Canopy Sill Longeron Cracks Caused The Grounding Of 90 USAF F-16s Within The Past Year
March 17, 2024 Aviation Safety, Military AviationDAVID CENCIOTTI
Cracks on the canopy sill longerons are affecting the U.S. Air Force inventory of F-16s.
An interesting article recently published by the 140th Wing Public Affairs exposes an issue affecting the U.S. Air Force F-16 Fighting Falcon fleet: canopy sill longeron (CSL) cracks. The CSLs run the full length of the cockpit and support the structure between the frame and skin of the aircraft, preventing tension and bending of the fuselage.
Aging airframes are more subject to structural issues and according to the article, the structural integrity of the longeron is getting worse: CSL cracks were identified on 90 aircraft across the U.S. Air Force within the past year.
“The aircraft is immediately grounded when the canopies crack,” Tech. Sgt. Taylar M. Reilly said. “A crack can spread, and if both sides break, the whole nose could fall off.”
https://theaviationist.com/2024/03/17/canopy-sill-longeron-cracks-caused-the-grounding-of-90-usaf-f-16s-within-the-past-year/
