F-18 carrier brake problems

[SpazSinbad]

subs17, I don't know where you get your information about the KAHU: "...all Kahu A4s used the chute to land or they used field arresting kit." The last phrase 'or they used field arresting kit' is not true. The KAHUs could land on ordinary runways (such as NAS Nowra at 6,000 foot length) without the chutes but of course they liked to use them when possible. However they did not have an USMC style portable field arrestor gear (USMC used a portable field catapult also particularly in South Vietnam). However most RNZAF airfields including NAS Nowra and most RAAF airfields in Australia have some 'short field arresting gear' (which includes the other end for an aborted takeoff arrest or a last ditch landing arrest). Mostly the short field gear would only be used for practice or demonstrations at 'flying display days' for example OR for a real emergency which happened from time to time.

The drogue chute for the A4K is being worked on. Here is a pic of the real deal:

[SUBS17]

SpazSinbad send me a pm with your email address and I'll email them to you. I can tell you on NZ airfields 99% of the time I saw the chutes used on landings. I also saw the portable arrester kit used when it was first being trialled in NZ as well as one incident where an A4 had a problem with its gear and so the pilot used up most of his fuel and then used the hook to land.

[SpazSinbad]

subs17, I agree that would be the way to operate with the chutes if they were available. I'll post some pics of their arrests and PM you also. An RNZAF correspondent has just informed me that the A-4Ks were the first Skyhawks with the brake chutes (with the container modified a few years later to match the A-4M model brake chute container) with the first Israeli brake chute aircraft following on from the A-4Ks.

[attachment deleted by admin]

[SpazSinbad]

A4G-FAA_scrapbook_11may09 4.49GB PDF* download

http://www.a4ghistory.com/

This PDF or similar has been discussed earlier so I thought the FREE download notice might be useful?

Bear with me. This is a 'refresh' of a previous 4.4GB PDF made available at
the end of last year approx. Some new RAN A4G & other RAN aircraft content
has been added at the expense of irrelevant content, such as the USAF
Thunderbirds (no reflection on them). The PDF is about the RAN Fleet Air Arm
Aircraft and A4G Skyhawks in particular but included are examples of the
other users of the Skyhawk; with again emphasis on the USN and RNZAF A-4s.

Website text follows: [Please do NOT left mouse click on the URL below]
_________________________________________

A4G-FAA_scrapbook_11may09 4.49GB PDF* download:

*(Right click on the link below & 'Save Target As...')

This very large PDF has all the Royal Australian Navy Fleet Air Arm jet
aircraft, with emphasis on each individual A4G Skyhawk aircraft history.
Included are the other fixed wing (prop & jet) and helicopters in the RAN
FAA are highlighted. Also included are other users of Skyhawks, in the past
and today, with an emphasis on the RNZAF & USN A-4s. Necessarily this PDF is
large to be able to include the various aircraft described above.

Please use Adobe Reader 9 or higher on Windows XP SP2 or higher to get the
best viewing experience from this PDF. There are popup graphics or embedded
video clips in some pages that require the latest Adobe Flash Player &/or
Windows Media Player 10 or above. MAC users may be disappointed by being
unable to see these popups or videos.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Please do not allow Adobe Reader to download this file (by just 'left button
mouse clicking' on the URL below) because the download will FAIL. Best to
use a File Download Manager OR the 'right click' 'Save Target As...' from
the Windows menu method.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
http://www.a4ghistory.com/A4G-FAA_scrapbook_11may09.pdf

[SUBS17]

subs17, I agree that would be the way to operate with the chutes if they were available. I'll post some pics of their arrests and PM you also. An RNZAF correspondent has just informed me that the A-4Ks were the first Skyhawks with the brake chutes (with the container modified a few years later to match the A-4M model brake chute container) with the first Israeli brake chute aircraft following on from the A-4Ks.

So for a realistic Kahu you would need to script the chute to be activated by the player and modify the FM to reflect the drag. You would also need to have a script to release the chute and to reinstall the chute. BTW the protable arrester kit was tested by a Kahu Skyhawk unlike the above photos with the fixed arrester gear.

[SpazSinbad]

subs17, OK thanks - I'll follow the portable arrestor gear for the RNZAF trail. All I know is what people tell me or write about the A4K. Do you happen to know where the portable arrestor gear was trialled and when? Because the aircraft were in service for such a long time people have different knowledge of it, according to different times (before / after KAHU for example). Thanks for the headsup. All the RNZAF Skyhawk info from the beginning to the end especially is in the 4.4GB PDF available online. There is more information about their time in Australia because that was most interesting to me. What I will do in a weeks time is make a small version of just this RNZAF info in the PDF available. If you like Skyhawks the 4.4GB should keep you entertained. 

[SUBS17]

The portable arrester gear was tested about the late 80s sometime around 88 or 89 and at the same time the aircraft were going through their upgrade. I recall reading a newspaper that had a photo of an A4 without the hump testing it in Woodbourne. I think the only A4 thats probably better than the Kahu is the Singapore version:
A-4SU = General Electric F404-100D / 10,800lbs.
I also like the Topgun version.

[SpazSinbad]

subs17, thanks for info. As more is collected I'll just add it here. Below is first response from a Kiwi forum:

"They were using the portable arrestor gear at Woodbourne in 1989 when i was there, probably about April-Julyish, not certain exactly but that's when I was at No. 4TTS. That was pre-Kahu however I'd guess as we also watched the first ever Kahu being handed over at Woodbourne in a special ceremony during the same period. As there was only one Kahu flying then (a T-bird) and I seem to recall several aircrfat using the arrestor, I'd say most if not all were pre-Kahu.

I have a feeling i saw that arrestor used at Wigram once too. It used to be on the back of a green truck from memory and could be deployed around the place."

[SUBS17]

Back then there was also just one pilot trainned as a test pilot and he was on a documentary about pilots doing a test pilot course in the UK. I'm quite sure that pilot would've been doing that course especially to test the Kahu.

[SpazSinbad]

subs17, that may well have been the case to have a dedicated RNZAF test pilot trained for initial KAHU testing. However most airforces/air arms have at least one current test pilot trained in a good US or UK TP school. I would imagine that the RNZAF has at least one test pilot all the time, similarly in the fixed wing era the RAN FAA had a test pilot for all the odd testing jobs required, along with the usual jobs a test pilot will carry out from time to time.

From another message about the 'Portable Arrestor Gear' we can see how the WB runway needed it:

"The PAG was predominantly used at Woodbourne whenever Skyhawk test flights were programmed.

The PAG is still stored at Woodbourne I think (as part of the Skyhawk sale package). From
memory when we bought it in the mid 80s it was second hand. It was bought primarily for use
at Woodbourne when a Skyhawk was doing its post servicing test flights, due to WB's shortish
runway. However it was also deployed away from Woodbourne occassionally (only within NZ tho)."
&
"Portable Arrestor Gear (PAG) at WB at the time - 1988-89...it was purchased as part of the KAHU work...idea being to always have it at the 'long' end of the runway for all KAHU flights- should there be a problem. First 'traps' were done pre-NZ6254 (KAHU T-Bird prototype)..."

[SpazSinbad]

Just for the heck of it - below is a photo of the RAT (Ram Air Turbine) Emergency Generator deployed on a 'pretend' A4G (made out of an A4B with nose lengthened artfully) at the FAAM (Fleet Air Arm Museum) at NAS Nowra, NSW, Australia. For a while the aircraft was suspended (before and after it was on undercarriage on floor). Now the aircraft has been repainted in a different scheme and it is on the floor. Not sure if the RAT remains deployed. The A4 did not have a battery so it needed electrical power source when engine failed in flight - not only to restart the engine but to overcome any other electrical problems such as a failure of the main generator (run from the engine). Lack of battery was to save weight. Later models of the Skyhawk I believe such as the A4M had a battery and also a self start capacity.

2nd photo shows new paint scheme - and yes RAT still deployed.  & Now a closeup of the 'pesky rat'.

[attachment deleted by admin]

[SpazSinbad]

A KAHU walkaround is here: http://a4alley.t35.com/models/Walkarounds/A-4K-Walkaround.html
& RAT pic is here: http://a4alley.t35.com/A4-Alley/walkaround/RAT-out.jpg

I'm told that the RNZAF PAG (Portable Arrestor Gear) was very similar to this example of an RAF PAG:


[attachment deleted by admin]

[SUBS17]

Hey SpazSinbad you should start a separate thread about the Kahu and keep us updated on its progress.

[SpazSinbad]

subs17, this thread went wobbly and it is about the FSX Hornet so I'll not start a KAHU thread. However I'll say that it is getting close to be ready for a full test. What needs to be changed after a full test I have no idea. It will have an opening canopy and aft hell hole. The 3D cockpit will see the fuel probe. The HUD will be all singing all dancing (but I don't know how to test that). The slats work as they should incrementally. The HUD display is magic as well as the AoA indexer. It will be excellent.  It should have a working brake parachute - have not seen that yet.

[SUBS17]

Now heres where an actual pilot is required, make sure that:
1/ the pit is 6dof
2/ the location of the refuelling probe is at the correct realistic position in the pit. eg the JT Skyhawk pit is 6dof and yes you do have to move your head to the right spot to see it.