Interesting plane

[itsbob]

Exactly, if we were that worried about living on a future crash site we'd move. The track record for pilots landing at Pax is pretty damned good.

However, the counter to this argument is that most of the risky flights in question are for the benefit of our operational forces - not somebody's hobby. I am really surprised that they were allowed to land on that site.

I'd be upset if a pilot declared an emergency on any aircraft and PAX told them no..

They didn't say in either article if they took off vertically or a normal roll-out, and if they intended to land vertically or a normal landing..

I CAN see how doing a vertical landing in the position they were in was definitely the way to go, and luckily they were in a plane capable of such.

I mean, when you get right down to it this plane CAN land and take off vertically, but it doesn't HAVE to.. which makes it just as safe/unsafe as any other plane we have flying over our heads until they chose to go vertical (over an airfield doubtful they'll be landing at an elementary school).



I think it's cool that someone found a way to buy it and fly it, hell wish I could.

 

[jrt_ms1995]

Why do they put water in them?

Water injection for improved engine performance. Not used all the time; if I remember correctly use depended on various external environmental factors (temp, humidity, etc.) as well as payload. They carried a big tank (can't remember if it was titanium, stainless, or Inconel; sorry) of about 50 gallons in the older variants. I don't know about the newer variants.

 

[MMDad]

I am surprised SM Airport would allow them to take off from there. Yes, it is a vertical takeoff, but I am still surprised....

Why? They have jets there all the time. If the plane isn't too heavy or too big and is legal, why would they turn them down?

 

[flomaster]

Water injection for improved engine performance. Not used all the time; if I remember correctly use depended on various external environmental factors (temp, humidity, etc.) as well as payload. They carried a big tank (can't remember if it was titanium, stainless, or Inconel; sorry) of about 50 gallons in the older variants. I don't know about the newer variants.

When I was shipboard with a harrier squadron it was my understabding that the water was a method of keeping temps down during hovering operations. The extra power required to hover mysy bring turbine temps pretty high so I expect thats what the water is for. Water injection has been cheap and easy in many applications.

 

[bohman]

I'd be upset if a pilot declared an emergency on any aircraft and PAX told them no..

I should have been more specific, by "that site" I meant the grate that they sat down on, not PAX runways in general. I just assumed that any sort of specialized testing equipment was off limits to non-mil planes. That is, of course, an un-informed opinion, my knowledge of aviation is related to funding, not flying.

And one would hope that it was built to take a few hard landings, anyway.

I think it's cool that someone found a way to buy it and fly it, hell wish I could.

Me too.

 

[desertrat]

Water injection for improved engine performance. Not used all the time; if I remember correctly use depended on various external environmental factors (temp, humidity, etc.) as well as payload. They carried a big tank (can't remember if it was titanium, stainless, or Inconel; sorry) of about 50 gallons in the older variants. I don't know about the newer variants.

When I was shipboard with a harrier squadron it was my understabding that the water was a method of keeping temps down during hovering operations. The extra power required to hover mysy bring turbine temps pretty high so I expect thats what the water is for. Water injection has been cheap and easy in many applications.

I was told the cooling thing, but that's all I ever heard.

 

[clevalley]

Not quite. They hardly ever do a vertical takeoff.

...oops - should have read a bit more! Thanks!!

 

[itsbob]

It' s sitting on all it's landing gear, and it looks in great shape!

 

[MMDad]

Do we actually know that they did a vertical landing at PAX? Or is the plane just being kept at the hover pit?

It doesn't make any sense to take a plane with a possible hydraulic failure and make the transition from forward flight to the vertical flight mode. The risk is far too great. I cannot imagine that they did not do a conventional landing.

 

[Dougstermd]

Do we actually know that they did a vertical landing at PAX? Or is the plane just being kept at the hover pit?

It doesn't make any sense to take a plane with a possible hydraulic failure and make the transition from forward flight to the vertical flight mode. The risk is far too great. I cannot imagine that they did not do a conventional landing.

will they hangar it at pax during the repairs?

 

[Jeff]

Do we actually know that they did a vertical landing at PAX? Or is the plane just being kept at the hover pit?

It doesn't make any sense to take a plane with a possible hydraulic failure and make the transition from forward flight to the vertical flight mode. The risk is far too great. I cannot imagine that they did not do a conventional landing.

I have not read the article again on it but the Metal gridwork they are sitting in is not exactly close to any of the runways here at PAX. It's kind in between several. So I doubt they landed on a runway and taxied there and then the gear collapsed. JMO

 

[Jeff]

will they hangar it at pax during the repairs?

I am at work now and just spoke to some of our guys who started their shift while it was still daylight. They say the Aircraft is sitting outside Between Hgrs 101 & 109. They apparently lifted it up with a crane and managed to drop the gear and lock & pin it so to damage must not have been to bad.

 

[itsbob]

Do we actually know that they did a vertical landing at PAX? Or is the plane just being kept at the hover pit?

It doesn't make any sense to take a plane with a possible hydraulic failure and make the transition from forward flight to the vertical flight mode. The risk is far too great. I cannot imagine that they did not do a conventional landing.

There is no way that plane landed conventionally with out the nose and outrigger landing gear...

You can't even tell that it was in an incident.

 

[Jeff]

There is no way that plane landed conventionally with out the nose and outrigger landing gear...

You can't even tell that it was in an incident.

I just walked down there and looked at it. It was dark and I did not take a flashlight but it looked like the nose took the brunt of it. The lower antennas are broken off and there are some crushed/cracked panels. Not bad at all. I think I could do just as much damage with a 2x4 and 5-6 good hits. I'd be willing to bet after they inspect it and get the hydrulics issue squared away and the antennas back up and the radio working again it is probably flyable enough to at least fly it back to St. Mary's to hangar it again. I don't think it could handle any high speed flight but a low speed return to base flight might be doable.

 

[Jeff]

will they hangar it at pax during the repairs?

Sitting outside of your old house now.

 

[flomaster]

I just walked down there and looked at it. It was dark and I did not take a flashlight but it looked like the nose took the brunt of it. The lower antennas are broken off and there are some crushed/cracked panels. Not bad at all. I think I could do just as much damage with a 2x4 and 5-6 good hits. I'd be willing to bet after they inspect it and get the hydrulics issue squared away and the antennas back up and the radio working again it is probably flyable enough to at least fly it back to St. Mary's to hangar it again. I don't think it could handle any high speed flight but a low speed return to base flight might be doable.

I took a look at it before it got dark. Damage is mostly to Nose gear doors, nose cone and several antennas that pushed into the skin. The RH wing tip looked fine. Excellent job by the pilot landing it on the hover pit. Shouldn't take too long to repair provided they don't find anything structually ugly under the sheetmetal.

 

[Jeff]

I took a look at it before it got dark. Damage is mostly to Nose gear doors, nose cone and several antennas that pushed into the skin. The RH wing tip looked fine. Excellent job by the pilot landing it on the hover pit. Shouldn't take too long to repair provided they don't find anything structually ugly under the sheetmetal.

Yep, damage from the landing looks minor. What caused the Hydraulics indication in the first place might be another story.

 

[Rael]

Duct tape will do the trick!

 

[MMDad]

There is no way that plane landed conventionally with out the nose and outrigger landing gear...

You can't even tell that it was in an incident.

I didn't catch the no gear part. Now a vertical landing makes complete sense since you wouldn't want to do a gear up landing if you have a choice.

 

[Jeff]

I am not certain whether or not it was this plane or not but last night I heard on the scanner about midnight the Base Police and State Police were "escorting" something from the base over to St. Mary's Airport. I am thinking they must have put this puppy on a truck and hauled it over last night.

Per their website that was the plan

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