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Post by robertorizzo on Feb 6, 2010 5:42:45 GMT -5
This is a sad news.
As you probably all know the Breitling Connie is one of the few remaining that still keeps flying.
As soon i made up my mind to buy a train ticket for joining Samedan Air Show on July 3rd for a close encounter with Her (Majesty) in Saint Moritz i read on their site the bird will fail the date since grounded by law aviation administrators due to heavy corrosion on the wing edges. The cost is supposed to be very expensive to solve the problem and they even do not know if she will get airborne again in future.
Time is passing by.
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Post by jesse on Feb 6, 2010 10:32:37 GMT -5
Yes, Breitling is going to have to sell an awful lot of watches to pay for the restoration to flying status.
Jesse
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Post by Connie Flyer on Feb 6, 2010 13:27:37 GMT -5
INfo from connie survivors website....... www.conniesurvivors.com/1-connie_news.htm#NOV08Wing Corrosion Grounds SCFA Super Connie for 2010 Season – January 13, 2010 I received an email tonight regarding the distressing news about the grounding of SCFA Super Connie HB-RSC for the 2010 season. Below is a message sent to SCFA supporters by SCFA President Urs Morgenthaler. Heavy-heartedly the SCFA board has decided to keep our Super Connie on the ground for the year of 2010. The reason for this decision is the discovery of corrosion on the wing of the aircraft. The extent of the damage was not discovered until we conducted our annual inspection in December, which calls for a thorough check for corrosion. Thankfully our SCFA members will still have the opportunity to get airborne this year as our Douglas DC-3, HB-IRJ will be flying many scenic flights and appear at airshows this year. Among various destinations, it will also cover some of the flights that had been planned for our Connie. The SCFA is set up as a member association; the exception however is that any support and work contributed is voluntary and nobody in our association is compensated for their efforts. As far as maintenance is concerned, our aircraft is treated like any other commercial aircraft of its category and is held to the highest standards. There are no compromises or exceptions; if something needs to be repaired, we will not shy away from any expenses necessary to maintain our aircraft. This is a continuation of our strict safety standards that have been upheld for the past six years of operation. Aft beam corroded The annual major inspection, which was conducted at the hangar at Lahr Airport has revealed that the corrosion is extensive, particularly at the “Cap” of the aft beam of the wing. The corrosion has progressed further in the right wing than on the left side. Considering our aircraft is 55 years old, corrosion is nothing unexpected or out of the ordinary. This problem is usually discovered even in aircraft, which have only been in service for a few years and is a natural biproduct of aircraft age. The SCFA maintenance team has consulted several experts to assess the extent of the damage and get advice on a plan of action to tackle the corrosion. The conclusion of the meeting was that it would be most practical and efficient to completely replace the cap of both aft beams. This requires the removal of aircraft wing parts. Unfortunately this will be a very time consuming process. Experts anticipate roughly 5000 man-hours of maintenance work to be necessary for this procedure. Shortened flying season too costly The required maintenance could be completed within six months. If the Connie was able to start into a new flying season in August 2010 we would start off the new season with a financial lag due to our normal operating costs as well as pilot training, insurance and maintenance costs. We would not have enough time in this flying season to secure our financial situation for the following year. It is for this reason the SCFA committee has decided to keep our Connie on the ground this year and resume flying operations in the spring of 2011. Investment in the Connie's future The cost of the entire corrosion treatment will be roughly half a Million Swiss Francs. Due to the extent of the damage, not all maintenance will be conducted by volunteers. This enormous amount exceeds the current possibilities of our association. As a result, we will be looking for new sponsors during 2010. All new sponsors will have the opportunity to invest in the bright future of our beautiful aircraft. After the corrosion treatment and with four overhauled engines our Connie will bring joyous moments in the air and excitement on the ground to many of her friends and fans in the years to come." For the Executive Board of the Super Constellation Flyers Association Urs Morgenthaler, President I wish SCFA good luck in quickly resolving the problem and getting their aircraft back in the air for the 2011 season. |
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Post by coenraad on Feb 6, 2010 15:31:00 GMT -5
I hope they will manage to get her flying again in 2011. It would be ashame to see her end up oun the ground permanently.
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Post by Ricardo Miranda on Feb 6, 2010 18:32:52 GMT -5
Hi! These are sad news for all of us! Let's keep hope in the future!  Soft Landings!  |
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Post by stansdds on Feb 7, 2010 7:55:18 GMT -5
Very sorry to hear of her grounding, but it is better to know about the corrosion and ground her rather than have a wing failure in flight and lose the crew and aircraft.
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