Fleet Readiness Center Brings New Life to P-3s

BRUNSWICK, Maine --- Fleet Readiness Center Southeast (FRCSE) completed repairs on the first red-striped P-3C and delivered the aircraft to its squadron in Brunswick, Maine, Nov. 4.>> The term "red-stripe" comes from the diagonal red stripe on the Airworthiness Bulletin that grounded 39 P-3C aircraft in December 2007 for structural fatigue concerns on a portion of the lower outer wing, called Zone 5. These 39 aircraft comprise approximately one quarter of the P-3C fleet, many of which have been flying for more than 25 years. The P-3 groundings were not the result of an aircraft incident, rather the result of ongoing analysis obtained through the structural engineering focused P-3C Fatigue Life Management Program (FLMP).>> This program monitors the fatigue status, flight hour usage and operational profiles on aircraft. In materials science, fatigue is the progressive and localized structural damage that occurs when a material is repeatedly stressed.>> FRCSE is leading the way in repairing these aircraft and returning them to the fleet. The Zone 5 repair consists of replacing five of the nine lower wing planks and the aft lower wing spar.>> Capt. Kyle Cozad, commander, Patrol and Reconnaissance Wing (CPRW) 11 recently addressed the artisans who repair the P-3 at FRCSE. He thanked them for their support of the warfighter and reinforced the importance of their contributions.>> "The repair of these aircraft means that we return aircraft to our flight line which provides combat readiness and trained crews to the combatant commanders in theater. That mission begins here at FRCSE, so we want to say thanks for all you do. When the Zone 5 repairs are completed at FRCSE, it provides an additional 5,000 flight hours for the aircraft, extending the service life by eight to 10 years.