Guess who's grounded again? The answer will (not) surprise you!
[Cue sad trombone...] Well... This is embarrassing. Mere weeks after declaring the F-35A's IOC (initial operating capability) the USAF has grounded fifteen of them (two belonging to the RNoAF). The grounding was ordered when depot maintenance discovered coolant lines with decomposing insulation. "[I]t was possible for this crumbling insulation to become lodged in the siphon lines connecting wing and fuselage fuel tanks... T his could result in excessive negative pressures in the fuel tanks during flying operations or excessive positive pressures during air or ground refueling. In either case, the under- or over-pressure could cause structural damage to the fuel tanks." -US Air Force spokeswoman Ann Stefanek At least nothing caught on fire this time! Unlike the engine fire that grounded the entire JSF fleet two years ago, this issue seems to be more of a quality control issue rather than a design flaw. The problem seems to be c...