Safety Concerns Ground 45 Air Force Academy Planes

(EXCERPT) Tue January 13, 2004 02:30 PM ET

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Air Force said on Tuesday it has
grounded 45 aircraft -- including UV-18 DeHavilland aircraft used to
support parachute training -- at the U.S. Air Force Academy in
Colorado due to safety concerns.

The academy said the planes were grounded after Air Force inspectors
discovered "contractor maintenance irregularities" on Jan. 9 while
they were investigating the Jan. 2 engine failure of a UV-18 "Twin
Otter" that was traveling to Florida to pick up cadets participating
in a parachute competition.

That plane was able to land safely at Tinker Air Force Base in
Oklahoma, and no passengers were on board at the time, the Colorado
Springs, Colorado training academy said in a statement.

It said aircraft maintained by Doss Aviation, a privately owned
company based in Colorado Springs, would be grounded while the
investigation continued, but flight training would continue since
those planes were maintained by another firm.

"Academy officials will keep affected aircraft on the ground until
confidence is restored in the safety of the maintenance program an...

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http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.j...ryID=412041 0

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Otis Willie
Associate Librarian
The American War Library
http://www.americanwarlibrary.com