aumaverick wrote:

How big of a swap is it to put in the new NP 2000 8 bladed propellers?

LyleLanley wrote:

Wonder if this might give more impetus to quickly replace the H’s. The Nav and FE unions will strenuously object, but this could tip the balance in favor.

LyleLanley wrote:

Perhaps, but I hope whoever had the bright idea of plasma-lasering the VIN on those things instead of acid gets fired. Only what, 130 Herks out of commission in the meantime?

LyleLanley wrote:

H3s?

Love seeing those smoke trails and hearing that beautiful sound. The J engines just lost the panache and only got performance and economics in return.

Avatar2go wrote:

Here is an article in the source of the propellor cracks. An engraver was used to inscribe serial numbers on the propellors during heavy maintenance checks, and inadvertantly led to the formation of stress cracks. The practice has been halted and the affected blades will be replaced.

This was reported earlier but is now confirmed by the USAF. Numbers of groundings are not released, but there are more affected aircraft than originally suspected.

https://www.defenseone.com/threats/2022 ... ys/379477/

trex8 wrote:

Avatar2go wrote:

Here is an article in the source of the propellor cracks. An engraver was used to inscribe serial numbers on the propellors during heavy maintenance checks, and inadvertantly led to the formation of stress cracks. The practice has been halted and the affected blades will be replaced.

This was reported earlier but is now confirmed by the USAF. Numbers of groundings are not released, but there are more affected aircraft than originally suspected.

https://www.defenseone.com/threats/2022 ... ys/379477/

So its more a US issue only if other operators arent engraving?

trex8 wrote:

So its more a US issue only if other operators arent engraving?

LyleLanley wrote:

Wonder if this might give more impetus to quickly replace the H’s. The Nav and FE unions will strenuously object, but this could tip the balance in favor.

Spacepope wrote:

I see 92-0549 is up and making her way across the Med.

Most recent photos online (other sites, from 2023) show her with the 8-bladed props.

Are any US herks with 4-bladed props still currently flying?

GalaxyFlyer wrote:

LyleLanley wrote:

Wonder if this might give more impetus to quickly replace the H’s. The Nav and FE unions will strenuously object, but this could tip the balance in favor.

When the weather birds out of Keesler got the Js, the navs were programmed to go per Fogleman. The navs go ahold of Senator Trent Lott who changed the 4* opinion on navigators

LyleLanley wrote:

GalaxyFlyer wrote:

LyleLanley wrote:

Wonder if this might give more impetus to quickly replace the H’s. The Nav and FE unions will strenuously object, but this could tip the balance in favor.

When the weather birds out of Keesler got the Js, the navs were programmed to go per Fogleman. The navs go ahold of Senator Trent Lott who changed the 4* opinion on navigators

The most important unwritten requirement in military procurement is political support.

What do you think of navs in the Hurricane Hunters? I know very little about them, other than they're batsh1t crazy to fly into storms on purpose.

“Like many of us in aircrew positions, we have people skills necessary to communicate amongst the crew,” said Maj. Mark Withee, 53rd WRS navigator. “As a nav, we have to be the middle man between the weather officer and pilots, and we have to be able to compromise on a route to get to an area of interest, which is crucial in a storm.”

The US Air Force has contracted Raytheon Technologies to produce new advanced propellers for its C-130 Hercules aircraft.

Valued at $135 million, the agreement will require the company to deliver NP2000 propeller systems, including electronic control systems and spare parts.