Kadena F-15s still grounded as Mo. crash probe continues

[unhappycamper]

Kadena F-15s still grounded as Mo. crash probe continues
By Vince Little, Stars and Stripes
Pacific edition, Saturday, November 17, 2007

The fleet of F-15s at Kadena Air Base, Okinawa, remains grounded indefinitely as the Air Force continues looking into the crash of a Missouri F-15 fighter jet earlier this month, U.S. Forces Japan officials said Thursday.

Kadena’s 18th Wing has about 50 F-15 C and D models of the twin-engine jet, but none have flown in the 12-day joint and bilateral Keen Sword exercise, which was set to end Friday.

No F-15s are assigned elsewhere in Japan or South Korea.

All F-15 flights were suspended shortly after the Nov. 2 crash of an Air National Guard F-15C during training in Missouri.

The Air Force, however, is returning F-15E model aircraft to flying status upon completion of individual 13-hour inspections.

According to Air Combat Command, the Air Force’s 224 E-model aircraft, which are newer and make up a third of the entire F-15 fleet, will undergo a one-time inspection of hydraulic system lines; the longerons, which are the molded, metal strips of the aircraft fuselage running from front to rear; and straps and skin panels in and around the environmental control system bay.


Rest of article at: http://stripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=50311