Re: Beyond Repair?

I used to inspect and validate Naval Base's annual facility reports assessing facility and major equipment condition to project future capital expenditures for repair of replacement projects. Every base planner had different standards and methodology, frequently detrimental to the command mission. I remember one air station still had an operational air start system for older jets. They had three high capacity air pumps feeding the system, two new ones and one 50 years old slated for replacement on their annual inspection summary I was validating. I made a site visit and found that two of the pumps were out of service (for several months) awaiting parts; but the old, obsolete, pump was quietly still running and maintaining the air supply by itself. Base maintenance was by contract and I talked to the contractor's foreman about the air pumps. He told me that the new pumps ordered by the planners were junk and had never performed up to spec. The old pump was a 70 year old design that was still being made, all parts were available and it was still the world's best pump for supplying critical air to deep (over a mile) mines around the world. The pump itself looked like a restored museum piece, no oil, dirt, grime the Public Works crew took pride in keeping it running.

Was it beyond economical repair? To the bean counters, yes. But functionally it was better than new. And better than the new replacements available.