Airseeker not up to standard?

[Mayfly]

Airseeker [Rivet Joint] is said not to be up to UK standard and will require a waiver signed by the Defence Secretary.

http://mobile.defensenews.com/article/304130009

Last night the government said it will be in service by the end of the year.

[Crew chief]

Interesting as we do fly the sentry awacs 707 variant which is more or less the same airframe. Good old MOD looking no further ahead than next week again. Makes you wonder if they had of stayed with the Nimrod MR4.

CC.

[Sooty655]

Interesting as we do fly the sentry awacs 707 variant which is more or less the same airframe. Good old MOD looking no further ahead than next week again. Makes you wonder if they had of stayed with the Nimrod MR4.

CC.

Indeed.

If they had applied the same waiver, the MR4s wouldn't have needed such comprehensive fuselage rebuilds, and would have been affordable.

[Crew chief]

Interesting as we do fly the sentry awacs 707 variant which is more or less the same airframe. Good old MOD looking no further ahead than next week again. Makes you wonder if they had of stayed with the Nimrod MR4.

CC.

Indeed.

If they had applied the same waiver, the MR4s wouldn't have needed such comprehensive fuselage rebuilds, and would have been affordable.

You could well be right there Eric, these decisions made by ministers who have no bloody idea is enough to make a glass eye weep.

CC.

[Ray C]

Interesting as we do fly the sentry awacs 707 variant which is more or less the same airframe. Good old MOD looking no further ahead than next week again. Makes you wonder if they had of stayed with the Nimrod MR4.

CC.

Indeed.

If they had applied the same waiver, the MR4s wouldn't have needed such comprehensive fuselage rebuilds, and would have been affordable.

You could well be right there Eric, these decisions made by ministers who have no bloody idea is enough to make a glass eye weep.

CC.

d

And...... If they had kept with Nimrod, Avro @ Woodford would still be operational providing 100s of skilled
jobs....providing aircraft to to keep an eye on Yeltsin & his (Cronies)....Rather than a HUGE housing estate

[Gully]

Plus I suspect Nimrods would have provided much needed input into the MH370 search off Australia - not least through time over the search area.

Gully

[Crew chief]

Plus I suspect Nimrods would have provided much needed input into the MH370 search off Australia - not least through time over the search area.

Gully

Indeed Gully the Nimrod transit time to the search area would have been a lot less than the Orion and therefore it would of spent more time on task searching. The Nimrod is and will be missed.

CC.

[Exceptionalsleeper]

I think I am pretty much qualified to comment here seeing I spent a year attached to the US Air Force at Offutt AFB carrying out my RC135W 'Q' Annotation course and also, being the the first Crew Chief to see-off/see-in Vulcan 51 on its first flight in RAF service on 23rd May.

Without going into great detail and before I say anymore, it is an intrinsically safe platform. What we all need to remember is that the basic structure of RJ is of 1964 vintage but it has had many upgrades along its life. The issues we have had is what every aircraft in the RAF inventory went through post Haddon-Cave report. A safety survey was carried out on every platform but it takes time to understand and mitigate factors. Believe me, 51 Sqn Engineering have spent the last 7 months grafting towards its first flight and to hear/read the damning nonsense in the press is quite disheartening, especially considering the work put in by myself and engineering team.

Lastly, my name and signature was all over the F705 (Flight Servicing Certificate) on Friday and it was signed with total pride & confidence and will be for many flights to come!


See you at the airshow!

[Mayfly]

That's good news Steve - I did hear later it was more a paper work issue but whatever it's good to see progress.

Are you working Waddington weekend?

[Exceptionalsleeper]

Hi Pam, yes, I will be working, in what capacity I am unsure. I am sure we'll catch-up at the Vulcan tent.

I know I spoke to you about safety concerns sometime ago but most have now either seen modifications, had sufficient analysis carried out or the mitigation of the risk.

My standards regards aircraft safety are on the highest standards, would I be signing the F705 if I doubted anything - especially on the first flight after 7 months?

It is all smiles on 51 Sqn!