Originally Posted by
teeonefixer
There was sufficient Fatigue Life left in these 2 airframes to see them to their previous OSD, give or take when their next Major servicing was due. I don't know if DE&S had any serious thoughts of post-Mod 2010 replacements given alternative means of carrying out some of the work (e.g. new Centrifuge).
Probably came down to ££££ - I don't think they wanted to spend the money on transferring all the RAFCAM specific equipment and instrumentation systems into 2010 fuselages.
There were plenty of 2010 a/c available from storage for a couple of years,indeed I did try on a number of occasions to get my then company management to get hold of a couple to 'major' and then to use as 'Hacks' to save FI on our instrumented fleet - they eventually did get the green light and then shortly afterwards of course the MOD changed their minds and decided to extend the T1 OSD and carry out the major programme (result - no hacks LOL).
As to Fatigue Life I would agree that 327 would probably have been good for another few years but 162 had a pre production standard fuselage structure and I would personally say that the RAF had had their moneys worth out of that particular airframe
cheers LR