Lockheed starts final assembly on last F-22A

[Webmaster]

DATE:07/09/11
SOURCE:Flight International
 
Lockheed starts final assembly on last F-22A

Lockheed Martin has started final assembly on the last F-22A Raptor ordered by the US Air Force, but the delivered fleet remains grounded over concerns about the pilot's breathing system inside the cockpit.

Read: http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2011/09/07/361709/lockheed-starts-final-assembly-on-last-f-22a.html

[shawn a]

 Have any of these birds flown air shows after the stand down started?
It REALLY irks me to see the production stopped by that moron Gates after he stated in 2009 that china would have no stealth aircraft in 2020, and only a handful by 2025!
As I said in the J-20 thread, the US Air Force Vice Chief of Staff, Gen. Phillip Breedlove, stated to the Senate, "When they say they're going to build 300 (J-20s) in the next five years, they will build 300 in the next five years"
It was the perfect insult to Gates to "unveil" the J-20 during his visit to china!
If the US Secretary of Defense doesn't have inside information about foreign military capabilities--Who does?
It looks like the F-22's fate is constant upgrades. Starting with the onboard oxygen generating system.

[shawn a]

In answer to my own question--NO, they won't be flying air shows.
Evidently there are reports of excess carbon monoxide in the blood of most Raptor pilots.
So, our latest and greatest planes were both grounded back in August, but now the -35 is flying again--Whoopee!
A 2 plane Air Force--great idea! (Sorry, A-10 folks, but we all admit the Warthog is a flying bulldozer, and a damn good one, too!)

[Webmaster]

It's a great idea for single plane air forces. 

Instead of delivering those 19 F-35s to Israel, just give them 19 F-22, I'm sure they'll provide a solution quickly in return for being able to have both fighters sooner than later.

They said the F-22 would need less maintenance, I didn't know that was achieved through keeping them on the ground and intoxicating the pilots.

Seriously though, carbon monoxide is serious stuff, keep 'em grounded for as long as it takes. But those reports then confirm that it is what they thought, so now the source of the problem has to be identified and then solved, surely they are already working on that. So then it's just a matter of time to get them all fixed. The last part is certainly easier today than if they would have got 300 now.

 

[F-111 C/C]

In answer to my own question--NO, they won't be flying air shows.
Evidently there are reports of excess carbon monoxide in the blood of most Raptor pilots.
So, our latest and greatest planes were both grounded back in August, but now the -35 is flying again--Whoopee!
A 2 plane Air Force--great idea! (Sorry, A-10 folks, but we all admit the Warthog is a flying bulldozer, and a damn good one, too!)

Maybe they should go back to LOX systems for breathing. Converting/filtering engine bleed air into breathing oxygen sounds like a great idea on paper but at what cost?

[Webmaster]

Hmm, I disagree, seems to be particular to the OBOGS in the F-22's design. Millions of safe flight hours with OBOGS on many other aircraft. I can't imagine the A-10, B-1, B-2, F-15E, F-16, T-6 investigations finding similar results, or at least not with the result of going back to LOX. What about the Harriers, Super Hornets... same standard, same manufacturer, but the navy is not jumping on this, right? Similar systems in the Rafale, Eurofighter, Gripen, Mirage2000, L159, by other manufacturers. I understand it's more complicated for fighters than airliners, and not sure if it's engine bleed air as you say in those cases, so I won't mention all the other planes that no longer need LOX servicing. My point is that it's far from just looking great on paper, it has already been proven.