T-33 Annual Inspection

[T33driver]

It's that time of year...last year the big project was a landing gear overhaul. This year the big focus is the engine's "hot section" inspection which will be the first one since my airplane left the Canadian Forces. A "hot section" inspection is called for at regular time intervals per my FAA Inspection program, a program largely based on the Canadian military and Rolls Royce maintenance schedule. Many of you know the gist of it, but in a nutshell Rolls Royce Nene 10's hot section consists of nine combustion chambers aka flame tubes/burner cans. A "hot section" inspection will require maintenance technicians to remove each of the nine annular flame tubes (the shiny silver tubes exposed on front half of fuselage in the above pic), disassemble them, inspect inner and outer liners for among other things, cracks, warping, damage, blocked cooling holes and corrosion. They'll also remove igniters in the two burner cans that have them, as well as the fuel nozzles which will no doubt have "coking" or carbon/soot buildup. Here's a pic of "coked" fuel nozzles from a previous annual inspection.



The fuel nozzles will be cleaned, inspected and tested for proper spray pattern which give us a happy, even flame pattern which prevents combustion chamber hot spots, cracking or the worst scenario, an uncontained burner can failure and resultant uncontained engine fire. If any of the burner cans has any compromised areas within certain tolerances, they can be repaired and returned to service. Below is a disassembled burner can/flame tube.



Once all the inspection points and necessary repairs are accomplished, the engine will be reassembled, ground run, checked for leaks as well as confirming achieves required rpm for a given, exhaust gas temperature (EGT), outside air temp and field elevation.

Last edited by T33driver on Thu Apr 14, 2011 10:58 am, edited 1 time in total.

[JDK]

Cool stuff Paul! (Well, it's meant to be hot, of course...)

I note that we need to take more care over spelling 'Inpsection', and that there's a handy hammer on the bench for spelling assistance and tonking any annoying journos that may be passing, as well as straightening burner cans the quick way.

Now running and hiding...

[Robbie Stuart]

Thanks for sharing Paul. I am always interested in post's like this.
Robbie

[dred]

I agree with Robbie!

[JT]

Thanks Paul,

We are in the process of starting that inspection ourselves! FUN!

JT

Jay "JT" Taylor
Crew Chief WJ288
Grease Monkey 9124Z

[viking73]

Very cool photos! Please post more as you get them and thanks for posting these in the first place.

-Derek

[Dan K]

ed.

[JDK]

Did we scare him off? Did a burner can land on the Driver's foot? Did he finally realise it's a British engine design, and the shame's too much?

Tune in next week to find out in the next episode of Soap...

[T33driver]

Did we scare him off? Did a burner can land on the Driver's foot? Did he finally realise it's a British engine design, and the shame's too much?

Tune in next week to find out in the next episode of Soap...

No, I'm still here happy and kickin', just like your left knee. The British designed RR Nene 10 is an awesome, reliable powerplant, and IMO far superior to it's American Allison J33 counterpart in the Lockheed T-Birds in every respect...but you knew that. Right? The maintenance troops have good things to say about it from their perspective as well.

[JDK]

No, I'm still here happy and kickin', just like your left knee.

People sometimes ask why I'm careful, and I tell 'em it's my 'airshow injury'. I don't mention it was from getting into a car...

Glad to hear the engine's a kicker too.

But that's enough about us, let's hear about the airyplane!

[T33driver]

So far so good on the annual inspection. Here's a view into the front half of the fuselage with the engine removed. Yellow bottles are crew oxygen tanks, white sphere on lower left is hydraulic system accumulator (pressurized to 500 psi with nitrogen), green elevator flight control pushrods are above the yellow tanks, upper left silver cylinder is hydraulic fluid reservoir, below RH yellow tank is aileron hydraulic booster.




Engine removed, inspection underway...




Rolls Royce Nene 10 sans the nine annular burner cans aka flame tubes aka hot section. In the background, a Lockheed T-33 formerly owned by Connie Kalitta under restoration to fly.




The nine burner cans awaiting disassembly and a detailed inspection. They were already borescoped and no conspicuous defects were detected but we won't know for sure til they are completely broken down and meticulously gone over. Note the compressor inlet screen on the floor under the table.




A view of the Rolls engine from the rear where we see the turbine wheel.




"579" all broke up for maintenance, it's engine in the background along with the former Kalitta T-Bird.

[Neil Mac]

Sure am enjoying your T33 post. Makes me remember the Dash One and UPT days - MANY years ago.
Thanks!
Neil

[Joe Scheil]

Very good post, and just dig that paint scheme!

It never gets old looking at that shape...what a great design.

Keep us updated!

[mustangdriver]

I love this airplane, and threads like this. Thanks buddy!

[Rod Schneider]

I also love these kinds of posts--it's always interesting to see what goes into maintaining the planes!
An observation--it appears that the intakes for the engine do not actually seal to the engine, but just blow air into the engine bay? I'm used to seeing axial flow engines with sealed intake ducts.......