Tools, trash and loose objects.

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Alisoncc
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Tools, trash and loose objects.

#1 Post by Alisoncc » Fri Mar 15, 2019 1:44 pm

(CNN)In a blistering attack on Boeing, the Air Force's top acquisition official said the company has a "severe situation" with flawed inspections of its new KC-46 air refueling tanker aircraft, after trash and industrial tools were found in some planes after they were delivered to the Air Force.

Dr. Will Roper, assistant secretary of the Air Force for acquisition, technology and logistics, made clear his concerns after visiting Boeing's Everett Washington plant where the plane is assembled.
"I left concerned, and I also left thinking Boeing understands they have a severe situation that's going to take top level engagement from their company," Roper said.

After discovering the problem, the Air Force stopped accepting the new tankers from Boeing on February 20.
Might be a long time since I did time as a LAME, but...... This is unbelievable. We would have been hung, drawn and quartered if we were found to have left anything in an aircraft. Looks like the 737 Max 8 isn't the only problem Boeing has. Safety standards appear to be non-existent.

Alison
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Re: Tools, trash and loose objects.

#2 Post by k3k3 » Fri Mar 15, 2019 1:52 pm

When the E-3As were new I had to replace a CAC in the E1 rack in the lower lobe, I managed to drop a washer and couldn't find it so I lifted the insulation matting, I filled a FOD bag with all the bits of hardware and junk I found.

And I could choose from a selection of washers!

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Re: Tools, trash and loose objects.

#3 Post by Fox3WheresMyBanana » Fri Mar 15, 2019 2:30 pm

I picked up a few new Tornados from the factory. The RAF used to put them straight into a Minor servicing as soon as you landed, which meant they could pull all the panels off and see what had been left lying around. So, obviously experience has taught them that this is necessary, because Minors are second line servicing and expensive. There was nothing wrong with mine (thankfully), but one of the ones collected by someone else at the same time had a large bolt on the floor under the rear ejection seat. The bolt hadn't moved on the delivery flight because the paint applied to the floor was holding it in place. Yup, not only did someone leave it, and someone not find it on the FOD check, but the painter had ignored it also. Then there was the Jet Provost where they took a fuselage panel off for some reason during the build, correctly put paper and masking tape over the hole..........and painted it like that. It was only discovered after about 10 hours flying when the tape gave up the ghost.

I got knifed in the head once.., but that wasn't the aircraft manufacturer's fault. Another time...

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Re: Tools, trash and loose objects.

#4 Post by Pontius Navigator » Fri Mar 15, 2019 3:39 pm

Fox, before your time but the question was "what's green and eats Hercs?"

I was the green backed paper used to protect the inside of the Fuel tanks. I think it might have been Marshalls not Lockheed. Alison might remember.

I think a Handley Page had a problem too.

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Re: Tools, trash and loose objects.

#5 Post by Boac » Fri Mar 15, 2019 3:42 pm

Legion stories, including a supposed 3-legged stool used by a riveter in an Electra tank.

Then there were the 3000 ciggies that fell out of a Vulcan tail-cone at Bitteswell on a major =))

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Re: Tools, trash and loose objects.

#6 Post by Pontius Navigator » Fri Mar 15, 2019 3:46 pm

Touching on Boeing and undocumented items.

On the roof of the Vulcan cabin was a mysterious black panel fastened with a Zeus fastener. When we looked, as you do, we found another panel covered in a rubber membrane. Removing the membrane we found a clear plastic panel with a cut out that was an alternative panel to one of the solid black panels on the nav desk.

Switching panels was easy and we could then see the Offset controls underneath. Every time the aircraft went for servicing at Avros someone would swap it back.

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