"Mary Shafer" wrote in message
news
On 29 Dec 2003 13:40:14 GMT, (Smartace11) wrote:

To a large degree, the engineers WERE the project managers in the 70s
and if
you take the F100 engine as an example things really fell apart as the
durabilty and reliability specs were non-existant. Too much new
technology and
mainoy just a performance (thrust) spec. A large part of the F-15/F-6
fleets
were grounded due to the stall stagnation issue.

Before that there was grievous trouble with compressor discs flying
apart into a bunch of pieces and trashing the rest of the engine. I
was in the control room for the first MEA of the F-15.

The F100 engine was also the death of much field maintenance for USAF
engines. The turbine blade inspection failure rate was so high that the
wheels (nearly?) always had to go to Depo for rebalance. Then there was the
pilot's fear of FBW and the remechanisation of the entire F-15 controls
system. All in all, the F-15 was a pretty dynamic target for the designers
to try and hit.