Jaguar Farewell
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Close to the Arctic Circle
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What actually happens to aircraft like this when they're taken out of service?
A perfectly reasonable question, and one which someone with connections to the Jag SA or DCAE might like to answer fully. However, as a starter, some of the last batch, which were fully serviceable GR3As or T4s at the moment that they arrived at Cosford, will have a reasonable number of flying hours, cycles and Fatigue Index left, on both structure (FI and fg hrs) and systems (fg hrs and cycles). These will be used in some instructional capacity, either as platforms upon which trainee technicians will hone their skills (under close supervision), or as taxying examples for said trainees to get used to being around moving, sucking and blowing fast jets with pointy and flappy bits that can ingest (OK, maybe not!), blow over (see previous), impale, bash or run over the unwary.
These have to be maintained to an standard sufficiently safe to merit pink-bodied instructors climbing in and taxying them about so, while they may not be flyable, they would be kept at a standard certainly equal to that of the jets at Bruntingthorpe etc and possibly slightly better. Now, I would not suggest for a second that this means they would be flyable, but many of the older aircraft on the display circuit these days have, in the past, been ground instructional airframes.
It therefore follows that, provided the standard of work carried out on them is up to current airworthiness standards, and an firm within the Design Approved Organisation Scheme or Maintenance Approved Organisation Scheme were prepared to underwrite that airworthiness to MoD and/or CAA requirements, it could be possible to get one airworthy in the future..................................Please
Join Date: Oct 2000
Location: Nomadic
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To the guy that asked about keeping jets in a flyable condition for later historical / museum / airshow circuit / BBMF type flying.
One of the main problems (apart from the obvious hours/cycles etc to keep an airworthy piece) is the physical cost of storing airworthy aircraft - whilst maintaining the airworthiness of it. The bean counters could do a cost / Vs benefit analysis and come up with a 'Negative' value added for the effort. Therefore it would be up to some 'private' concern - ala Vulcan team. I have seen at least a dozen airframes retired from the air forces that I have served in - and every one of the die hard aircrew ask exactly the same question - Why cant we store one to fly later?. Well unfortunately part of the reason to 'scrap the fleet' was cost cutting related, and therefore if you wanted to keep one flying - most of the cost cutting is lost. Simple economics really - and normally private consortiums struggle to fund such a project - let least make a profit for the effort.
One of the main problems (apart from the obvious hours/cycles etc to keep an airworthy piece) is the physical cost of storing airworthy aircraft - whilst maintaining the airworthiness of it. The bean counters could do a cost / Vs benefit analysis and come up with a 'Negative' value added for the effort. Therefore it would be up to some 'private' concern - ala Vulcan team. I have seen at least a dozen airframes retired from the air forces that I have served in - and every one of the die hard aircrew ask exactly the same question - Why cant we store one to fly later?. Well unfortunately part of the reason to 'scrap the fleet' was cost cutting related, and therefore if you wanted to keep one flying - most of the cost cutting is lost. Simple economics really - and normally private consortiums struggle to fund such a project - let least make a profit for the effort.
I'm fully aware that keeping them in a ready to go state is a big deal. I was thinking more that one or two should at least be kept out of the weather for future restoration efforts - but if they're going to be used as instructional items then that would surely qualify.
Phil
Phil
Jaguar enthusiast day 6 Sqn
My Take on the Tour.
Typhoon Hangar:
BBMF Hangar:
The Jag Pan Tour:
The Jag Taxing out of the HAS:
The Pilot:
Jaguar back in it's HAS:
Many thanks to all at Coningsby who made this day Happen.
Hope you like my efforts.
Cheers Trev
Typhoon Hangar:
BBMF Hangar:
The Jag Pan Tour:
The Jag Taxing out of the HAS:
The Pilot:
Jaguar back in it's HAS:
Many thanks to all at Coningsby who made this day Happen.
Hope you like my efforts.
Cheers Trev
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Birmingham
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...And an excellent final flypast at Wyton circa 1200, despite the best attempts of a rogue rainstorm to get in the way. The second pass low* over the DE&S Pavillions (I'm sure the resemblance to a lay-down attack was completely coincidental) set off a fair few alarms in the car park!
(*Not, I hasten to add, unduly so. But this is Wyton, where we're used to Tutors puttering around the circuit. Pointy things with reheat are quite exciting by our standards
)
- SJB
(*Not, I hasten to add, unduly so. But this is Wyton, where we're used to Tutors puttering around the circuit. Pointy things with reheat are quite exciting by our standards
)- SJB
Last edited by Satellite_Driver; 2nd Jul 2007 at 22:30.
