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Flight Test Jim,

When did you do this at Spangdahlem? The reason I am asking is we don't practice this, I have never seen it done, though heard about it. From what I know about it, the reason we don't do it is cause of the hazards that you mentioned were too costly vs the benifits. I mean after all we are the premier airforce in the world. At least thats what I get told on numerous occasions.

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I can't remember if I ever saw an F-15 get winched when I was at Bitburg, but you can imagine the fun of stuffing an F-15C into those little HAS's there! We had 18 inches wingtip clearance, and it wasn't unusual for that 18 inches to turn to zero inches real quick! One night a pilot taxied out, wiped out the wingtip on the door and made it all the way to EOR before they stopped him. Caused a two mile long FOD walk.

JMC

Last edited by henkster312 on Apr 30, 2004 - 01:15 AM; edited 1 time in total

Eagle21 wrote:

I am not sure how they do it on the F-16, but on the F-15 we do it using the tie down rings on the main landing gear.

My two cents, JMC

I was asking my self if you (eagle21) have read the previous postings on this message board about the arresting gear?? I have posted a message myself about the tie down hooks 2 messages before yours and now you ask your self about how we do it on the F-16 ??

Ok,I know I talk about experience from another AF but it's still the same.
We use the same tiedown loops on the back of the main landing gear.

greetz

Henkster

Eagle21, I winched more jets into TabV's at Bitburg than I can count! It was quite a stressful thing the first half dozen or so until you got the feel for it. For the most part the only real damage that was common was cut tires from the rails when it got a bit too close and tight. Never heard of any one smacking a wingtip on the way in. But I have heard many stories about wing tips getting clipped by the pilot on the way out.

Hey Mark, at Bitburg I was in AR shop and the MOC, so just didn't remember seeing any jets being winched there. I just assumed they were. Working in wheel and tire I learned all about rail cuts! Those tires had to be replaced completely, couldn't even be retreaded (back when we were allowed to use retreads). When were you at Bitburg? I thought it was the best base in the AF.

Also, Henkster, I saw your post. I wrote it that way because I didn't have personal experience with F-16 winching, like I do with the big gray pig. Thank you for setting me straight.

JMC

Eagle21 no hard feelings and I understand that there is a big difference between a Falcon and an Eagle. But in my eyes there is not much difference in wiching them in to a HAS or TabV.

OK the only difference is the wing span and yes that can be tricky when you are new in this job.

greetz henkster

Eagle21, I was there from 81-83 in the 22nd. I was there for the big changeover from the A/B's to C/D's. I agree with your statement about it being the best base in the AF, I thoroughly enjoyed my time there!!!

I think it was last summer, we has the folks from Mountain Home AFB come spend a few months with us when their runway was re-paved. They lived along side the ANG A-10's here in Boise. When their F-15's and F-16's were active, we had to close one of our runways to anything but the Air Force because they had strung a removeable arresting cable across the runway (they removed it after ops were over for the day). The runway they used was actually the farthest away from their ramp & closest to the passenger terminal. But they did this because the other runway had centerline lights, and they were afraid a tailhook landing might take out one of the lights.

I seem to remember when we had F-4's flying out of Boise in the early 90's that we had a cable installed at all times then. I actualy saw one coming in hook down one afternoon.

Anyways, this is a great websight!

IDCrewDawg, when I was in QA at Spangledesh, we had to certify a HAS and a few crews (pilots, DCC, ADCC, and launch asssits) for hot-winching prior to a NATO TAC Eval. I think we did 6 or 7 crews, using one HAS in the 23rd FS area. I'm not sure what year it was (1997/8??). But we didn't do it often. At Hahn, 1988-89 (before the wall came down and Hahn closed), we Hot Winched almost every month or so. I think all the aircrew, and most ground crew were qualified during those times.

Quote:

There are rings on the main gear, however those are for mooring of the aircraft in high winds.

Okay IDCrewDawg, and everyone else with questions about the 'Tow Rings".

a quote form the 9JG (Towing and Taxing job guide) states:

"Connect towline to tow ring on each main gear wheel
axle. Allow towline to extend aft of main gear wheels"

While every contry may NOT use this proceedure, it is available for ALL F-16s.

Quote:

Early generations of shelters had a winch to pull the aircraft into the shelter, however the aircraft had an APU (auxillary power unit) to give hydraulic and electrical power. The F-16 is not equiped with this feature as you all must know.

The F-16 is directed by a tow bar (manually) or while the engine is running (pilot steers with direction from gournd crew) to pull it back in to the shelter.

I know it is available, I also know we don't do it normally.

Joined: Feb 01, 2007 Posts: 0 Status: Offline

Some photos of the Hook as configured during "High-Power" ground runs. This shows the tie-down in use inside a "Hush House" but the rig can be used outdoors on rated trim pads. Note the "shear-bolt" is removed for these runs, as it would be damaged/destroyed. I will post these to the Photo section as well.

Newbie Joined: May 14, 2004 Posts: 1 Status: Offline

DeepSpace wrote:

For emergencies cases on ground landings. For example, in the case of the Israeli F-15 that landed without it's right wing. The pilot used the arrestor hook, but the hook teared up due to the higher landing speed that he landed ib.

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