USAF C-130H Fleet Grounded

[ORAC]

https://www.defensenews.com/air/2022/09/30/air-force-grounds-most-c-130hs-due-to-cracked-propeller-barrels/

Air Force grounds most C-130Hs due to cracked propeller barrels

WASHINGTON — The Air Force has grounded most of its older C-130H Hercules cargo planes (https://www.airforcetimes.com/news/your-air-force/2021/08/02/lawmakers-protect-c-130-fleet-push-for-new-propellers-in-annual-legislation/) and variants due to a problem with their propeller barrels.

Air Mobility Command on Friday confirmed a wide swath of its C-130H fleet, which numbered 128 at the beginning of fiscal 2022, is unable to fly, and it’s unclear how long it will take to replace all the defective propeller assemblies.

AMC said 116 C-130Hs, including variants of the mobility aircraft, were grounded on Tuesday due to concerns their propeller assemblies are defective, and that inspections over the coming days will show how many of those are affected.

AMC said the groundings are “widespread” and primarily affect the Air Force Reserve and Air National Guard.

The unofficial Facebook page Air Force amn/nco/snco posted a screenshot of a time compliance technical order (https://m.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=423982146530067&id=100067548558719&set=a.405449955049953&eav=AfagTvTqTor3fM0TvWanrLWPxa3oST8igONlzWre_FF5wDEIPnmXgqA8 IKZhOcR6gek&paipv=0&source=57) on the groundings Wednesday. On Friday, the page posted a screenshot of a slide (https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=pfbid02ZqeVhCEWgKmR7Vtm2a8Eace2X5dBpJpB xa2doMyjBNMJvkUhxMrWmyvc8U8wxzszl&id=100067548558719) that said the propeller barrels in question had been installed in 100 C-130Hs, as well as the entire inventories of eight MC-130H Combat Talons, seven EC-130H Compass Calls, and one TC-130H.

In a statement to Defense News, Air Mobility Command said a maintenance crew at Warner Robins Air Logistics Complex in Georgia found a persistent leak coming from a C-130H propeller while test running the plane’s engine after it had undergone depot maintenance.

That propeller assembly was removed and sent to the complex’s propeller shop, AMC said, where a technician found a crack in its barrel assembly.

Further inspections found two more propeller assemblies had the same problem, Air Mobility Command added.

AMC ordered immediate field level visual inspections on all C-130Hs with the older 54H60 model propeller, and then conducted metallurgical reviews and stress analyses, the command said. After those reviews, Air Mobility Command issued another order to immediately replace problematic propellers.

The command said newer C-130Js and C-130Hs that have already had their propeller assemblies upgraded with the eight-bladed NP2000 system are not affected by the order.…….

[Just This Once...]

So apart from the USAF C-130Hs (including their derivatives) that are not grounded, the USAF C-130H fleet is grounded.

Got it.

[DaveReidUK]

So apart from the USAF C-130Hs (including their derivatives) that are not grounded, the USAF C-130H fleet is grounded.

Got it.

ORAC's post makes perfect sense, provided one can tell the difference between 4 and 8. :O

[Bksmithca]

Wonder which other countries will follow suit. I know that the RCAF are flying the H model.

[oldmansquipper]

Quick Kwazi, you could make a few bob selling the US of A all those embarrassingly serviceable 130js we have, before someone realises Atlas may not hold up the world after all….

that'll help fund the tax changes too!

[Just This Once...]

ORAC's post makes perfect sense, provided one can tell the difference between 4 and 8. :O

Her post does indeed explain it, unlike the headline. :ok:

[ORAC]

https://www.defensenews.com/air/2022/10/05/no-end-in-sight-on-c-130h-groundings-other-planes-fill-in-on-mobility/

No end in sight on C-130H groundings; other planes fill in on mobility

…..Propeller manufacturer Collins Aerospace said the problem with the propellers emerged after the company delivered them to the Air Force.

“This is an issue created after delivery following a maintenance procedure that was performed outside of the Collins Aerospace network,” a Collins spokesperson said in an email to Defense News.….

AMC did not dispute Collins’ statement.……

[megan]

From AvWebThe Air Force has grounded 116 C-130Hs, more than 20 percent of the fleet, after it was determined that inscriptions scratched in the propellers documenting inspections for cracks actually caused cracks. “The process used to engrave serial numbers on the propellers likely contributed to cracks that are being found on the C-130Hs,” Maj. Beau Downey, an Air Force spokesperson, told Defense One. “That process, which involved an electric arc pen to incise digits into the surface of the metal, was stopped about six months ago and will not be used going forward.”Some of the aircraft have been returned to service but the Air Force won’t say how many. The cracks and aircraft groundings came to light in October, but the cause wasn’t released until this week. Downey said the Air Force is studying how the cracks spread from the inscriptions and is working on getting the Hercs back on the line. “This will be an incremental process based on operational priority and our focus remains the safety of our crews.”

[212man]

Wonder which other countries will follow suit. I know that the RCAF are flying the H model.

I read somewhere, but can't find any references now, that the cracks were caused by an unapproved practice of engraving.

[DaveReidUK]

I read somewhere, but can't find any references now, that the cracks were caused by an unapproved practice of engraving.

You could try the post immediately prior to yours ...