Seven ex-US Navy Lockheed P-3A Orion air tankers have been returned to firefighting service in the USA after completion of a safety analysis and inspections. The remaining P-3 is expected to return to service "in a couple of weeks", says operator Aero Union, writes Graham Warwick.
The US Department of Agriculture Forest Service and Department of Interior Bureau of Land Management terminated contracts covering 33 large air tankers in May because of concerns over airworthiness following the in-flight break-up of two ex-military aircraft (Flight International, 18-24 May).
In a bid to return the air tankers to service, DynCorp Technical Services has been contracted to analyse their operations and maintenance records and perform inspections. The turboprop Orions have been cleared first because Aero Union follows the US Navy's P-3 maintenance programme, says president Terry Unsworth.
Chico, California-based Aero Union also operates Douglas DC-4 and Lockheed P-2 Neptune air tankers. "DynCorp is still reviewing those," says Unsworth.
Aircraft are being returned under new operating criteria drawn up with help from the US Federal Aviation Administration, which accelerates the normal 100h inspections, says Unsworth.
The US National Interagency Fire Center says seven of the eight operators affected by the May grounding have submitted packages for audit by DynCorp.
Source: Flight International
