From
defencenews, official news blog of the UK MoD:
RAF Voyager tyre replacement
The Daily Mail reports that a 'row' over replacing a punctured tyre on an RAF Voyager caused by a bird strike as the aircraft was taking off led to military personnel on their way home from Afghanistan being delayed for 48 hours at a Middle East airport.
The Mail claims that a replacement tyre could not be sourced locally as this would breach a private finance deal and that under the terms of the contract both a new tyre and engineers to fit it had to be flown out from the UK.
These statements are factually incorrect as there are no clauses in the terms of the contract which require the use of certain tyres or engineers. In addition, RAF Voyagers carry a spare tyre and the necessary engineers to replace damaged tyres as a matter of course.
In this instance, after the bird strike, a safety inspection found that the combination of the heat and pressure caused by halting the take-off meant a second tyre was no longer airworthy and needed to be changed as a precaution. It is standard MOD operating procedure to dispatch replacement parts using existing flights and flying out a replacement tyre on the next available aircraft from the UK was the quickest resupply solution.
Sourcing replacement parts, including tyres, from the local area is not as straightforward as it may appear and it was not possible to use a tyre from a nearby commercial airport. In addition, MOD does not keep stockpiles of tyres at air bases because it is not cost-effective to maintain the specialist storage conditions required to meet aviation safety standards. In this case, the engineers on board the Voyager replaced both tyres as quickly as possible, allowing the aircraft to return to the UK.
We understand how much the chance to be reunited with loved ones means to our Armed Forces personnel and that is why any leave lost will be given back in line with standard policy. While we of course try to get Service personnel home from theatre as quickly as possible, unforeseen circumstances can cause delays, and safety has to be a priority.
Hmm...'Sourcing replacement parts, including tyres, from the local area is not as straightforward as it may appear and
it was not possible to use a tyre from a nearby commercial airport.'
Why not?
