FlightGlobal.com
Home
Premium
Archive
Video
Images
Forum
Atlas
Blogs
Jobs
Shop
RSS
Email Newsletters
You are in:
Home
Aviation History
1991
1991 - 0625.PDF
OPERATIONS: DEFENCE Impalas creep back into service BY MIKE GAINES The South African Air Force (SAAF) is slowly returning its 200 Atlas Impalas to service after grounding the fleet for individual fatigue inspections. The Impalas are licence-built Aermacchi MB.326s and the precautionary grounding was to inspect the rudder mounting bracket bushes. SAAF Chief of Staff for Logistics Gen Gert Nels says: "The grounding has noth ing to do with the two recent Impala accidents. In both cases the cause was pilot error." Aermacchi issued a special technical instruction (STI) on 6 February, calling for inspection and replacement as necessary of the rudder bushes. Gen Nels says: "Some had excessive wear, some were cracked: about 25% of our aircraft were affected. The symptoms were excessive play and vibration, which could have led to a dynamic failure of the rudder if not corrected." Each inspection took about 16 man-hours, says Gen Nels. The SAAF's two-seat Impala Is have flown a fleet average of 2,500h and the single-seat Im pala II attack variant has a fleet average of l,500h. "The aircraft does not have a fixed service life as such but we have an airframe fatigue/g-monitoring pro gramme for the fleet. We have no plans for a service life exten sion programme on the Impalas and, as yet, there are no plans for a replacement, although from a technology and training viewpoint we will have to start looking at that in a couple of years." says Nth. 9 A Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) MB.326 which crashed into the sea on 19 November broke up in flight while under symmetric positive g; the main- plane separated and the pilot was killed. Wreckage was recov ered and a fatigue crack was found in the lower spar-cap of the left wing, about 900mm from the centreline. The crack originated from rivet holes in the spar-cap forward flange where higher stress occurs. The RAAF grounded its 70 MB.326s and found similar cracks in five aircraft originat ing from similar fastener holes, but not in the same location as the cracks of the crashed air craft. The RAAF says that two of the aircraft will definitely be retired, but the others may be recoverable. RAAF MB.326s underwent a life extension programme in the early 1980s, with the wings being refurbished by wholesale replacement of fatigue-critical components. The RAAF has in stigated a lOOh wing-inspection schedule, carried out the rudder STI and fitted its own machined elevator hinges, similar in de sign to the rudder hinges. Two Italian Air Force MB.326s have also crashed re cently, one hitting a school with multiple fatalities after the pilot reported control restrictions and an engine fire, the other crashing on finals. • Ireland extends its search and rescue The Irish Government has contracted Irish Helicopters to provide a search-and-rescue operation from Shannon, using a Sikorsky S-61N. The contract is for five and a half years and £2.5 million will be spent to bring the service into full operation during 1991. The Government intention is that IH should work in co-operation with the Irish RAF FIRED 100 ALARMS IN GULF WAR Royal Air Force Tornados fired more than 100 British Aerospace Alarm anti-radar missiles while on defence-suppression missions during the Gulf war. The first photograph of Alarm in service shows the weapon • on the port pylon with an AlM-9 Sidewinder mounted on the pylon inner face. BAe Dynamics rushed the missile into production and worked through the Christmas holidays to ensure sufficient stocks were available. Air Corps, which operates Dauphins. An interim helicopter will provide a service from the sec ond quarter until the definitive aircraft can be brought into service at the end of the year. The S-61 operated by Irish Heli copters will be fitted with for ward looking infra-red and LN450 auto-hover systems. Irish Helicopters plans to re cruit ' experienced aircrew and winchmen, although it recog nises that it may be difficult to meet manning levels from within the Republic. The Irish Air Corps Aerospa tiale SA365F Dauphin 2 located at Shannon will move toNFinner Camp, County Donegal, provid ing coverage around the north west coast. A second one will provide search-and-rescue coyer from Cork, when not embarked on one of the Irish Navy's patrol vessels. The remainder will re main at Baldonnel, the Corps' main base near Dublin. D Israel stands firm against Arrow project The Israeli Air Force (IAF) intends to continue its firm opposition to the Arrow anti- tactical ballistic missile pro gramme in spite of the Gulf War highlighting the absence of an effective system of that type. The IAF has opposed the Strategic Defence Initiative Or ganisation-sponsored Arrow programme from the outset be cause it feared that procuring it would divert funds from other important procurement areas. While the Israeli Ministry of Defence and Israel Aircraft In dustries (IAI) are trying to shorten the programme's time table, IAF sources say that, as long as the programme is funded by the USA, they are ready to accept it. They are not prepared to sacrifice one of their own programmes in the future to divert funds for Arrow deployment. The IAF does not want to see any reduction in its offensive capability since it still believes that the best way to handle the surface-to-surface missile threat is by destroying them on the ground. Opposition to the Arrow pro gramme is shared by Israeli defence industries which dis miss IAI's plan as "too ambi tious" and unable to solve the future threats posed by ad vanced ballistic missiles. IAI re jects the criticism, saying that the Arrow programme is on schedule. • CASUALTIES BRAZIL Two Brazilian Air Force Em- braer AT-26 Xavantes (li cence-built Aermacchi MB.326s) crashed off Brazil's northern coast on 13 March after a mid-air collision. Three pilots are missing. SALVADOR A Salvadorian Army Bell UH- 1N was shot down near Con ception Corozal by leftist re bels on 12 March. The crew of three was killed. FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL 20 - 26 March, 1991
Sign up to
Flight Digital Magazine
Flight Print Magazine
Airline Business Magazine
E-newsletters
RSS
Events
