P-3 status???

[Jaxs170]

I was wondering if anyone out there can confirm/deny/clarify a few rumors floating out there about P-3s right now. A co-worker of my dad who is a reserve P-3 FO out of Brunswick told him that the reserve squadrons around the country were "going away". I hear this is because the active squadrons planes' are falling apart so they are taking the reserve squadrons' planes and giving them to the active squadrons b/c they are newer, have fewer hours, less damage, ect. To this end, the rumor floating around CC is that the number of P-3 slots has been reduced for a while due to the afore mentioned problems with the planes. Also, rumor has it that the new P-3 could be coming online as early as 2005 due the the condition of the planes we have now (ie, falling apart and breaking all the time). I am probably selecting on the 25th or on July 2nd and I am praying to get P-3s and get stationed in Brunswick, so can anyone (with solid info) on what is and will be going on with the P-3s please pass it along. Gracias.

New Airline Pre-flight announcements courtsey of some comedian whose name I can't remember speaking to a group of Marines and Saliors in Gitmo: If we have a water landing, your seat cushion can be used as a flotation device. If Abdullah in 22F, I say again 22F, stands up during the flight, your car keys can be used to gouge his eyes out.

 

[webmaster]

The powers that be are meeting right now to decide how to handle the P3's service life expectancy problems. There are a bunch or rumors floating around right now about where the community is going, but bottom line, we need a new airframe, or start retiring birds and flying a lot less. You should see some information coming out in the next week, corner a P3 bubba in your primary squadron, and they can give you a one on one perspective.

 

[Banjo33]

That's not quite accurate PAP. An ensign buddy of mine in VT2 selected P3's this past Thursday. Out of 3 that selected two Marines got helo's the one Navy got the P3. The week before last didn't have any, but the week before that did.

 

[Jaxs170]

I know there was at least one P-3 slot from the 5 June selection group. I thought it was from 27 but I can't remember for certain. A guy in my squadron heard that they would be giving out two slots per week at most for the forseeable future (rumor only).

Pap, I had not heard anything about the 737 even having flight tests yet. The only thing I had heard about that possible replacement was that the Boeing folks took a commercial 737-700 off the assembly line, spiced it up a little to sorta resemble what the P-3 version would look/feel like, and gave some rides on it to some VP folks. The word that came back from those flights was that it was incredible, but there was question as to whether the wings were too flexible for the mission. This happened a while back, so if you have links to some more recent tests please share the wealth.

 

[Banjo33]

There's so much bad gouge floating around, who really knows. No sweat!

 

[webmaster]

I toured the Boeing's "Win the hearts and minds" 737 IGW tour, they made their first stop in HI with what they called a "white tail" 737, only had 20 or so hours on it, and had just come from getting its extra fuel tank put in it. The inside was completely gutted, with lead pellet weight bags synched to the deck to increase the weight for P3 (equivalent) full gross tactical weight, ie demo takeoff, single engine climb, loiter fuel flow, etc... They had poster boards around the inside of the plane showing possible inside configurations, and other features, along with wing weapons placement and what could be loaded. The flight station was of course fully outfitted.

The only flight testing that has been done was some earliery in flight fuel probe testing that Boeing did on another project, that if the Navy wanted, they could add so it could recieve fuel. Wind tunnel testing was conducted for various wing hardpoint configs (with strenghted spars), and the bomb bay was fully designed and wind tunnel tested also. Those are the two items that would have to be flight tested, and develop the envelop and delivery tables on.

As far as I know, CAD phase II is still going on for both Lockheed and Boeing, with a decision later this year.

As previously mentioned, there is a lot of gouge and rumors going around on where the community is going, and what is going to happen.

With regards to P3 slots in primary, the entire time I went through Primary, there were close to ZERO P3 slots available, the pipeline was so backed up, also a factor of the T-Notch group that got cut from the jet pipeline, and the ensuing guys that got 42 month vice 36 month orders kept the #s up in the squadrons. 3 weeks before selecting, it all opened up again, I was quite happy to tell you!!

MMA Navair Program Status Page:
http://mmaprogram.nawcad.navy.mil/index.cfm?fuseaction=programstatus.main&makerand=yes

Older Aviation Week article:
http://www.aviationnow.com/content/publication/awst/20020304/aw66.htm

 

[Frumby]

I can't believe I'm getting involved in this squid conversation but here's my two cents, reserve squadrons in both Pt Mugu and New Orleans are being shut down. Supposedly to back fill the fleet but more then likely due to a lack of intrest or per diem money. They are quite serious about it. Retiring senior officer's and enlisted and attempting to retrain the young enlisted to go elsewhere. Aircrew are going to be pretty much hosed. Personally, I think they were hosed when the chose to fly an aircraft with a rectal thermometer sticking out of its rear end. My info comes from two friends who are in each squadron. Hope this adds to the confusion, Frumby

Attack Pilot
LtCol USMCR

 

[webmaster]

I can't believe you are getting involved either, must be low on O2 or something, switch it to 100% please... As for attempting to disparage my aircraft of CHOICE, all I have to say, respectfully, sir, LTCOL, "You are just jealous that mine is bigger!".

Don't know about the reserve thing, heard some talk about that, but nothing concrete, wouldn't surprise me.

 

[EODDave]

Hi all,

I had my check ride a couple weeks ago with a LCDR from the wing (CTW4). He is a P-3 bubba and is also the head guy at the wing that deals with selections for wing-4. He asked me after my check ride what I wanted to select. I told him I was torn between jets and p-3's. Thats when he told me that the wing was cutting approx 30-40 slots over the next year. He said the reason was squadrons dont need as many new pilots because the maint. issue. He said most guys will be helos and then strike. This seems to be true as VT-28 has only had helo slots for the last two weeks. We'll see what the near future holds as selection draws near.

Dave

 

[IFT2O]

FYI: MMA (multi mission aircraft) will be the moniker for the new P-3 whatever the airframe. I didn't get to see it but they had the white tail here in Pax about a month or 2 ago. I also heard that the FE position might be eliminated, although I can't imagine why?


AT1 (AW/NAC) Christopher M. Harrison
VX-20 VP Projects
Bldg 606 RM 16B
harrisoncm@navair.navy.mil

 

[Hudson]

What exactly is the issue with the P-3 and maint.? Is power plant, avionics, or are the wings really falling off? Remember a few yeas ago, the c-141 that was being refuled on the ground and the wing broke off.

 

[IFT2O]

I was advised not to comment on information pertaining to this topic. The specifics are a security issue.

Sorry,

AT1 (AW/NAC) Christopher M. Harrison
VX-20 VP Projects
Bldg 606 RM 16B
harrisoncm@navair.navy.mil

 

[zab1001]

Here's the scoop: There is none. I'm a Patrol Plane Commander in the fleet right now. We won't know anything until August, or so we're being told. The main issue at hand is airframe fatigue. We're still flying the same amount of hours and missions, our airframe limits have changed very slightly for heavy weights. Regardless, most of us see the community shrinking somewhat. BTW, a PPC buddy of mine got a hop on the 737, and said it was pretty sweet, but then again anything that doesn't smell like 30 years of coffee and farts seems "pretty sweet".

Rumors? Supposedly the British Nimrod is back in the running for a replacement.