jetcal1

\"But then again we chewed on lead paint cribs also without killing us\" That\'s probably how we all ended up in aviation. BTW, nice pic of the PB4Y. [R-2800? must a had a good climb rate when empty]

This was posted on 18 January on Fed Bizopps Modification to the C-130 AVIONICS MODERNIZATION PROGRAM (AMP) LOW RATE INITIAL PRODUCTION (LRIP) PRE-SOLICITATION ANNOUNCEMENT. Contracting Office: Department of the Air Force, Air Force Materiel Command, Aeronautical Systems Center, 866th Aeronautical Systems Group, Wright Patterson AFB, OH, 45433, anticipates issuing, on or about January 2008, a sole source Request for Proposal to The Boeing Company, 2401 East Wardlow Road, Long Beach, CA 90807-5309 for the manufacture and installation of approximately twenty-six (26) C-130 AMP LRIP kits. This acquisition is a follow-on to the competitively awarded C-130 AMP System Development and Design contract currently being performed by Boeing (F33657-01-C-0047) Here is the link: http://www.fbo.gov/spg/USAF/AFMC/ASC/656AESS%5FPK%5FC130LRIP/Modification%2002.html

I agree it\'s more than the money, and we can point the finger in a lot of places. I do hold congress and the DoD responsible. There are too many folks who will kill a program to boost something in their district and too many little mafias in the DoD. I don\'t know why but for some reason, I still expect ethics. The Mantra right now seems to be cut personnel to buy the weapons. That\'s great but who is going to fly and fix? Oh, and incidentally people will get out because of working conditions and deployments. It’s hard to stay motivated as a maintainer. I cannot speak to the air force, as a retired navy guy, I am watching what the navy is doing to LCS [Littoral Combat Ship]. Overbudget, gold plated and late. The navy will get a ship that is so undermanned they will not be able fight the ship and control any battle damage that occurs at the same time. But think of the money they\'ll save in personnel costs. Okay, I have ranted too much. Okay, I\'m not done yet. I just found this. We have no money to fix grounded airplanes, but money to brew beer in GERMANY. Thank god, because we all know how hard it is to get good beer in Germany. 35 -- MICROBREWERY PURCHASE General Information Document Type: Combine Solicitation Solicitation Number: Reference-Number-RWK011608BL Posted Date: Jan 16, 2008 Original Response Date: Jan 28, 2008 Current Response Date: Jan 28, 2008 Original Archive Date: Current Archive Date: Classification Code: 35 -- Service and trade equipment Naics Code: 312120 -- Breweries Contracting Office Address Department of the Air Force, Air Force Materiel Command, AFRL - Eglin Research Site, 101 West Eglin Blvd Suite 337, Eglin AFB, FL, 32542-6810, UNITED STATES Description The Government seeks to make a commercial purchase of 3 complete sets of microbrewery equipment FOB to specified Meppen, Germany facility to meet an immediate need.

It boils down to money.

Don\'t forget that at the time of the orginal design, very little was known about fatigue. It is possible to design an unlimited life structure but as weight and performance of the aircraft increases, the structural weight also increases. Structual design is a compromise between useful life and useful load. If you want a unlimited life structure, you are going to give up payload. I do wonder where we\'ll be in a few decades with composites.

DC10FE wrote: Is this an example of flushing your money down the drain?

That sounds like a good reason. How much fuel is drained from the manifold?

we are creating by transfering a hazardous fuel/contaimanant and causing uneccessary exposure to out personnel and the cost of HAZMAT disposal by EPA standards (which we know are becoming stricter and stricter) While I cannot not and will not address the issue of when to drain, let me comment on the above, We simply used to pour any GOOD fuel we drained into a piece of SE that ran on diesel. That eliminated the disposal problem.

The good \"ole\" days arrive when you see birds that you worked on are a static display at some base some where.

Great job on the troubleshooting. You are now somebodies hero until next time!

Just ourious, How many hours on the engine? Oil Samples? Vibe reading on the stand? I agree it sounds like a thermostat when reading the reply from NATOPS1, but I am still paranoid when messing around with the lube system.

You are the man! BTW, this listing should be provided to museums. There folks that would love to have something like this when they are doing their research. Eric

I got it! Thank you!! BTW, what does WFU stand for? Thanks, jcal

That means I didn\'t look hard enough. Thanks!

Does anybody have a current list, or a link to a listing of world-wide C-130 operators? Thanks!!

Joined a while ago. This is a good board and I appreciated the help from Casey!

Given the nature of some of the C-130 systems, sacrificing the goat may be the most expedient method.