Tonga relief - C17 “sweeping device”?
Discussion
Thanks- the article (BBC news) said the planes were fitted with a sweeper, rather than the airport?
ETA- perhaps what was meant was that the first plane would unload a vehicle as you’ve shown and that would then maintain the runway. Poorly written sentence in the article and my brain poorly understood it!
ETA- perhaps what was meant was that the first plane would unload a vehicle as you’ve shown and that would then maintain the runway. Poorly written sentence in the article and my brain poorly understood it!
RelentlessForwardProgress said:
Thanks- the article (BBC news) said the planes were fitted with a sweeper, rather than the airport?
Something probably got 'lost in translation'. As the C17 is a cargo plane for carrying vehicles, it was probably carrying the runway sweeping vehicle. Whilst it might be possible to use the C-17 efflux to clear a runway, its going to be sucking muck into the engines as it does so. The C-17 can go in reverse, but the efflux would then be coming out towards the front, and the intake creates a visible 'whirlwind' going down to ground as it does so, which wouldn't be good if there is dust that can be picked up.Here's a Youtube video of a high speed runway sweeper in action:
You may recall from the Icelandic volcano eruption a few years ago which stopped aviation here for a while, that volcanic dust is especially abrasive, as it is freshly solidified and has not been weathered for eons as most terrestial dust and sand has.
Well the RAAF do have form for low flying in C17s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=64fYed1iXeU
(The pilot must miss flying Buccaneers)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=64fYed1iXeU
(The pilot must miss flying Buccaneers)
RelentlessForwardProgress said:
Just read that the NZ C17’s flying to Tonga as part of the relief effort have a “sweeping device” to help ensure the runway is clear of ash… is there such a thing?
I imagined it would be a low level fly past with open throttles to blow it clear
Well for a start, NZ doesn't have any C17s...I imagined it would be a low level fly past with open throttles to blow it clear
They sent a C130 yesterday, once a whole lot of defence and airport personnel and public volunteers has cleared the runway by hand.
Collectingbrass said:
Well the RAAF do have form for low flying in C17s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=64fYed1iXeU
(The pilot must miss flying Buccaneers)
The RAAF never flew the Bucc....?https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=64fYed1iXeU
(The pilot must miss flying Buccaneers)
However, he might have been an ex-Pig driver, from when they did the nighttime dump n burns
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QRdKv4cLiL0
GliderRider said:
RelentlessForwardProgress said:
Thanks- the article (BBC news) said the planes were fitted with a sweeper, rather than the airport?
Something probably got 'lost in translation'.Their ability to misunderstand and subsequently fabricate their own version of anything to do with military and/or aviation is beyond belief.
Either that, or the CBeebies lot are dual-tasking.
Crossflow Kid said:
Lost in the BBC.
Their ability to misunderstand and subsequently fabricate their own version of anything to do with military and/or aviation is beyond belief.
Either that, or the CBeebies lot are dual-tasking.
The percentage of journalists with a science degree is not high I suspect.Their ability to misunderstand and subsequently fabricate their own version of anything to do with military and/or aviation is beyond belief.
Either that, or the CBeebies lot are dual-tasking.
Simpo Two said:
Crossflow Kid said:
Lost in the BBC.
Their ability to misunderstand and subsequently fabricate their own version of anything to do with military and/or aviation is beyond belief.
Either that, or the CBeebies lot are dual-tasking.
The percentage of journalists with a science degree is not high I suspect.Their ability to misunderstand and subsequently fabricate their own version of anything to do with military and/or aviation is beyond belief.
Either that, or the CBeebies lot are dual-tasking.
To be fair, they can't be experts on everything, and each person is probably expected to cover multiple topics they don't know, without time to run it past real experts.
Munter said:
Simpo Two said:
Crossflow Kid said:
Lost in the BBC.
Their ability to misunderstand and subsequently fabricate their own version of anything to do with military and/or aviation is beyond belief.
Either that, or the CBeebies lot are dual-tasking.
The percentage of journalists with a science degree is not high I suspect.Their ability to misunderstand and subsequently fabricate their own version of anything to do with military and/or aviation is beyond belief.
Either that, or the CBeebies lot are dual-tasking.
To be fair, they can't be experts on everything, and each person is probably expected to cover multiple topics they don't know, without time to run it past real experts.
Just making stuff up because they can’t be bothered or don’t have time to check what they’re reporting?
Crossflow Kid said:
Munter said:
Simpo Two said:
Crossflow Kid said:
Lost in the BBC.
Their ability to misunderstand and subsequently fabricate their own version of anything to do with military and/or aviation is beyond belief.
Either that, or the CBeebies lot are dual-tasking.
The percentage of journalists with a science degree is not high I suspect.Their ability to misunderstand and subsequently fabricate their own version of anything to do with military and/or aviation is beyond belief.
Either that, or the CBeebies lot are dual-tasking.
To be fair, they can't be experts on everything, and each person is probably expected to cover multiple topics they don't know, without time to run it past real experts.
Just making stuff up because they can’t be bothered or don’t have time to check what they’re reporting?
These are actually C17s where they can clear the runway themselves rather than delivering road sweepers.
Air is drawn from the LP compressor in the engine and ducted through the packs and high pressure valves through an centrifugal impeller and then ducted sideways to clear the ash and a 30 meter clear segment of the runway.
These get used to clear snow on remote runways plus sand sometimes.
Think of it like reverse thrust but pointing down and to the side rather than forwards but at a much higher pressure.
Air is drawn from the LP compressor in the engine and ducted through the packs and high pressure valves through an centrifugal impeller and then ducted sideways to clear the ash and a 30 meter clear segment of the runway.
These get used to clear snow on remote runways plus sand sometimes.
Think of it like reverse thrust but pointing down and to the side rather than forwards but at a much higher pressure.
El stovey said:
These are actually C17s where they can clear the runway themselves rather than delivering road sweepers.
Air is drawn from the LP compressor in the engine and ducted through the packs and high pressure valves through an centrifugal impeller and then ducted sideways to clear the ash and a 30 meter clear segment of the runway.
These get used to clear snow on remote runways plus sand sometimes.
Think of it like reverse thrust but pointing down and to the side rather than forwards but at a much higher pressure.
Clearing snow is one thing but surely it can't desirable to blow sand, let alone volcanic ash into the air where the engines could stuck it in?Air is drawn from the LP compressor in the engine and ducted through the packs and high pressure valves through an centrifugal impeller and then ducted sideways to clear the ash and a 30 meter clear segment of the runway.
These get used to clear snow on remote runways plus sand sometimes.
Think of it like reverse thrust but pointing down and to the side rather than forwards but at a much higher pressure.
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