SHackleton flying in SA. Where's ours?

WL790 is currently stored in the open at Midland, Texas. There are no plans for the aircraft in the immediate future but it has been recently discussed and this year *may* see some action, but thats by no means definate!

1722 is not a happy aircraft at the moment. On its last flight No.4 spewed oil down the runway and is a write off, then on landing a radiator blew spewing glycol everywhere. If you want further info or you have a spare Griffon, e-mail [email]henkhugo@shackletonproject.co.za[/email]

Tom.

When you look at the state of some of the “Spam-cans” and high life airliners flogging around the skys it makes you wonder how bad the Shack is if the CAA / BAE wont let it fly.

Its in better condition than most of them.

Mind you, what do I know. Iv’e only been in aviation engineering for 28 years, and Iv’e worked on “Spam-cans”, civil airliners, and Avro Lancaster and Shack.
And I have to say, I would rather fly in the Avro Marques’ any day.

Dream on people, the men in siuts cant stop that yet, – “Can they”?

Did the South African Air Force MR.3s have the Vipers? I understood that they were responsible for using up the fatigue life quicker than anticipated.

I believe, only the MK2 shacks were re-spared in the UK, hence why they and not the 3’s operated until the early nineties.

Indeed, and it was a left over quantity of material from this task that enabled BAe to be able to re-spar the BBMF Lanc some years ago.

As for the South African Air Force MR.3, well I recall that she would also be time expired some time in late 2004 and I’m sure I read somewhere she was due to make her final flight in Nov 04 :confused:
I know back in 2002 she only had 90 hours remaining.

Every thing crossed! :p

MJR

Fingers and toe’s crossed. 🙂

I believe, only the MK2 shacks were re-spared in the UK, hence why they and not the 3’s operated until the early nineties. The Shacks are ‘life expired’, limited to uk ministry and Air Force FI indexes, that are based on normal ‘in service’ use. Life extensions for the borderline airframes can be agreed, as was the case in South Africa and the USA and are based on local permit restrictions and ‘Kid Glove’ civvi operational limits, to allow flying on a case by case basis. Not acceptable in the UK, however there are plans in motion to relocate FAA registered Air Atlantique Coventry shack, And options are being looked at presently, for obtaining the necessary UK clearance to do so.

watch this space, with fingers crossed!

MJR

The South African Shackleton was to come to the U.K operating under the maintainance requirements of the South African Air Force. I think the problem with the spars as such relates to the long term fatigue life of them if operating in civil hands
on the British register. It’s worth pointing out that the Shackleton’s (RAF examples)
have been resparred and as such they might have few hours left on them but enough for the RAF to consider them airworthy enough to fly them to Coventry and indeed Pathos.

Having spoken to a couple of the guys on the panel at the CAA who make the decisions about what flys, that is the answer they gave me! Bae will not support the AEW2’s because of the wingspars as they are all life expired. If the South African MR3 was to come to this country I think you might find them abit more supportive. Air Atlantique have tried there best with the CAA but I dont think you’re going to find that anyone is going to sign the paperwork at the CAA after what Bae have said.

DGH – I am sure the Shackleton could fly in the U.K on the FAA register for a limited
number of flights. I cannot imagine that she was flown to the U.S.A with fatigue expired wings. As for putting a Shackleton on the register it’s a matter of talking to the design authority for the type – this presently is BAe Systems I believe . They are supportive of our heritage and I am sure that if a sensible plan was put forward to operate a Shackleton in the U.K it could happen. The CAA as such rely on the advice
of operating and manufacturing companies -they don’t just dream up ‘bans’ as such on types flying in the U.K without reasonable justification.

P.S. Welcome to the forum stukno 🙂

The problem with flying one of these ex-8 Squadron AEW2’s in this country is that Bae have told the CAA that all the wing spars are life expired – hence no-one at the CAA is prepard to take the risk.