All Nimrods Grounded.

[Anark]

All UK military Nimrod MR2 aircraft have been grounded as a precautionary measure after a routine safety check uncovered problems with a fuel pipe.

The decision was taken in the last 48 hours after checks on one aircraft, the Ministry of Defence has said.

The fleet was grounded while the issue is investigated but some of the aircraft have already been cleared.

A crash involving an RAF Kinloss-based MR2 in Afghanistan in September should not be pre-judged, the MoD said.

The 12 air force crew, a Royal Marine and a soldier were killed on 2 September when the MR2 came down near Kandahar after a reported technical fault.

The Nimrod was designed as a sea patrol and anti-submarine aircraft and entered service with the Royal Air Force in the UK over 30 years ago.

In the early 1980s some RAF Nimrods were upgraded from the original MR1 design to the MR2, the main roles of which are sea surveillance, anti-submarine warfare and support for search and rescue operations.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/6390737.stm

[expat]

At some point, all RAF aircraft types have been grounded while a fleet check is carried out. This involves looking at the problem area, nothing found the aircraft is cleared to fly, no biggy in this story, apart from of course, the loss of life that produced this check. The last big grounding was the Harrier GR5. An aircraft was lost due to a fire in the aft CB panel. All aircraft had to have a Mod before they could fly again. That was about 1990-ish. 6 weeks of nothing to do at work but sweep the hanger  :P.

Matt

[C]

I think this is the second time since the September accident. Nothing major, just common sense. They'll be airborne again in no time.

Oh look...

some of the aircraft have already been cleared.

There you go...