As laboratoryqueen and I know we were informed officially of a fuel leak on XV230.
THIS TROUBLES ME>
Nimrod Aircraft
Sir Nicholas Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how
many fuel leaks have been reported on Nimrod MR2 R1 aircraft in the last
six months; and if he will make a statement. [134919]
8 May 2007 : Column 66W
Mr. Ingram: Between the period 1 October 2006 and 31 March 2007 a total
of 25 fuel leaks were reported on Nimrod MR2 and R1 aircraft. A fuel
leak is defined as any leakage of fuel from aircraft couplings, pipes or
fuel tanks. These did not compromise the safety of the aircraft and
were rectified under normal maintenance procedures.
Sir Nicholas Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence
whether (a) the current air-to-air refuelling system will be replaced and
(b) the single skin fuel pipes will be replaced by double skin fuel pipes
as part of the Nimrod MR2 R1 aircraft refurbishment programme. [134920]
Mr. Ingram: The MR2 and the R1 are two separate variants of the Nimrod
aircraft. There are no current plans to refurbish the MR2 fleet before
it is replaced by the Nimrod MRA4 aircraft. No decisions have yet been
taken on whether the R1 platform will carry the replacement for the
current mission system, and whether the R1 fleet will be refurbished. The
air-to-air refuelling system on MRA4 is an almost entirely new design
and built with only a small number of components retained from MR2 which
will be re-furbished. Jacketed fuel pipes will be used selectively
where it is judged to be necessary and all its fuel pipes will be newly
manufactured.