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Post by nighthawknz on Nov 12, 2021 5:11:23 GMT 12
To be fair it's serial construction number 1206 ... and it is the first in the world to reach 2000 flying hours... it means the NH-90's are over worked and we don't have enough air frames to spread the work load out over the entire fleet. No something to be proud of really.
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Post by pepe on Nov 12, 2021 11:19:03 GMT 12
Taking the "glass half full" view, we could equally celebrate the fact that we haven't experienced the problems other users have. I would expect No.3 Squadron should receive much of the credit for this.
I am not an expert on the subject, but is 2000hrs over @ 9 years an excessive amount for military rotary aircraft?
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Post by camtech on Nov 12, 2021 16:35:37 GMT 12
Don't forget one airframe is a spares frame - not flying. So actually 8 NH-90's.
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Post by nighthawknz on Nov 12, 2021 17:28:28 GMT 12
Taking the "glass half full" view, we could equally celebrate the fact that we haven't experienced the problems other users have. I would expect No.3 Squadron should receive much of the credit for this. I am not an expert on the subject, but is 2000hrs over @ 9 years an excessive amount for military rotary aircraft? I do take my hat off to the air and ground crew that have kept them flying with minimal problems and or issues... However it shows that 8 airframes is not enough (the 9th as said is spare parts) Considering they are not first off the line... 1206 off the line but the 1st to reach 2000 hours they are flying more than other operators... and the older they get the more maintenance is required to keep them flying the more expensive they are to fly... and they are already mot that cheap. |
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Post by Deane B on Nov 12, 2021 18:33:16 GMT 12
Taking the "glass half full" view, we could equally celebrate the fact that we haven't experienced the problems other users have. I would expect No.3 Squadron should receive much of the credit for this. I am not an expert on the subject, but is 2000hrs over @ 9 years an excessive amount for military rotary aircraft? I do take my hat off to the air and ground crew that have kept them flying with minimal problems and or issues... However it shows that 8 airframes is not enough (the 9th as said is spare parts) Considering they are not first off the line... 1206 off the line but the 1st to reach 2000 hours they are flying more than other operators... and the older they get the more maintenance is required to keep them flying the more expensive they are to fly... and they are already mot that cheap. Some of our Iroquois flew 15,000 hours over 46 or so years. That's just over 300 hrs per year. That NH90 has averaged just over 200, so not a very valid argument. |
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Post by kiwined on Nov 28, 2021 15:48:49 GMT 12
Nighthawknz - What a tool. Why not just be pleased of the honour that 3 Sqn got. I was there on the day and shot images of the guys landing and then set up the shot you see above. ALL of those involved were pleased and proud of the achievement - doubt they care what some old disgruntled Navy person thinks.
And in fact the next airframe that will click over 2000 hours very soon is also a 3 Sqn airframe.
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Post by Brett on Nov 28, 2021 16:28:31 GMT 12
NH90 serial numbers started at 1000 (after pre-prod airframes), so 1206 is the 206th production serial number.
Some of the earlier serial numbers were built after 1206, so it is not the 206th airframe constructed. I think the serial numbers may have been allocated by contract confirmation sequence rather than construction sequence.
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Post by kiwined on Nov 28, 2021 16:45:36 GMT 12
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Post by Dave Homewood on Nov 28, 2021 20:31:22 GMT 12
Here are the three different shots we set up that day.  N3 by Ned Dawson, on Flickr Is that the squadron's whole compliment of maintainers for the NH90 Flight? Or are they just those involved with that particular airframe? |
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Post by kiwined on Nov 29, 2021 4:52:44 GMT 12
They were the ones who were on duty that day.
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Post by nuuumannn on Dec 1, 2021 11:16:42 GMT 12
Excellently covered as usual, Ned.
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Post by madmac on Dec 18, 2021 14:06:30 GMT 12
So what is the design life (or limit of validity*) of the NH90, it doesn't seem to be stated anywhere. The only thing I could find is the rotor hub are limited to 10000 hours.
*The max number of flight hours / cycles that they have considered when writing the current maintenance program.
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thax
Warrant Officer
Posts: 31
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Post by thax on Dec 20, 2021 11:01:04 GMT 12
Design life is nominally 10,000 hours for the airframe, but there is every expectation this will be extended once more information is gathered on the fatigue of composite structural components.
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Post by alanster on Jan 2, 2022 0:07:22 GMT 12
It shows the resilience and high capability of those within 3 Sqn. Well done.
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