Annual inspections and maintenance
at the Flying Bulls
The Flying Bulls also need time to recover. After numerous appearances at air shows and events in Austria and around the world, as well as hundreds of hours of flying, it is time for the mechanics and technicians to get working. In more than 6000 hours of work in total, a large part of the fleet of the Flying Bulls will undergo extensive maintenance, with annual inspections performed and, if necessary, parts of all sizes replaced. Here are some details on the servicing and maintenance work:
Six technicians will work for approximately 1 ½ months on the annual service of the B-25. This will cover a 53-page check list, which comprehensively examines all areas of the machine.
The P-38 is also subject to an annual service that takes around 1,500 man hours. Five to six technicians are spending close to two months repairing the tank and installing a new propeller. In addition, the engine on the right side is to be replaced.
The DC-6 is also set for its annual maintenance in January: it will take about two months to perform the annual service - no less than ten technicians are to perform all the inspections on the interior and exterior.
A lot of work is waiting for the technicians with the F4U Corsair. The engine and propeller are to be changed in the autumn and winter months. To allow for the electrical cables to be exchanged, the wings also need to be dismantled.
The Caravan has already seen its compressor turbine blading changed as part of its annual service. This work took about four weeks to complete.
Three types of helicopter are also being checked: the Sycamore is due to have more test flights in the coming weeks as part of its licensing process. The goal is to obtain a restricted certificate of airworthiness for Austria after new rotor blades had to be built. The BO-105and Cobra are also going to be subject to annual services.
The technicians of the Flying Bulls are going to be very active in the next few months in performing all the maintenance work. The spruced-up Flying Bulls are then to appear for the first time from 21 to 24 January 2016 in Kitzbühel.
