USAF F-15 Fleet Grounded
Red On, Green On
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D-IFF - My guess is that only the US have the capacity both in terms of numbers per type, and the diversity of aircraft model/type to remove one type and still maintain a realistic capability level. It's not so much a comment on UK defence planning and procurement, as the sheer cost of procuring and supporting multiple fleets covering the same role/requirement.
Even then, how would the US forces cope with the temporary removal of the AH-64, for example?
Even then, how would the US forces cope with the temporary removal of the AH-64, for example?
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And people wonder why the USMC stuck with upgrading the Cobra (AH-1W, AH-1Z) instead of buying the AH-64.
[Yes, I know Wiki-waki... and some fan publications, claim the USMC wanted the "Sea Apache" but was denied funds by Congress in 1981 & 1996... but I was in the USMC in 1981, and the navalized AH-64 was considered overweight and with too little single-engine safety margin and was disliked by nearly the entire rotary-light-attack community... so while some elements may have been pushing it, many others were opposing it... which told Congress not to bother with funding. By 1996, the 4-blade rotor version of the Cobra was considered ~90% as good as the Apache at ~3/4 the cost, and was being strongly supported by the USMC leadership.]
[Yes, I know Wiki-waki... and some fan publications, claim the USMC wanted the "Sea Apache" but was denied funds by Congress in 1981 & 1996... but I was in the USMC in 1981, and the navalized AH-64 was considered overweight and with too little single-engine safety margin and was disliked by nearly the entire rotary-light-attack community... so while some elements may have been pushing it, many others were opposing it... which told Congress not to bother with funding. By 1996, the 4-blade rotor version of the Cobra was considered ~90% as good as the Apache at ~3/4 the cost, and was being strongly supported by the USMC leadership.]
Ecce Homo! Loquitur...
Thread Starter
F-15Es Flying Again Over Afghanistan
F-15E Strike Eagles are flying again in the war zone, but nearly 500 A, B, C and D models remain grounded.
Air Combat Command is returning its 224 F-15Es to flight 10 days after the entire fleet was grounded for safety concerns following the Nov. 2 crash of an F-15C. There is no word when the other F-15 aircraft will return to flight, said ACC spokesman Maj. Tom Crosson.
U.S. Air Force Gen. John Corley, ACC commander, ordered the F-15Es back in the air Nov. 11 after each one passed a safety inspection, according to an ACC statement.
All of the F-15Es deployed to Afghanistan with the 455th Air Expeditionary Wing are now back in flying status, said wing spokesman Capt. Michael Meridith. The last aircraft at Bagram Air Base was cleared for flight Tuesday, he said.
Crosson said the inspections will check the aircraft’s hydraulic system lines; longerons, which are molded metal strips running from front to rear of the aircraft fuselage; and straps and skin panels in and around the environmental control system bay. The inspections are being conducted at all four F-15E bases: Seymour Johnson, N.C.; Eglin, Fla.; Langley, Va.; and Mountain Home, Idaho.
Similar inspections will be performed on the non-E model F-15s, Crosson said, but there is no timeline yet......
F-15E Strike Eagles are flying again in the war zone, but nearly 500 A, B, C and D models remain grounded.
Air Combat Command is returning its 224 F-15Es to flight 10 days after the entire fleet was grounded for safety concerns following the Nov. 2 crash of an F-15C. There is no word when the other F-15 aircraft will return to flight, said ACC spokesman Maj. Tom Crosson.
U.S. Air Force Gen. John Corley, ACC commander, ordered the F-15Es back in the air Nov. 11 after each one passed a safety inspection, according to an ACC statement.
All of the F-15Es deployed to Afghanistan with the 455th Air Expeditionary Wing are now back in flying status, said wing spokesman Capt. Michael Meridith. The last aircraft at Bagram Air Base was cleared for flight Tuesday, he said.
Crosson said the inspections will check the aircraft’s hydraulic system lines; longerons, which are molded metal strips running from front to rear of the aircraft fuselage; and straps and skin panels in and around the environmental control system bay. The inspections are being conducted at all four F-15E bases: Seymour Johnson, N.C.; Eglin, Fla.; Langley, Va.; and Mountain Home, Idaho.
Similar inspections will be performed on the non-E model F-15s, Crosson said, but there is no timeline yet......
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Guys,
Why all this bickering when you are all wrong anyway. Everyone knows that Britains got a much better multi role jet than the F15E.
The Mighty Typhoon wil be deploying eastwards immediately to fill the gap!
What really, you mean it isn't. Oops sorry guys
Why all this bickering when you are all wrong anyway. Everyone knows that Britains got a much better multi role jet than the F15E.
The Mighty Typhoon wil be deploying eastwards immediately to fill the gap!
What really, you mean it isn't. Oops sorry guys
If you didn't kill it with that post, you certainly staggered it a bit. Seems a bit of logic you and the AF are sharing, better jets are out there. Now if its the Typhoon...thats another story.
I have to believe those politically savvy within the USAF are using the F15 grounding as their milk carton looking for lost F22'S
I have to believe those politically savvy within the USAF are using the F15 grounding as their milk carton looking for lost F22'S
Ecce Homo! Loquitur...
Thread Starter
U.S. Air Force Resumes F-15 Flights
By AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE, WASHINGTON
The U.S. Air Force resumed authorizing flights of its F-15 fighter jets Nov. 23, two weeks after it grounded them following an accident, a military statement said.
“As of today, 219 of the 224 E-models and 294 of the 442 A-D models in the inventory have been inspected and cleared for flight,” said John Corley, a general in the Air Combat Command, in a statement on the force’s Web site.
“I have directed each F-15 aircraft be inspected and cleared before returning to operational status,” he added. “The cause of the mishap remains under investigation.”.......
By AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE, WASHINGTON
The U.S. Air Force resumed authorizing flights of its F-15 fighter jets Nov. 23, two weeks after it grounded them following an accident, a military statement said.
“As of today, 219 of the 224 E-models and 294 of the 442 A-D models in the inventory have been inspected and cleared for flight,” said John Corley, a general in the Air Combat Command, in a statement on the force’s Web site.
“I have directed each F-15 aircraft be inspected and cleared before returning to operational status,” he added. “The cause of the mishap remains under investigation.”.......
Ecce Homo! Loquitur...
Thread Starter
Starting to look very serious, all except the F-15Es are grounded again...
Most USAF F-15s in Stand-Down
Just days after the U.S. F-15 fleet returned to the air following a worldwide grounding, the commander of the U.S. Air Combat Command called for a stand-down of all F-15 A, B, C and D models due to concerns about “fleetwide airworthiness” and the potential for “a catastrophic failure” of the aircraft.
The E-model Eagles are not affected by the stand-down, which is a less severe restriction than grounding.
Gen. John Corley said in a Nov. 28 ACC statement that the investigation into the early November crash of an Air National Guard F-15C over Missouri has raised concerns about metal fatigue near the plane’s canopy, which could cause cracks and eventually the failure of the upper longerons, the metal rails that hold the fuselage of the aircraft together.
“Although the longeron area was covered in general by previous inspections as a result of the Nov. 2 mishap, technical experts with the Warner Robins Air Logistics Center, assisting in the Accident Investigation Board, have recommended a specific inspection of the suspect area based on the recent findings,” Corley said. “Based on this most recent data, we believe it is prudent to stand down our F-15 A-D aircraft until such time as each aircraft can receive a more detailed and tailored inspection.”........
Most USAF F-15s in Stand-Down
Just days after the U.S. F-15 fleet returned to the air following a worldwide grounding, the commander of the U.S. Air Combat Command called for a stand-down of all F-15 A, B, C and D models due to concerns about “fleetwide airworthiness” and the potential for “a catastrophic failure” of the aircraft.
The E-model Eagles are not affected by the stand-down, which is a less severe restriction than grounding.
Gen. John Corley said in a Nov. 28 ACC statement that the investigation into the early November crash of an Air National Guard F-15C over Missouri has raised concerns about metal fatigue near the plane’s canopy, which could cause cracks and eventually the failure of the upper longerons, the metal rails that hold the fuselage of the aircraft together.
“Although the longeron area was covered in general by previous inspections as a result of the Nov. 2 mishap, technical experts with the Warner Robins Air Logistics Center, assisting in the Accident Investigation Board, have recommended a specific inspection of the suspect area based on the recent findings,” Corley said. “Based on this most recent data, we believe it is prudent to stand down our F-15 A-D aircraft until such time as each aircraft can receive a more detailed and tailored inspection.”........
Ecce Homo! Loquitur...
Thread Starter
F-15A-Ds Remain Grounded
12/10/2007 - LANGLEY AIR FORCE BASE, Va. (AFPN) -- Air Force maintainers continue to perform methodical and time-intensive inspections on all F-15 Eagle A, B, C and D model aircraft which are revealing more cracks in the aircraft longerons.
The discovery of more structural damage in the F-15s prompted the Dec. 3 stand-down order from Air Combat Command Commander Gen. John Corley.
The decision follows additional information received from the ongoing investigation of the Nov. 2 F-15C mishap, which resulted in the loss of that aircraft. The Accident Investigation Board found defects which indicate potential structural damage in the rest of the fleet.
Maintainers at Langley have found no cracks or evidence of fatigue in F-15 longerons so far; however, throughout the Air Force, maintainers have found cracks in the upper longerons of eight F-15s (as of Dec. 10). Four of these aircraft are assigned to the Air National Guard's 173rd Fighter Wing, Kingsley Field, Ore.; two are assigned to the 18th Wing, Kadena Air Base, Japan; another is assigned to the 325th Fighter Wing, Tyndall AFB, Fla.; and one assigned to the ANG 131st Fighter Wing, St. Louis, Mo.
Every aircraft will undergo all previously published time compliance technical order (TCTO) inspections. However, unlike in recent weeks, the cleared aircraft will not immediately return to flight. Technical experts at Warner Robins Air Logistics Center, Ga., are developing new inspection techniques based on findings in parts of the mishap aircraft. These inspections will be performed as soon as the new TCTO is available for the affected F-15s.
As part of the previous TCTO, maintenance crews around the Air Force are stripping paint and performing non-destructive inspections in the F-15's upper longeron just aft of the canopies.
Maintainers are working around the clock to conduct these inspections, said Capt. Timothy Blasiman, the 71st Aircraft Maintenance Unit officer in charge.
Each of the 20 F-15s assigned to Langley require a minimum inspection time of 12.5 hours. Some F-15 models elsewhere require inspections that take more than 20 hours. The B and D models are more time consuming, said Captain Blasiman, because they have two seats. The rear seat requires removal to access the upper longerons.
Inspections are more than just a visual check, said Staff Sgt. Aaron Gammill. After the paint is stripped and bare metal is exposed, Airmen from the non-destructive inspection shop apply chemicals that reveal cracks under a black light. Other inspections in hard-to-see areas are done with a boar scope - a tool that uses a tiny camera and fits in tight areas.
Inspections must be meticulous because the nature of the problem could lead to loss of life or aircraft, said Bo Floyd, the Air Force F-15 Engineer Technical Services lead. Air Force officials are not willing to take risks in this matter, Mr. Floyd said. "Our mission is to generate sorties and maintain a combat-effective airplane here," said Captain Blasiman.
Inspection requirements are precise and demanding, said Ralph Farley, the ACC Engineering Technical Service representative. "Pieces of the crashed jet have been (retrieved) and sent to the Air Force research lab ... to see what may have caused the aircraft to disintegrate," he said. "That information is going down to (our engineers) where they will determine how to inspect, what will be inspected and the form in which it's done."....
-----------------------
Love the Boar Scope.
12/10/2007 - LANGLEY AIR FORCE BASE, Va. (AFPN) -- Air Force maintainers continue to perform methodical and time-intensive inspections on all F-15 Eagle A, B, C and D model aircraft which are revealing more cracks in the aircraft longerons.
The discovery of more structural damage in the F-15s prompted the Dec. 3 stand-down order from Air Combat Command Commander Gen. John Corley.
The decision follows additional information received from the ongoing investigation of the Nov. 2 F-15C mishap, which resulted in the loss of that aircraft. The Accident Investigation Board found defects which indicate potential structural damage in the rest of the fleet.
Maintainers at Langley have found no cracks or evidence of fatigue in F-15 longerons so far; however, throughout the Air Force, maintainers have found cracks in the upper longerons of eight F-15s (as of Dec. 10). Four of these aircraft are assigned to the Air National Guard's 173rd Fighter Wing, Kingsley Field, Ore.; two are assigned to the 18th Wing, Kadena Air Base, Japan; another is assigned to the 325th Fighter Wing, Tyndall AFB, Fla.; and one assigned to the ANG 131st Fighter Wing, St. Louis, Mo.
Every aircraft will undergo all previously published time compliance technical order (TCTO) inspections. However, unlike in recent weeks, the cleared aircraft will not immediately return to flight. Technical experts at Warner Robins Air Logistics Center, Ga., are developing new inspection techniques based on findings in parts of the mishap aircraft. These inspections will be performed as soon as the new TCTO is available for the affected F-15s.
As part of the previous TCTO, maintenance crews around the Air Force are stripping paint and performing non-destructive inspections in the F-15's upper longeron just aft of the canopies.
Maintainers are working around the clock to conduct these inspections, said Capt. Timothy Blasiman, the 71st Aircraft Maintenance Unit officer in charge.
Each of the 20 F-15s assigned to Langley require a minimum inspection time of 12.5 hours. Some F-15 models elsewhere require inspections that take more than 20 hours. The B and D models are more time consuming, said Captain Blasiman, because they have two seats. The rear seat requires removal to access the upper longerons.
Inspections are more than just a visual check, said Staff Sgt. Aaron Gammill. After the paint is stripped and bare metal is exposed, Airmen from the non-destructive inspection shop apply chemicals that reveal cracks under a black light. Other inspections in hard-to-see areas are done with a boar scope - a tool that uses a tiny camera and fits in tight areas.
Inspections must be meticulous because the nature of the problem could lead to loss of life or aircraft, said Bo Floyd, the Air Force F-15 Engineer Technical Services lead. Air Force officials are not willing to take risks in this matter, Mr. Floyd said. "Our mission is to generate sorties and maintain a combat-effective airplane here," said Captain Blasiman.
Inspection requirements are precise and demanding, said Ralph Farley, the ACC Engineering Technical Service representative. "Pieces of the crashed jet have been (retrieved) and sent to the Air Force research lab ... to see what may have caused the aircraft to disintegrate," he said. "That information is going down to (our engineers) where they will determine how to inspect, what will be inspected and the form in which it's done."....
-----------------------
Love the Boar Scope.
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Pontius,
You said the D's were flying at Lakenheath, sure they weren't E's?
A thru D models are 'stood down' tfn.
The duration of the stand-down is pending. Aircraft will not be returned to operational status until the F-15 A-D model findings and data have been analyzed, required inspections have been accomplished and the necessary repair or mitigation actions have been completed.
Computer simulations have indicated a catastrophic structural failure could result from cracks in the longerons. To date, longeron cracks have been discovered in an additional four aircraft. These aircraft are awaiting further engineering instructions before they are returned to operational status.
Air Combat Command officials continue to work with those in the Air National Guard, the Air Force Reserve and sister major commands in Europe and the Pacific, as well as with joint and coalition partners, to ensure mission coverage.
The stand-down does not affect the F-15E Strike Eagle.
You said the D's were flying at Lakenheath, sure they weren't E's?
A thru D models are 'stood down' tfn.
The duration of the stand-down is pending. Aircraft will not be returned to operational status until the F-15 A-D model findings and data have been analyzed, required inspections have been accomplished and the necessary repair or mitigation actions have been completed.
Computer simulations have indicated a catastrophic structural failure could result from cracks in the longerons. To date, longeron cracks have been discovered in an additional four aircraft. These aircraft are awaiting further engineering instructions before they are returned to operational status.
Air Combat Command officials continue to work with those in the Air National Guard, the Air Force Reserve and sister major commands in Europe and the Pacific, as well as with joint and coalition partners, to ensure mission coverage.
The stand-down does not affect the F-15E Strike Eagle.
Below the Glidepath - not correcting
Canadians help USAF in Alaska
Full story here;
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20071226/.../grounded_f15s
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20071226/.../grounded_f15s
By SCOTT LINDLAW, Associated Press Writer
Wed Dec 26, 4:00 PM ET
FRESNO, Calif. - The grounding of hundreds of F-15s because of dangerous structural defects is straining the nation's air defense network, forcing some states to rely on their neighbors' fighter jets for protection, and Alaska to depend on the Canadian military.
The F-15 is the sole fighter at many of the 16 or so "alert" sites around the country, where planes and pilots stand ready to take off at a moment's notice to intercept hijacked airliners, Cessnas that wander into protected airspace, and other threats.
The Air Force grounded about 450 F-15s after one of the fighters began to break apart in the air and crashed Nov. 2 in Missouri. An Air Force investigation found "possible fleet-wide airworthiness problems" because of defects in the metal rails that hold the fuselage together. It is not clear when the F-15s will be allowed to fly again.
Compounding the problem created by the grounding, another fighter jet used for homeland defense, the F-16, is in high demand for Iraq operations. And the next-generation fighter, the F-22 Raptor, is only slowly replacing the aging F-15.
Wed Dec 26, 4:00 PM ET
FRESNO, Calif. - The grounding of hundreds of F-15s because of dangerous structural defects is straining the nation's air defense network, forcing some states to rely on their neighbors' fighter jets for protection, and Alaska to depend on the Canadian military.
The F-15 is the sole fighter at many of the 16 or so "alert" sites around the country, where planes and pilots stand ready to take off at a moment's notice to intercept hijacked airliners, Cessnas that wander into protected airspace, and other threats.
The Air Force grounded about 450 F-15s after one of the fighters began to break apart in the air and crashed Nov. 2 in Missouri. An Air Force investigation found "possible fleet-wide airworthiness problems" because of defects in the metal rails that hold the fuselage together. It is not clear when the F-15s will be allowed to fly again.
Compounding the problem created by the grounding, another fighter jet used for homeland defense, the F-16, is in high demand for Iraq operations. And the next-generation fighter, the F-22 Raptor, is only slowly replacing the aging F-15.
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I'm with West Coast; this is just too heaven sent for USAF people who want more ( back to original numbers ) F-22's, and those who'd be quite chuffed to supply them !
That doesn't mean I don't think it would be a good idea though...
That doesn't mean I don't think it would be a good idea though...
Ecce Homo! Loquitur...
Thread Starter
Defense Industry Daily: Jan 9/08:
Air Combat Command officials clear 60% of the F-15A-D fleet for flying status, and recommends a limited return to flight for those planes that have cleared all inspections. The decision follows detailed information briefed on Jan 4/08 to Air Combat Command from the Air Force's F-15 systems program manager, senior engineers from Boeing and the Warner Robins Air Logistics Center; as well as a briefing received on Jan 9/08 from the Accident Investigation Board president.
The USAF report describes inspections as "more than 90% complete," with remaining inspections focusing primarily on the forward longerons. Thus far, 9 other F-15s have been found with longeron fatigue-cracks, and almost 40% of inspected aircraft have at least 1 longeron that is thinner than blueprint specifications. ACC believes each affected F-15 will have to be analyzed to determine if there is sufficient strength in the non-specification longeron, and this analysis will take place at the Warner-Robbins Air Logistics Center over the next 4 weeks. A number of F-15s are scheduled to be retired in 2009, and calculating the cost of fixes and airframe life of fixed aircraft could have a substantial bearing on the size of the USAF's future F-15 fleet.
Meanwhile, the 2-month grounding, which has been the longest of any USAF jet fighter, is a gift that keeps on giving. Fully 75% of US Air Force and Air National Guard F-15A-D pilots have lost their currency status for solo flight, and another week would have made it 100%. Instructor pilots have retained their currency and will begin flying F-15B/Ds with the other pilots, so the pilots can land the plane and regain their status. This will be followed by further pilot training, which is required to regain operational proficiency status.
Air Combat Command officials clear 60% of the F-15A-D fleet for flying status, and recommends a limited return to flight for those planes that have cleared all inspections. The decision follows detailed information briefed on Jan 4/08 to Air Combat Command from the Air Force's F-15 systems program manager, senior engineers from Boeing and the Warner Robins Air Logistics Center; as well as a briefing received on Jan 9/08 from the Accident Investigation Board president.
The USAF report describes inspections as "more than 90% complete," with remaining inspections focusing primarily on the forward longerons. Thus far, 9 other F-15s have been found with longeron fatigue-cracks, and almost 40% of inspected aircraft have at least 1 longeron that is thinner than blueprint specifications. ACC believes each affected F-15 will have to be analyzed to determine if there is sufficient strength in the non-specification longeron, and this analysis will take place at the Warner-Robbins Air Logistics Center over the next 4 weeks. A number of F-15s are scheduled to be retired in 2009, and calculating the cost of fixes and airframe life of fixed aircraft could have a substantial bearing on the size of the USAF's future F-15 fleet.
Meanwhile, the 2-month grounding, which has been the longest of any USAF jet fighter, is a gift that keeps on giving. Fully 75% of US Air Force and Air National Guard F-15A-D pilots have lost their currency status for solo flight, and another week would have made it 100%. Instructor pilots have retained their currency and will begin flying F-15B/Ds with the other pilots, so the pilots can land the plane and regain their status. This will be followed by further pilot training, which is required to regain operational proficiency status.
Ecce Homo! Loquitur...
Thread Starter
Defective Part Cited in Fighter Crash
WASHINGTON (AP) - An Air Force investigation of the crash last fall of an F-15C Eagle fighter jet concluded that a defective metal beam in the frame cracked, causing it to disintegrate during flight.
In a report being released Thursday, obtained in advance by The Associated Press, Air Force investigators said they had found that the sole reason for the accident was the faulty support beam, called a longeron, which failed to meet the manufacturer's specifications. The investigation was led by Air Force Col. William Wignall.
"The accident investigation board president (Wignall) found, by clear and convincing evidence, the cause of this accident was a failure of the upper right longeron, a critical support structure in the F-15C aircraft,'' the report says.
About 20 minutes after takeoff from an airfield near St. Louis on Nov. 2, the forward fuselage of Maj. Stephen Stilwell's $42 million F-15C Eagle shook violently and then broke apart 18,000 feet above the ground. Stilwell, his left shoulder dislocated and his left arm shattered, barely had time to safely eject as pieces of his aircraft tumbled from the sky over the Missouri countryside.
More troubling, however, are the results of a parallel examination finding as many as 163 of the workhorse aircraft also have flawed support beams, or longerons. The aircraft remain grounded as the Air Force continues to determine how serious the problem is and whether extensive, costly repairs are needed. Another 19 of the aircraft have yet to be inspected and also remain grounded................
The longeron helps support the cockpit and strengthen the jet as it moves through high-stress maneuvers while traveling hundreds of miles per hour. Analysis of recovered parts from Stilwell's jet identified a crack in the beam near the fuselage that investigators say grew over time and was not detected during regular maintenance of the aircraft. In the report, Wignall said that prior to Stilwell's flight "no inspection requirements existed for detecting a crack in the longeron.'' ............
Loren Thompson, a defense analyst with the Lexington Institute in Arlington, Va., said it may make more sense to retire the older F-15s rather than fix them. Due to their age, another part could fail even after the longerons are repaired. "This is an aircraft that was designed during the Nixon administration,'' Thompson said. ``It doesn't seem sensible to be making fixes so late in the game.''.........
WASHINGTON (AP) - An Air Force investigation of the crash last fall of an F-15C Eagle fighter jet concluded that a defective metal beam in the frame cracked, causing it to disintegrate during flight.
In a report being released Thursday, obtained in advance by The Associated Press, Air Force investigators said they had found that the sole reason for the accident was the faulty support beam, called a longeron, which failed to meet the manufacturer's specifications. The investigation was led by Air Force Col. William Wignall.
"The accident investigation board president (Wignall) found, by clear and convincing evidence, the cause of this accident was a failure of the upper right longeron, a critical support structure in the F-15C aircraft,'' the report says.
About 20 minutes after takeoff from an airfield near St. Louis on Nov. 2, the forward fuselage of Maj. Stephen Stilwell's $42 million F-15C Eagle shook violently and then broke apart 18,000 feet above the ground. Stilwell, his left shoulder dislocated and his left arm shattered, barely had time to safely eject as pieces of his aircraft tumbled from the sky over the Missouri countryside.
More troubling, however, are the results of a parallel examination finding as many as 163 of the workhorse aircraft also have flawed support beams, or longerons. The aircraft remain grounded as the Air Force continues to determine how serious the problem is and whether extensive, costly repairs are needed. Another 19 of the aircraft have yet to be inspected and also remain grounded................
The longeron helps support the cockpit and strengthen the jet as it moves through high-stress maneuvers while traveling hundreds of miles per hour. Analysis of recovered parts from Stilwell's jet identified a crack in the beam near the fuselage that investigators say grew over time and was not detected during regular maintenance of the aircraft. In the report, Wignall said that prior to Stilwell's flight "no inspection requirements existed for detecting a crack in the longeron.'' ............
Loren Thompson, a defense analyst with the Lexington Institute in Arlington, Va., said it may make more sense to retire the older F-15s rather than fix them. Due to their age, another part could fail even after the longerons are repaired. "This is an aircraft that was designed during the Nixon administration,'' Thompson said. ``It doesn't seem sensible to be making fixes so late in the game.''.........
