Radiation of fighters and engines.

[MisterBliss]

Hi there,

The Dutch airforce is calling back several a/c and engines from training facilities due to radiation and presence of asbestos.
It concerns the F-104, F-5 and their engines.
Does anyone know if the J-65 engines have asbestos present or if the radiation level of the used materials is of any concern?
I have three J-65's in my classroom for training purposes.

Please your answer.

[Rigga]

Wow!....Are the Neddys still flying F104s?


...or are they checking the ones in Museums?

[MisterBliss]

Italy and Thailand were the last countries to fly the 104....
In Holland we only have them for training purposes left, yes our school sometimes looks like a museum

[MLHeliwrench]

Older Turbine Engines

In older turbine engines it is not uncommon for some of the bigger non-ferrous alloy parts (like the metals used for inlet housings and accessory gearboxes) to have a bit of latent radiation.

Enough that when shipping them a special note has to be attached because radiation sensors will go off.

Asbestos was (and sometimes still is) common in clamps and component seals.

[MisterBliss]

That is what the Airforce told us yesterday.
We had to seal of some cockpits and even closed the engine shop till further notice.
The newspapers tell us that they are getting the aircraft and engines back, strange enough, when I was a student at our school for twenty years ago, I had to work on and with them as well....

Only thing I want to know if it is safe enough for my students to practice on them.

In my stores I do have some older seals and clamps containing asbestos, they are sealed and not for (re-) use.
If there is same radiation to be found, they are going to do some tests on monday, than I have to seal or remove the engines, that will be a pity.

[Mechta]

Some possibilities:

• Not quite depleted uranium mass balance weights
• Instrument faces and needles painted with radioactive radium 'glow in the dark' paint Radium dials - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
• Insulation blankets, brake pads, gaskets and even polysulphide (PR1422a) tank sealant pre 1990s could all contain asbestos.
• Mercury switches, or any other mercury containing parts.

Provided the students don't start pulling apart insulation blankets, blowing the dust off panels which have been near them, or wirebrushing brake parts, I would have thought the risks were minimal. Production workers exposed to the same parts day in, day out and the dust or residue from manufacturing processes are the ones likely to be at risk. Removing engines etc, in my opinion, is far more likely to raise dust and creat a hazard than just carrying on as before.

[M.J. Behbahani]

J-65 engines

Hi,I am a licensed aircarft engineer on commercial aircrafts B727 with PW JT8D, & B757/767/777. The maintenance manual states any safety procuations associated with any sensors which use radioacive material, for example the ionisation type smoke detectors which some aircraft use.The radiation amount is virtually negligent and within specified limits which have no health risk.
Now a days, radioactive materials are used to treat cancer patient and also used in medicine for artery blockage and so many good uses. So people should not be affraid when they hear Radiation becuase even human body produces radiation during potassuim digestion process. The amount,power and the duration is the mean factor.
You stated that J-65 engines used some radiation materials which have a bit latent radiation.Do you mean it has a negligent radiation?
I have never worked on J-65 engine but would like to know if it is within safe limit is it of any concern ?
You stated that J-65 when shipping them, special note has to be attached becuase Radiation sensors will go off ! Could you explain more, what are they ( Radiation sensors) ?
Many thanks

[Blacksheep]

One used to happily wrap the thermocouple wiring on the Vulcan with the asbestos tape supplied in rolls for the purpose and the engine bay wiring was a mass of asbestos covered 'P' Clips. Then there were the asbestos fire gloves stowed in the cabin for crew use. Meanwhile, back in the calibration room, poor old Sam who repainted the instrument dials had teeth that glowed in the dark. (And don't even mention the radiation hanging about in a QRA aircraft bomb bay. Shhh!")