F-16 startup writeup
Discussion
Interesting writeup of the startup procedure for an F-16 from the perspective of the ground crew chief:
"Mike Kopack posts:
I wrote this up a couple of years ago. Not sure why it hit me that morning, and I'm sure the procedure has changed - because it's been just over 25 years since I launched my F-16's out on a daily basis... Sorry I didn't have a MacDill bird to post with it.
Over the headset you can hear the click and static as the aircraft battery is turned on from the cockpit, and we're ready to go.
"OK Chief, are we ready to make some noise?"
"Yes sir, let's fire this sucker up. Fore and aft areas are clear and we've got a fireguard posted. All clear for the first start of the day."
"JFS start." (Jet fuel starter)
"Doors open, JFS coming up."
The JFS surges slightly as it comes up and settles at idle.
"Throttle coming over the horn."
You can feel it almost as much as hear it, there's a deep rumble as the engine spins up and ignites. It accelerates slowly at first, but you can tell just from the sound exactly where it is in the process. Faster and faster, and then there's the little wobble in the sound as the generator comes online and the anti-collision beacon starts to flash on the tail...
Once the engine was up to idle the F-16 launch goes pretty quickly, in that time I'd be checking hydraulics, looking for any leaks (fuel, hydraulics, etc.) checking filters. It's loud, even with hearing protection, and you have to be aware of where you are - the flight controls are going through their self test and a jumping around, and the intake can kill you, literally. Soon it's time for the flight control visual check, "nose up, nose down, further down, roll left, roll right, rudder left, rudder right. Speed brakes open, closing, brakes closed."
Back in the left wheel well,
"Ready on the left brake."
"Channel one."
"Movement. No movement."
"Channel two."
"Movement. No movement."
Scurry over to the right landing gear. It's easier if there is no centerline fuel tank.
"Ready on the right brake."
"Channel one."
"Movement. No movement."
"Channel two."
"Movement. No movement."
"Sir, everything looks good from here. I'm going to disconnect (the communications) and I'll see you out front. Have a great flight."
"Thanks Chief, good launch."
It looks like the bird is going flying this morning, we're nearly there. Things start moving even faster now, we're standing to the right of the intake and have disconnected the comm cord. Time to pull pins, starting with the EPU (Emergency Power Unit) safety pin located near the comm cord. Once the EPU pin is out you hold it up for the pilot to see. Once you get a thumbs up, grab the pin on the right wing tank, into the wheel well to pull the right gear pin. One last check for leaks. Out of the wheel well, pull the right chock, one last look at the wing, and back under the fuselage, making sure to stay away from the flight controls. Pull the pin on the tail hook. Back up the left side of the fuselage, grab the wing tank pin and into the left wheel well to pull the gear pin. All of the pins stow in a small box in the upper forward part of the well. It's beastly hot in here, the ECS (environmental control system) exhaust is right in front of the wheel well and it dumps out huge amounts of 350F degree engine bleed air. Back out of the wheel well, and out from under the aircraft by walking down the left wing, keeping an eye out for fuel leaks.
Drop off the comm cord over by the tool box, and head out to the front of the aircraft. Walking to the sides I can check the wingtip lights and anything that might be out of the ordinary, but this morning it looks like everything is in good shape, so it's time to head over to the marshalling position - roughly straight forward of the left wingtip launcher and about even with the pitot tube at the front of the radome.
A quick check of the landing and taxi lights means we're ready to go. The pilot gives me the pull chocks signal, and I repeat it to the fireguard. Chocks are out, I look over my shoulders, just to make sure everything is clear, hands in the air in the marshalling position. Throttle comes up, and as I signal, the aircraft pulls forward. Quick bounce of the nose as the pilot checks the brakes. I'm walking backwards (trying not to fall down, yeah, THAT would be embarrassing) and as the jet pulls up even with you, come to attention, and give your pilot a sharp salute - just has been done as long as the crew chiefs have been launching out jets. Throw your fist in the air, your bird's going up, whether for training or combat. As she taxis away I'd always slap the wingtip missile launcher hard enough that I could still feel it a couple of minutes later, and sometimes hang on and ride for a few feet, because it's going to be a good day..."
"Mike Kopack posts:
I wrote this up a couple of years ago. Not sure why it hit me that morning, and I'm sure the procedure has changed - because it's been just over 25 years since I launched my F-16's out on a daily basis... Sorry I didn't have a MacDill bird to post with it.
Over the headset you can hear the click and static as the aircraft battery is turned on from the cockpit, and we're ready to go.
"OK Chief, are we ready to make some noise?"
"Yes sir, let's fire this sucker up. Fore and aft areas are clear and we've got a fireguard posted. All clear for the first start of the day."
"JFS start." (Jet fuel starter)
"Doors open, JFS coming up."
The JFS surges slightly as it comes up and settles at idle.
"Throttle coming over the horn."
You can feel it almost as much as hear it, there's a deep rumble as the engine spins up and ignites. It accelerates slowly at first, but you can tell just from the sound exactly where it is in the process. Faster and faster, and then there's the little wobble in the sound as the generator comes online and the anti-collision beacon starts to flash on the tail...
Once the engine was up to idle the F-16 launch goes pretty quickly, in that time I'd be checking hydraulics, looking for any leaks (fuel, hydraulics, etc.) checking filters. It's loud, even with hearing protection, and you have to be aware of where you are - the flight controls are going through their self test and a jumping around, and the intake can kill you, literally. Soon it's time for the flight control visual check, "nose up, nose down, further down, roll left, roll right, rudder left, rudder right. Speed brakes open, closing, brakes closed."
Back in the left wheel well,
"Ready on the left brake."
"Channel one."
"Movement. No movement."
"Channel two."
"Movement. No movement."
Scurry over to the right landing gear. It's easier if there is no centerline fuel tank.
"Ready on the right brake."
"Channel one."
"Movement. No movement."
"Channel two."
"Movement. No movement."
"Sir, everything looks good from here. I'm going to disconnect (the communications) and I'll see you out front. Have a great flight."
"Thanks Chief, good launch."
It looks like the bird is going flying this morning, we're nearly there. Things start moving even faster now, we're standing to the right of the intake and have disconnected the comm cord. Time to pull pins, starting with the EPU (Emergency Power Unit) safety pin located near the comm cord. Once the EPU pin is out you hold it up for the pilot to see. Once you get a thumbs up, grab the pin on the right wing tank, into the wheel well to pull the right gear pin. One last check for leaks. Out of the wheel well, pull the right chock, one last look at the wing, and back under the fuselage, making sure to stay away from the flight controls. Pull the pin on the tail hook. Back up the left side of the fuselage, grab the wing tank pin and into the left wheel well to pull the gear pin. All of the pins stow in a small box in the upper forward part of the well. It's beastly hot in here, the ECS (environmental control system) exhaust is right in front of the wheel well and it dumps out huge amounts of 350F degree engine bleed air. Back out of the wheel well, and out from under the aircraft by walking down the left wing, keeping an eye out for fuel leaks.
Drop off the comm cord over by the tool box, and head out to the front of the aircraft. Walking to the sides I can check the wingtip lights and anything that might be out of the ordinary, but this morning it looks like everything is in good shape, so it's time to head over to the marshalling position - roughly straight forward of the left wingtip launcher and about even with the pitot tube at the front of the radome.
A quick check of the landing and taxi lights means we're ready to go. The pilot gives me the pull chocks signal, and I repeat it to the fireguard. Chocks are out, I look over my shoulders, just to make sure everything is clear, hands in the air in the marshalling position. Throttle comes up, and as I signal, the aircraft pulls forward. Quick bounce of the nose as the pilot checks the brakes. I'm walking backwards (trying not to fall down, yeah, THAT would be embarrassing) and as the jet pulls up even with you, come to attention, and give your pilot a sharp salute - just has been done as long as the crew chiefs have been launching out jets. Throw your fist in the air, your bird's going up, whether for training or combat. As she taxis away I'd always slap the wingtip missile launcher hard enough that I could still feel it a couple of minutes later, and sometimes hang on and ride for a few feet, because it's going to be a good day..."
The amount of man-power the USAF could throw at stuff always amazed me. I vividly remember standing out on the red hot pan at Nellis during a mid-90's Red Flag watching an F-15E see-off team of 9 people do the "same job" as myself on a Harrier GR7, plus our "liney dance" was much simpler/quicker/less involved.
RichS said:
Do they still do that if they need to get a shift on e.g. the base is under attack or there's a real threat out there?
We had a very abbreviated version for an emergency take-off. It's different in every aircraft but it was probably less than 2 mins in a GR7 (even less if the aircraft nav unit was already aligned) which was the quickest start-up on anything I worked on.Edited by IanH755 on Tuesday 22 November 13:35
t ten minutes, this things going to be over in TWO minutes" \end Top Gun modeGassing Station | Boats, Planes & Trains | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff