural fatigue cracks in the wing panels, and corrosion in the lower wing planks. There are a few airplanes at PDM depot in Waco that have 48 months since last fly day.

 

[RogerMOSA]

Each of the 39 aircraft will be individually inspected and repaired. 18-24 months is the estimate for completion depending on depot maintenance capacity, materials availability, etc.

Of the 39 A/C, some are deployed, some are with CONUS squadrons and some are already sitting in depot. One time flights will be approved sometime in the future to reposition all remaining A/C to depot maint.

We're still waiting to see how this affects our monthly/yearly flight hour curve.

 

[SIG600]

Why the hold up with the P8 acquisition. It's not exactly a new air frame, or new design.

 

[Some guy]

Structural fatigue cracks in the wing panels, and corrosion in the lower wing planks. There are a few airplanes at PDM depot in Waco that have 48 months since last fly day.

:laugh: Most likely caused by the engines being mounted upside-down.

 

[LearLove]

this time its the P3 - what happens next when its a kc135 and it goes fleet wide or even 30% of the fleet?

 

[huronip]

Do they still have the 58 hour limit per month on each of the airframes? I tell all of the guys/gals I instruct in Corpus to fly the EP-3. When I left VQ-1 in Whidbey they didn't have any hours restrctions on them. I'm glad I got out when I did. Good luck to you guys/gals.