Academy aircraft operations suspended

  • Published
U.S. AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. (AFPN) --  Following a review by an Air Force air logistics center team, Brig. Gen. John Weida, academy commandant, ordered flying operations of 45 aircraft assigned here be suspended because of safety concerns.

Affected aircraft include: TG-10B\C\D unpowered gliders and TG-14 motorgliders of the 94th Flying Training Squadron, T-41 and Cessna 150 single-engine aircraft of the 557th FTS, and UV-18 Twin Otter jump-platform aircraft of the 98th FTS.

General Weida's order came April 2 after a three-day inspection by aircraft maintenance technicians from the Oklahoma City Air Logistics Center at Tinker Air Force Base, Okla., and from the Aeronautical Systems Center at Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio.

The team examined all aspects of maintenance activity and documentation. Inspectors identified maintenance issues in data management, parts control and maintenance support.

Academy officials said they will keep affected aircraft on the ground until identified issues are resolved.

The suspension reduces academy soaring, jump and cadet flying team operations. Introductory flight training is unaffected by the suspension of operations. The 557th FTS oversees the training and uses DA-20 aircraft, and the training is a prerequisite for all pilot-training candidates.

The academy is home to the Air Force's busiest visual flight rules airfield, with more than 120,000 sorties and 20,000 parachute jumps per year.