Flight-testing of new advanced composite rotor blades for the Boeing-built AH-64D Apache Longbow logged an important milestone on Thursday, Nov. 6, as part of a program designed to enhance the performance of the aircraft while reducing its overall operating costs. The flight test was a key milestone in the proposed Block III upgrades for the U.S. Army. Lasting 30 minutes, the test included a variety of forward, rearward and sideward maneuvers to confirm the structural integrity of the blades. All points on the test card were successfully completed. Produced by Boeing in Mesa, Ariz., the advanced composite rotor blades are designed to have longer service lives than the standard metal blades now in service on the AH-64D. The test flight followed four years of development by Bo

Experts at Warner-Robins AFB are evaluating the C-5 Galaxy's current health, service life and long-term viability as the first phase of an on-going study to decide the aircraft’s future. The four-phase C-5A Structural Risk Analysis and Model Revalidation study began here at the request of Air Mobility Command officials. "We're going to provide a quick look at the C-5's status, and AMC (officials) will use that information to see if the C-5 is a good candidate for future investment and upgrades," said Col. Frank Bruno, strategic airlift directorate director. "If our tear-down analysis indicates that the plane is structurally sound, then they may consider it as a future investment. If not, they may be hard-pressed to invest more dollars."

As the centerpiece of Marine aviation support for many years, the CH-46E assault helicopter remains the primary aircraft for Marine combat troop transport. Yet, the T58-GE-16 engine used to power it has suffered from reliability and power degradation, becoming what some have described as “tired iron.” The engine has been made a top fleet safety concern. Now, a $300 million Engine Reliability Improvement Program (ERIP) managed by NAVAIR’s PMA-226 will deliver 446 much-improved T58-GE-16A engines to the fleet. The first four engines were delivered in April 2003 to HMM-266, located at Marine Corps Air Station New River, NC. On 25 November 2003, ERIP achieved Initial Operational Capability (meaning one operational squadron with full logistics support in place), under