Forum: F-35 Engine

hello motorman, Pratt got those F-404's because the government after awarding G.E. the develoment/production contract turned around and decided to try their new concept of dual sourcing. G.E. had to give Pratt some of the contract that they had allready won being single sourced. I recall when it happened because the talk of the shop was Pratt was having a difficult time with the assembly process. But I can't say if that was a fact or not, rumors are rumors, some true some not. As far as the F-414, I was appx. 1 yr. away from retirement when it came along in development. The short time I did work on it it had alot of similarities to the F-404. I do recall one specfic assembly procedure that had my nerves a bit on edge. We had to compress a turbine disc using a hydraulic ram, very common, but the amount of pressure running through the lines was appx. 30,000 lbs., "THAT", had me, lets say, a little leary. Actually, I was scared......not suppose to use profond language, poopless. I can recall saying is, "I hope these design engineers got these values right. Well, it worked, thank you lord, nothing let go and that particular procedure became a standard for that process in the build. That was one of the things I liked so much about working in development, it was all ways something different and sometimes challenging.

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Read an interesting letter to the editor in AV Week magazine. An officer that was on the early F-15 program management team later went to Hill when the F-16 unit was stood up. He saw the early engine problems in the F-15 and arrived at Hill just in time to see the first dead stick landing of an F-16 nearby and other engine issues...and his thoughts were that having an alternate engine provider may or may not be less expensive but that the other benefits outweight having a single vendor.

It's been a given that the initial costs of any development programs run high. I read that it's the appx. 2.8 billion that has buget people up in arms. The big picture is that when you have two companys, as in dual sourcing, you can keep the "overall costs down" simply because both companys are trying to find ways to keep the cost down. Also, it keeps them relatively honest. Question

Well if there ever was any efficency to the one engine provider theory, it, like most things, just lost to politics. Wonder if the Pentagon will tell their JSF program manager. Something they didn't even bother to consult him on when the original one engine decision was made.

I guess those that are paying the bills ( corporate payoffs to congress ) had to remind them what side their bread was buttered on.... being an election year and all. Laughing

Amazing the effect that has.

Funding for alternative strike fighter engine restored

http://news.moneycentral.msn.com/provid ... ID=5697586

hello elp, I read you web link, very interesting. I'm very sure Tony Blair is sleeping much better tonight. Personaly speaking I think it's only right Uk gets something out of this seeing that they were one of the few allies that's ever stood by us. It appears that this whole dual/single sourcing issue is finally coming to the end. This was suppose to have been decided by the end of March. I guess every one has finally figured out it's maybe the best thing to do, dual source, especially when it's allready be proven to do what it's suppose to do.......keep the overall cost down in the long run. Confused

So...There is life in the old dog yet....The F-136, not Tony! Laughing

Ya Snypa777, it "APPEARS" like there's one committy vote left an supposedly it's a given that the F-136 is still alive "BUT" you know how it goes. Untill I read the actuall "OFFICIAL FINAL YES" I'm extremely leary of anything I hear. Hay, whatever is going to happen is going to happen. I'm more concerned now about the apparently never ending gasoline $'s. They got us by the tail an it seems to boil down to if your rich and own a business your fine because you just write off the gas expence at the end of the year as a business expence. If your poor, you simply use public transportation. But if your caught in between the two.......................Well I guess that's called the squeeze Confused

Forum: F-35 Engine

The one engine provider issue - Causing some pain