Cracks Prompt AF-wide C-130 Inspection

[unhappycamper]

Cracks Prompt AF-wide C-130 Inspection
March 06, 2009
The Macon Telegraph

Air Force officials issued an immediate inspection notice Thursday to C-130 units worldwide after Robins Air Force Base, Ga., technicians found upper wing joint nut cracks in an aircraft undergoing scheduled depot maintenance.

The directive, known in the Air Force as a "time compliance technical order," requires inspection and replacement of any cracked nuts before the next flight, said Roger Drinnon, a spokesman for Air Mobility Command. The command, headquartered at Scott Air Force Base, Ill., is the principal operator of the C-130 for the Air Force.

Drinnon said the inspection notice was issued by the C-130 system program office at Robins in coordination with Air Mobility Command. Robins has worldwide engineering oversight, depot overhaul and sustainment responsibility for the Air Force's C-130 fleet of more than 600 aircraft.

"I don't know how critical the nuts are to the structural integrity of the aircraft, but the inspection must be completed within a certain time frame," he said. "It will require a short, field-level inspection and replacement of any cracked nuts." He said the nuts were readily available to affected units.

For more than 50 years, the C-130 has been the tactical airlift backbone for the U.S. Air Force and for many air forces around the world. According to Air Force data, the C-130 first became operational in December 1956. More than 2,000 aircraft in 70 variants and five basic models have been produced.


Rest of article at: http://www.military.com/news/article/cracks-prompt-afwide-c130-inspection.html