C-130s grounded

  • Published
SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill. (AFPN) --  Thirty E-model C-130 Hercules were grounded Feb. 10, and 60 other models including some E, H, H1 and HC-130P/N were placed on restricted flight status.

Gen. John W. Handy, commander of Air Mobility Command, directed the grounding and restricted flight status to minimize wing stress and increase the safety margin.

The aircraft were grounded after a recommendation by C-130 System Program Office officials at Robins Air Force Base, Ga. Since 2001, a series of inspections of the center wing box structure revealed that cracks were greater in number and severity that originally expected, they said.

Most of the aircraft affected are in AMC's inventory, but affected aircraft are also assigned to Air Education and Training Command, Pacific Air Forces, U.S. Air Forces in Europe, the Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve Command.

“Working together with the Air National Guard, Air Force Reserve Command and our active-duty units, we are committed to meeting our requirements to warfighters around the world,” General Handy said.