by Hawkeye07 » Tue Jul 12, 2016 10:29 pm
Actually the pilots in that Hummer screwed up on three counts. One, a very crappie approach. That late left wing dip course correction was not good. By that point in the approach he should have had a well established glide slope. Two, he took the number four wire in a near in-flight arrestment. The number three is the target wire and the lens is set up for a number three trap. Three, it looks like he didn't go to full power until he was going off the angle deck. He's supposed to hit full power as soon as he touches down. That is to prevent the cross deck pendant (the arresting cable) from coming off the hook and to prevent the aircraft from going in the drink should he bolter or snap a cable.
I also question why all those crewmen were out near the landing zone during the recovery evolution. Normally all non-essential personnel are to clear the deck and just the LSO's and the hook runner are that close. This video must have been made during an early work up period. Things tend to be a little sloppy until everyone gets their sh_t together and all the new folks get some experience.
What you don't see in the video is what happened below deck in the arresting gear machine room. While I was on the USS America we had a number three cable snap during a night trap of an F-14. The number three arresting gear machine piston literally came out the starboard side of the machine. The operator wasn't hurt but he was pretty jumpy for several weeks afterwards. Unfortunately the F-14 pilot was just backing off power when the cable snapped and the aircraft went off the angle deck. Luckily both crewmen ejected safely and came back aboard unharmed.
One thing to remember about the flight deck is that after several months of flight ops that deck gets slick with jet fuel, hydraulic fluid and engine oil. It plays hell with nose wheel steering. Kind of like a DC-9 on ice.
If you want to hear about a really good pilot...When I was attached to VAW-124 onboard the USS America we had a lieutenant whose last name was Blazin. His call sign was "Saddles" ( In reference to the movie Blazing Saddles) One fine day during our '79 Med cruise he was flying as co-pilot coming in for a trap. Just as the aircraft (E-2C Hawkeye) came over the round down (back end of the flight deck) BOTH engines flamed out. It was the first time that ever happened to an E-2 and there is nothing in the NATOPS emergency procedures about it. Needless to say they boltered but by the time they came off the angle deck he had started an inflight relight on one engine and had just enough power to keep it out of the drink. They went so low that the prop on the engine with power was kicking up sea spray but they managed to keep it out of the water and came back around after getting both engines running and made an uneventful landing. Unfortunately I don't recall the left seater's name but it was a superb demonstration of teamwork. They were each awarded the Air Medal for that episode.
An Aircraft Mechanic only needs two tools, Duct Tape and WD40.
If it moves and it's not supposed to - use the Duct Tape.
If it doesn't move and it's supposed to - use the WD40.
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