MM2000,
Keep your chin up, mate. The situation sounds about as bad as it could be, but we can only hope that things improve soon. I’m sure that all UK-based aircraft enthusiasts would want to join with me in sending you our good wishes.
I wasn’t going to bother answering your question, but I was so touched by your story, that I will do.
There are three main factors determining how many maintenance man hours (MMH) are required for every hour that an aircraft flies (FH). This ratio is expressed as MMH/FH. Those factors are complexity, age/usage and design.
1) Complexity
Maintenance requirements are usually directly proportional to the complexity of an aircraft – thus a simple single-engined trainer will usually require fewer maintenance man hours per flying hour than a twin-engined fighter with radar, IRST, missile systems, etc.
2) Age
However, more modern aircraft are designed for cost effectiveness, with low maintenance requirements, while ageing aircraft often bring their own maintenance problems and demands, with the need for frequent inspection of fatigue prone areas, age related problems in various systems, etc. Hard worked aircraft (eg those that operate in a carrier environment, or from forward airstrips) often require much more maintenance that those that do not.
Design
The old Soviet Union had plentiful manpower, so that heavy maintenance requirements in terms of MMH/FH were less important than ensuring that aircraft were maintainable with minimal equipment. The Russians also tried to ensure that aircraft required relatively minimal attention before and after flight, while accepting that these aircraft would require more frequent major overhauls. As others have suggested, the difference in maintenance concepts between the USSR and the West was eroded with the advent of aircraft like the MiG-29 and Su-27.
The Gripen, by contrast, was designed from the outset to require minimal maintenance, with rapid turnarounds by small teams of conscripts. This translates into plentiful access panels, as many systems accessible without ladders and specialist equipment, and as many systems as possible being replaceable on the flight line.
One of the worst aircraft, in terms of MMH/FH, is the F-14, which required 72 hours of maintenance for every flying hour, while the Gripen is (according to independently audited figures) one of the best, requiring less than 8 MMH/FH. The MiG-29 lies somewhere between the two, though different operators had very different experiences with the aircraft.
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