C 130 center wing box cracks in foundation

The lockheed martin c is the us air force principal tactical cargo and personnel transport aircraft. Advanced technology center wing box concemual despgnicost study. Other smaller fatigue cracks were also found along the parting line on the lower wing skin. Gross dimensions of the center wing box are 440 inches span, 80 inches chord, and 32 inches depth. Craig labare, copilot, 37 years mike davis, engineer, 59 years. The wildland firefighting version of the ca is capable of delivering. Wing box replacements in the usfs cs fire aviation. The upper and lower rainbow fittings on the c connect the outer wings with the center wing box, which sits over the fuselage. The air force said last week that 30 c e aircraft were grounded due to cracks in their center wing box sections and an. Needless to say, the 402nd aircraft maintenance group at robins afb is a busy unit. The cj hercules is the latest model, featuring a glass cockpit, digital avionics and a new propulsion system with a sixbladed propeller. Little rock afb is home to the largest c fleet in the world.

The air force began replacing center wing boxes on its c s in 2006 after maintainers discovered cracks were occurring in the part earlier than expected. Cracks found in air national guard c wing parts prompt. Center wing boxes on c s have been showing cracks earlier than expected. Usaf pulls onefourth of cs to inspect for cracks air force.

National science foundation physician, who was airlifted from the south pole by. In addition, the center wing box cwb structure, which is common to both the c and sof ci. Jul 19, 2011 the readiness cracks have been showing and worsening for years. Air mobility command inspecting 123 cs for atypical. Capable of using unprepared runways for takeoffs and landings, the c was originally designed as a troop, medevac, and cargo transport aircraft. Air force c rainbow fitting diagnostic technology development. Cause of health problems associated with c flights discovered. Mackenzie eaglen from the heritage foundation highlights in a comprehensive piece on readiness that the air force has problems meeting required readiness standards beyond fighter aircraft. The reduced service life of the sof c airframe can be attributed to two primary factors, these are. In a c it sits atop the fuselage and forms the attachment point for both wings. The critical fatigue component for the c fleet is the center wing box, which is structurally more susceptible to the stresses of mission profile and payload. In 2002, two large airtankers a lockheed c hercules and a consolidated pb4y2. A c j taxis on the flightline at little rock air force base, ark.

The lockheed c hercules is an american fourengine turboprop military transport aircraft designed and built originally by lockheed now lockheed martin. Air logistics center upgrades center wing boxes on cs. C wings break apart and crashes head on level 1 the national transportation safety board ntsb investigated the crash and determined that the accident was caused by a structural failure which occurred at the wingtofuselage attach point, with the right wing failing just before the left one. C rainbow fitting inspections near completion hill. We also understand the logistical nightmare that exists when dealing with exporting and importing items as well as dealing with quality control while your aircraft is inoperable. This aircraft began its civil aviation career in 1988.

L3 communications spar aerospace completes c hercules. In the mid2000s, center wing boxes cwb on c s began showing cracks earlier than expected. Us air force pauses flight ops for more than a hundred cs over. In the mid2000s, center wing boxes cwb on cs began showing cracks earlier than expected. The center wing box is an integral component of the fuselage and is the attaching point for engines and outer wings. C center wing box latest breaking news, pictures, videos, and special reports from the economic times. Pilot wass, copilot labare, and flight engineer davis were the crew of a c a airtanker fighting a fire near walker, california. To varying degrees, all of these older aircraft have encountered, or can be expected to encounter, aging problems such as fatigue cracking, stress corrosion cracking, corrosion, and wear. The air combat commander removed 123 of 450 c aircraft from service aug. C center wing box blogs, comments and archive news on. Asn aircraft accident lockheed ca hercules nhp walker, ca. Pentagon struggles to keep ships sailing, planes flying as.

After atypical cracks were discovered on the lower center wing joint or rainbow. These cracks can be a significant flight safety risk, when the damage is extensive. With the fleets center wing boxes service life nearing a halt, robins air force lifecycle management center s c hercules division, which houses the c center wing replacement program office, works dili. In 2006, the air force began replacing center wing boxes on cs after the boxes began showing cracks earlier than expected. In 2006, the air force began replacing center wing boxes on c s after the boxes began showing cracks earlier than expected. Barely half of all air force units were fully missioncapable, and that was back in 2007. The c has been in continuous production since 1954 and more than 2,500 hercules were built for. Maryanna miller ordered 123 of the 450 total force c hercules aircraft to undergo inspection after cracking was found on the lower center wing. In the 1980s, followup work between nasa and lockheed martin resulted in an advanced composite technology program that further redesigned and strengthened the center wing box of the c. Amc c rainbow fitting inspections complete scott air.

The airplane operated on a local flight out of mindentahoe airport, nv mev. The active lift distribution control system was superseded by a redesign of the wing that included a new center wing, two inner wing boxes, and two outer wing box sections, which were manufactured from advanced aluminum alloys that were unavailable when the original wings were produced in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Indepth visual and modified nondestructive inspections of the wing box will be conducted on affected c h and jmodel aircraft that have not received the extended service life center wing box and have greater than 15,000 equivalent flight hours. Cracks led usaf engineers to rethink c wing box life. In accordance with the tcto, indepth visual and modified nondestructive inspections of the wing box are being conducted on affected c h and. The investigation disclosed evidence of fatigue cracks in the right wings lower. A c deployed from the montana air national guards 120th airlift wing sits on the ramp as the sun sets at ali al salem air base, kuwait, on july 29, 2019. The c fleet now needs a new center wing box design even after the h model avionics. Atypical cracks were discovered on the lower center wing joint. Whats keeping indias biggest private lender safe from covid. More than 15 percent of the approximately 2,350 lockheed c hercules production hulls have been lost, including 70 by the us air force and the united states marine corps during the vietnam war. The order applies to c h and jmodel aircraft that have not received the extended service life center wing box and.

Lockheed c a hercules registration nhp, call sign tanker , was flying against the cannon fire, near walker, california on june 17, 2002, when it experienced structural failure of the center wing section, causing both wings to fold upward and separate from the aircraft. In accordance with the tcto, indepth visual and modified nondestructive inspections of the wing box are being conducted on affected c h and jmodel aircraft that have not received the extended service life center wing box and have greater than 15,000 equivalent flight hours. Figure 2 c upper and lower rainbow fittings the primary cause of the cracking is from common fatigue that occurs almost exclusively on the inboard rainbow fittings. Marshall aerospace and defense tapped for cj work upi.

As the firstandonly global provider of this restoration capability, northrop grummans innovative solution restores c center wing boxes to zerotime and extends the life of the box by a minimum of 30,000 equivalent baseline flight hours, providing both cost and time savings to the customer. As a result, members of the 402nd aircraft maintenance group have removed the center wing box from aircraft 831212 and will replace it with a new center wing box as part of the first step in addressing the problem. Wouldnt surprise me one bit this acft had wing box cracks undetected. Cause of health problems associated with c flights discovered april th, 2015 july 21st, 2015 a c hercules taxis at balad air base, iraq, after an operation iraqi freedom mission. Yeah dan, the center wing box changes started before i got to robins in 97 but i did get to see quite a few after i got there. Cracks found in c wing parts prompt partial grounding. Here to help you achieve your mission at norral, we understand the difficulties of obtaining spare parts for your c lockheed hologram replacement aircraft parts. Edward eagerton the 176th wing, alaska air national guards first new hcj combat king ii aircraft arrived on june 3rd after receiving it from lockheed martin in greenville, south carolina. In a c it sits atop thefuselage and forms the attachment point for both wings. The 107th airlift wing went on another night formation training mission, this time fully loaded with live flares to be used in a training scenario.

Wikipedia is a registered trademark of the wikimedia foundation, inc. The c upper and lower rainbow fittings provide the structural connection support between the aircraft center wing box and the outer wing as shown in figure 1. Air force for decades and is projected to continue to accrue flight hours for years to come as a highly capable platform utilized for numerous mission profiles. Air force c aircraft assigned to little rock air force base were among 123 of the venerable airlifter that were temporarily grounded this week to determine whether they had. Structural analytical control program for c aircraft fleet. The number and severity of cracks in the center wing boxes of u. That program was intended to ensure the services c fleet could fly through at least 2030, according to the air force. This project offered to increase fatigue life and reduce the weight of the wing structure. Did they ever find out what caused this plane crashwings to. The hundreds of center wing boxes removed from the aircraft during the current c wing modification program provided a wide range of selection of test. In the past few years, many c aircraft have developed fatigue cracks in the center wing box rainbow fittings.

Boeing announces c total life extension program jul. Edmonton spar aerospace limited l3 spar, a subsidiary of l3 communications, successfully completed the first c center wing refurbishment and reinstallation on may 28, 2007, achieving a critical milestone on the royal new zealand air forces rnzaf c life extension program. Lockheed martin aeronautics has been awarded a modification to a previously awarded contract for the c j center wing box replacement program. A redesign of the cwb is therefore a bare essential in the life extension program. As a result, members from the 402nd aircraft maintenance group have removed the center wing box from aircraft 831212 and will replace it with a new center wing box as part of the first step in addressing the problem. One commonality c owners may face is the center wing box issue. The inspections should take place on c h and newer j models with more than 15,000 flight hours that have not received the extended service life center wing box, the. More than a quarter of c hercules in service at air mobility command will be temporarily grounded. Pentagon struggles to keep ships sailing, planes flying as budget cuts loom. Jun 17, 2002 a lockheed c a hercules plane, registered nhp, was destroyed in an accident at walker, ca, united states of america. Currently in development and entering the testing phase, boeings c center wing box. The hangar will help with both the center s ongoing c center wing box workload and new c j program depot maintenance workload. Lockheed martin awarded contract for cj center wing box.

By 2020, 155 c s will have new center wing boxes from the c j production line. The investigation disclosed evidence of fatigue cracks in the right wing s lower surface skin panel, with origins beneath the forward doubler the origin points were determined to be in rivet holes which join the external doubler and the internal stringers to the lower skin panel. Northrop grumman offers c center wing box restoration. Miller suspended c operations for 123 of the 450 total force c hercules aircraft following the discovery of cracks in the rainbow fitting that holds the inner and outer wing sections together. These cracks can be a significant flight safety risk, when the damage. The c system program office at robins air force base in georgia recommended the grounding after inspections of the center wing box structure, where the wings fit to the fuselage. The air force is extending the service life of its fleet of c combat delivery aircraft by replacing center wing. The fuselage rolled and crashed inverted, killing the three crewmen on board. Center wing boxes on cs have been showing cracks earlier than expected.

Air force discovered cracking of the lower center wing joint also. Us air force pauses flight ops for more than a hundred c. A failure of the wing box during flight could be catastrophic. Dec 27, 2009 did they ever find out what caused this plane crashwings to fall off. Noc will demonstrate the companys new c center wing box restoration solution at the c technical. Northrop grumman ng, chalet cd01 technology services is offering legacy c hercules operators a center wing box cwb restoration solution. Figure 1 from air force c rainbow fitting diagnostic. As a result, members from the, team robins began a threephase project in november to ensure the viability of the c tactical transport fleet through the year 2030 and beyond. The structural configuration of the c center wing box is illustrated in figures 1, 2, 3, and 4. Air force grounds more than 100 c aircraft over wing. The c hercules primarily performs the tactical portion of the airlift mission.

Amc commander directs temporary removal of 123 cs from. Aug 21, 2019 in accordance with the tcto, in depth visual and modified nondestructive inspections of the wing box are being conducted on affected c h and jmodel aircraft that have not received the extended service life center wing box and have greater than 15,000 equivalent flight hours. Nov 16, 2006 center wing boxes on c s have been showing cracks earlier than expected. The cracks on the lower center wing joint were discovered on an air national guard c hmodel at robins air force base, ga. Gross dimensions of the center wing box are 440 inches span, 80 inches chord. Figure 9 from air force c rainbow fitting diagnostic. Not all us c losses have been crashes, 29 of those listed below were destroyed on the ground by enemy action or other nonflying accidents. Air force ces led service engineers to reevaluate the service life expectancy of the wing boxes and led to last weeks. Jul 18, 2017 marshall aerospace and defense tapped for c j work c 10j super hercules flown by britains royal air force are to receive new enhanced service life center wing box kits. Wings fall off a lockheed c hercules nhp, call sign tanker , was flying against the cannon fire, near walker ca on june 17, 2002, when it experienced structural failure of the center wing section, causing both wings to fold upward and separate from the aircraft. Nothing like seeing a herk with absolutely no wing whatsoever and just a hole. The c system program office at robins air force base, ga recommended the grounding after inspections of the center wing box structure, which sits atop the fuselage and forms the attachment point for both wings and all four engines, revealed cracks.

Maryanne miller, the air mobility command commander, ordered the temporary removal of 123 of 450 total force c hercules from service on aug. The cockpit comes with full authority digital engine control fadec which eliminates the need for a flight engineer, a. Other smaller fatigue cracks were also found along the parting line on the lower. Air mobility command announced the decision wednesday night, stating it will conduct indepth visual and modified nondestructive inspections of the wingboxes on c h and jmodel aircraft that havent been fitted with an extended servicelife center wing box and have flown more than 15,000 equivalent service hours. Air force grounds more than 100 c aircraft over wing crack worries. In this image, the white wing center section area can be easily seen in. Subsequent examination of the wreckage and the right wing disclosed evidence of fatigue cracks in the right wings. List of accidents and incidents involving the lockheed c. Air force grounds more than 100 of c aircraft after. As the aircraft began to pull out from a slurry drop run, the starboard wing came off as the centre wing box failed during. Feb 02, 2004 the c on display was retired from active duty on 2 february 2004 and flew its final flight to the air mobility command museum.

May 23, 2011 the ribbon was cut on a new 86,000 sq. Hidden fatigue cracks suspected in c firefighter wingloss. Outer wingbox of c center wing box research showed that the center wing box cwb is the largest driver in maintenance costs. There have been problems historically with fatigue cracking of the center wing on special.