Uh-Oh... Turns Out it IS Important to Use Factory-Approved O-Rings!

The Army issued a surprising grounding order earlier this week, halting flight operations for more than 400 Chinook helicopters over an issue that could lead to engine fires. 

In a statement, Cynthia Smith said the Army encountered an unspecified number of fuel leaks that lead to engine fires, leading to the fleet being held on pause until the issue could be diagnosed. No injuries were reported, and some reports placed the number of problem aircraft around 70 helicopters in total.

Honeywell, probably eager to correct the record and clear itself of any fault after 60 years of Chinook support, was able to track down the source of the problems soon after the order was given. The manufacturer, sure that the problem was out of the norm for the longstanding and generally reliable T-55 engine, began a joint investigation with the US Army to get to the bottom of things. 

The result? That some engines had been overhauled and refurbished with O-rings outside of Honeywell specification...while under maintenance by Army Depot personnel. The suspect O-rings have been identified and isolated to minimize the possibility of installation, with all relatively pleased that they could restore the T-55's good name.

Honeywell embarked on an effort alongside the Army to address the issue and provide suitable replacement O-rings on all affected Chinooks. The issue does highlight the susceptibility of supply chains in recent years, as a never ending parade of delays, mistakes, backorders, and substitutions continue to take their toll on a weary industry trying to keep the aircraft taking off on time. Honeywell was careful to note that the O-rings aren't theirs, coming from the mysterious ether of cheap, shoddy products offering their siren call to quartermasters everywhere.

Sadly for the spendthrift team, this round goes in favor of those who insist on using "Honeywell Approved O-Rings". 

FMI: www.honeywell.com, www.army.mil