Air Force Afghanistan Channel 5
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Question for the few RAF types about.
A Harrier had a ground test and was chained down. The test was required after the maintenance crew found a fuel leak (which subsequently required engine removal to fix).
During the test an engineer sits in the cockpit to throttle up. If the fuel leak was still there and became a major issue, would he be able to eject with no forward velocity and no height?
He didn't appear to be strapped in so it could be a moot point. But I was just wondering.
Best answer wins a biscuit!
A Harrier had a ground test and was chained down. The test was required after the maintenance crew found a fuel leak (which subsequently required engine removal to fix).
During the test an engineer sits in the cockpit to throttle up. If the fuel leak was still there and became a major issue, would he be able to eject with no forward velocity and no height?
He didn't appear to be strapped in so it could be a moot point. But I was just wondering.
Best answer wins a biscuit!
E-one deserves a biscuit, the Harrier does have a zero-zero seat, and it wouldn't be armed. (non fitting of saftey pins by flight crew is usually a beer fine) However I can't envisige a time when an engineer would need to eject, a fuel leak is not a major issue, have you ever tried to burn JET-A1? (to burn in the turbine it has to be vapourised).
So to answer your question, yes, an engineer could eject on the ground, but only when strapped in, with the system armed. I would also presume that the canopy would have to be shut and locked, to allow the seat to pass through it.
So to answer your question, yes, an engineer could eject on the ground, but only when strapped in, with the system armed. I would also presume that the canopy would have to be shut and locked, to allow the seat to pass through it.
[quote=Karl]Question for the few RAF types about.
A Harrier had a ground test and was chained down. The test was required after the maintenance crew found a fuel leak (which subsequently required engine removal to fix).
During the test an engineer sits in the cockpit to throttle up. If the fuel leak was still there and became a major issue, would he be able to eject with no forward velocity and no height?
He didn't appear to be strapped in so it could be a moot point. But I was just wondering.
Best answer wins a biscuit!
[/quote]
They will have done a leak check before going to all the trouble of putting the engine back in and the wing back on.
The post maintenance engine run is more for a leak check of the disturbed systems and to check the controls all work as they should along with all the engine figures.
The harrier seat has to operate in a fairly unique set of circumstances, as well as having to operate in the same parameters as a 'normal' aircraft, the Harrier seat has to be able to chuck the pilot out whilst the aircraft could falling vertically out of a hovver, to compensate for this, larger rockets are fitted.
A Harrier had a ground test and was chained down. The test was required after the maintenance crew found a fuel leak (which subsequently required engine removal to fix).
During the test an engineer sits in the cockpit to throttle up. If the fuel leak was still there and became a major issue, would he be able to eject with no forward velocity and no height?
He didn't appear to be strapped in so it could be a moot point. But I was just wondering.
Best answer wins a biscuit!
[/quote]
They will have done a leak check before going to all the trouble of putting the engine back in and the wing back on.
The post maintenance engine run is more for a leak check of the disturbed systems and to check the controls all work as they should along with all the engine figures.
The harrier seat has to operate in a fairly unique set of circumstances, as well as having to operate in the same parameters as a 'normal' aircraft, the Harrier seat has to be able to chuck the pilot out whilst the aircraft could falling vertically out of a hovver, to compensate for this, larger rockets are fitted.
eccles said:
Karl said:
Question for the few RAF types about.
A Harrier had a ground test and was chained down. The test was required after the maintenance crew found a fuel leak (which subsequently required engine removal to fix).
During the test an engineer sits in the cockpit to throttle up. If the fuel leak was still there and became a major issue, would he be able to eject with no forward velocity and no height?
He didn't appear to be strapped in so it could be a moot point. But I was just wondering.
Best answer wins a biscuit!
They will have done a leak check before going to all the trouble of putting the engine back in and the wing back on.A Harrier had a ground test and was chained down. The test was required after the maintenance crew found a fuel leak (which subsequently required engine removal to fix).
During the test an engineer sits in the cockpit to throttle up. If the fuel leak was still there and became a major issue, would he be able to eject with no forward velocity and no height?
He didn't appear to be strapped in so it could be a moot point. But I was just wondering.
Best answer wins a biscuit!
The post maintenance engine run is more for a leak check of the disturbed systems and to check the controls all work as they should along with all the engine figures.
The harrier seat has to operate in a fairly unique set of circumstances, as well as having to operate in the same parameters as a 'normal' aircraft, the Harrier seat has to be able to chuck the pilot out whilst the aircraft could falling vertically out of a hovver, to compensate for this, larger rockets are fitted.
So the provision is there for the ultimate escape, why would the engineer not be strapped in with the seat live, just in case? I'm guessing he wasn't. He was only wearing ear defenders and appeared to be moving about inside the cockpit (which was closed).
Eric Mc - I think my Dad was on SAR cover for that Harrier "incident" I shall have to check with him. I remember it well.
[quote=Karl]
The post maintenance engine run is more for a leak check of the disturbed systems and to check the controls all work as they should along with all the engine figures.
The harrier seat has to operate in a fairly unique set of circumstances, as well as having to operate in the same parameters as a 'normal' aircraft, the Harrier seat has to be able to chuck the pilot out whilst the aircraft could falling vertically out of a hovver, to compensate for this, larger rockets are fitted.That should really have occurred to me! Ah well, I was on my second glass at the time I posed the question.
So the provision is there for the ultimate escape, why would the engineer not be strapped in with the seat live, just in case? I'm guessing he wasn't. He was only wearing ear defenders and appeared to be moving about inside the cockpit (which was closed).
Eric Mc - I think my Dad was on SAR cover for that Harrier "incident" I shall have to check with him. I remember it well.
It happened in 2002 - so not THAT long ago.eccles said:
Karl said:
Question for the few RAF types about.
A Harrier had a ground test and was chained down. The test was required after the maintenance crew found a fuel leak (which subsequently required engine removal to fix).
During the test an engineer sits in the cockpit to throttle up. If the fuel leak was still there and became a major issue, would he be able to eject with no forward velocity and no height?
He didn't appear to be strapped in so it could be a moot point. But I was just wondering.
Best answer wins a biscuit!
They will have done a leak check before going to all the trouble of putting the engine back in and the wing back on.A Harrier had a ground test and was chained down. The test was required after the maintenance crew found a fuel leak (which subsequently required engine removal to fix).
During the test an engineer sits in the cockpit to throttle up. If the fuel leak was still there and became a major issue, would he be able to eject with no forward velocity and no height?
He didn't appear to be strapped in so it could be a moot point. But I was just wondering.
Best answer wins a biscuit!
The post maintenance engine run is more for a leak check of the disturbed systems and to check the controls all work as they should along with all the engine figures.
The harrier seat has to operate in a fairly unique set of circumstances, as well as having to operate in the same parameters as a 'normal' aircraft, the Harrier seat has to be able to chuck the pilot out whilst the aircraft could falling vertically out of a hovver, to compensate for this, larger rockets are fitted.
So the provision is there for the ultimate escape, why would the engineer not be strapped in with the seat live, just in case? I'm guessing he wasn't. He was only wearing ear defenders and appeared to be moving about inside the cockpit (which was closed).
Eric Mc - I think my Dad was on SAR cover for that Harrier "incident" I shall have to check with him. I remember it well.
[quote=Karl]
The post maintenance engine run is more for a leak check of the disturbed systems and to check the controls all work as they should along with all the engine figures.
The harrier seat has to operate in a fairly unique set of circumstances, as well as having to operate in the same parameters as a 'normal' aircraft, the Harrier seat has to be able to chuck the pilot out whilst the aircraft could falling vertically out of a hovver, to compensate for this, larger rockets are fitted.That should really have occurred to me! Ah well, I was on my second glass at the time I posed the question.
So the provision is there for the ultimate escape, why would the engineer not be strapped in with the seat live, just in case? I'm guessing he wasn't. He was only wearing ear defenders and appeared to be moving about inside the cockpit (which was closed).
Eric Mc - I think my Dad was on SAR cover for that Harrier "incident" I shall have to check with him. I remember it well.
There's no need to strap in for ground runs, if it all goes wrong you can switch off and jump over the side. To use the seat with any degree of safety you'd have to wear most of what a pilot wears to give the leg and arm restraints something to plug into, plus you'd have to undergo some rudimentary parachute training.eccles said:
Karl said:
Question for the few RAF types about.
A Harrier had a ground test and was chained down. The test was required after the maintenance crew found a fuel leak (which subsequently required engine removal to fix).
During the test an engineer sits in the cockpit to throttle up. If the fuel leak was still there and became a major issue, would he be able to eject with no forward velocity and no height?
He didn't appear to be strapped in so it could be a moot point. But I was just wondering.
Best answer wins a biscuit!
They will have done a leak check before going to all the trouble of putting the engine back in and the wing back on.A Harrier had a ground test and was chained down. The test was required after the maintenance crew found a fuel leak (which subsequently required engine removal to fix).
During the test an engineer sits in the cockpit to throttle up. If the fuel leak was still there and became a major issue, would he be able to eject with no forward velocity and no height?
He didn't appear to be strapped in so it could be a moot point. But I was just wondering.
Best answer wins a biscuit!
The post maintenance engine run is more for a leak check of the disturbed systems and to check the controls all work as they should along with all the engine figures.
The harrier seat has to operate in a fairly unique set of circumstances, as well as having to operate in the same parameters as a 'normal' aircraft, the Harrier seat has to be able to chuck the pilot out whilst the aircraft could falling vertically out of a hovver, to compensate for this, larger rockets are fitted.
So the provision is there for the ultimate escape, why would the engineer not be strapped in with the seat live, just in case? I'm guessing he wasn't. He was only wearing ear defenders and appeared to be moving about inside the cockpit (which was closed).
Eric Mc - I think my Dad was on SAR cover for that Harrier "incident" I shall have to check with him. I remember it well.
Usually you wear a headset whilst doing runs, as communication with the guys on the outside is very important to let you know of any problems early.
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