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T-34 Wing Spar Issue
- Thread starter RHPF
- Start date
I forget what the FAA required for the civilian 34s AD wise, but the Navy 34C's didn't stop flying. The Navy T-34Cs are also limited to just 4.5Gs... If i remember correctly, the civilian air combat simulation schools were pulling a lot more with theres, which caused the problem.
That's why I asked. Thanks for the reply (both of you). The flight school I used has one in the hanger but last time I asked about it (12 months ago) they told me it was grounded because people flew the wings off of them in TX. I was hoping they were no longer grounded, I want to go up in it. Anyways thanks for the info, hopefully they figure out a fix so they can go back in the air.
JIMMY
Registered User
as far as i know they were grounded the first time... then the FAA said owner/operators could fix it in 1 of 3 ways (replace whole wing, reinforce wing spar, cant remember 3rd) then u were good to go. then a few months ago another one went down... dunno if that means theyre grounded again (if it was one that complied with the AD)... but apparently the plane had a camera running inside during the whole thing... the T-34(s)s at north island's club are still having the wing spar reinforced as far as i know...
There's a T-34 at the NAS Jax flying club that's up all the time. It flies over to Mayport and bounces in the pattern. Don't know what they've with it, but it flies.
Yep Gator, its a B. A nice looking blue one. Expensive as hell to fly too, I checked into and it would take 5 hours of instructional flight, at about $150 per hour. The guy there said it would be nearly $800 before you can fly it on your own. Really disappointed me, cause I wanted to take a few rides in one for kicks.
The folks at Miramar have a couple Charlies that I see flying around here from time to time.
Brett
pdx
HSM Pilot
As a few people already mentioned, the wing spar issue was for Bravos only. The fleet is no longer grounded by the FAA, but the spars have to be replaced after a certain number of hours, so there are still a number of them sitting around at flying clubs waiting for a spar donation.
The only thing prohibiting the T-34A/B fleet from taking to the air is the $40,000+ AD or AMOC (alternate means of compliance), which is why most flying clubs are ridding the plane from their lines. I got out from under mine just in time! The air combat schools in GA and TX screwed all the other T-34 owners who weren't pulling 6 Gs on a regular basis. Out of all the civilian T-34 spars inspected, not one of them has exibited fatigue cracks found on the air combat aircraft.
Festo,
I prefer the less demeaning "Two Palm Trees Having Sex in a Dumpster" label. You Hornet guys are so un-cultured. Hajii calls it the Black Bus of Death...
I prefer the less demeaning "Two Palm Trees Having Sex in a Dumpster" label. You Hornet guys are so un-cultured. Hajii calls it the Black Bus of Death...
This link
http://www.airandspacemagazine.com/ASM/Mag/Index/2005/DJ/svmt.html
is a story in Air & Space Smithsonian Magazine about the spar issue and the various options for repair. IIRC cost is $10K-$20K depending on route selected.
http://www.airandspacemagazine.com/ASM/Mag/Index/2005/DJ/svmt.html
is a story in Air & Space Smithsonian Magazine about the spar issue and the various options for repair. IIRC cost is $10K-$20K depending on route selected.