Forum: F-16 Design & Construction

Hey all,

I'm trying to simulate the ground effects on an f16 during landing. To do this, I need to have an estimate of the wing height above the ground during taxiing. I can't seem to find this spec anywhere and it's tough estimating from pictures. Does anyone have an idea??

Thanks and much appreciated.

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The bottom of the wing is about 5'10" off the ground, give or take a few inches.

On my Blk. 10 I could always check the servicing on my shock struts by walking under the wing, I could usually feel the wing on my hair, but not touch my head. I'm 5'9 1/2".

By the way, it only takes a single instance of a low strut to show the shortcoming (literally) of this method... Doh

Mike

Simulate in what way?

Active Member Joined: Nov 29, 2004 - 01:40 PM Posts: 146

I'd have to say that the wing is 6 feet off of the ground (at the trailing edge), when there isn't too much weighing the jet down.

I'm 5 foot 10.5 barefoot, and my boots add another inch. Depending on the fuel and weapons load, I could walk right under the wing no problem. But as was said earlier, this method can prove painfully wrong if you aren't paying attention. Doh

Don't forget that the Blk 1 - 30 are all the smaller landing gear and the 40 and up have the heavyweight gear. That makes a big difference in the wing height from the ground...

About 2-3 inches is all.

I could never check struts like that....I'm 6'2', that wing hurts a lot trust me.

Just be glad the wing leading edge isn't like that on an F-104. Which specs out at being .014 inches thick.

That will certainly leave a mark if you walk into it. It's sharper at the edge than many axes that have a serviceable edge.

The Starfighter actually had leading edge guards that were placed on them for crew safety during ground servicing.

CJ

Doesnt this depend on the loading and the amount of fuel the aircraft is taking with him?

its always between about 5'8 and 5'10 depending on loading the wings will flex a little and the jet will bounce while taxing there is a little dif between the heavy and lite landing gear but i'm 6'0 and have always had to duck my head under the wing and ive worked jets with both types of gear

One reason the height doesn't change much with store and fuel weight is the the main gear shock struts are rigid at the load ranges involved. Only wing flex and tire compression are affected by the extra weight. If you jack the airplane off the main gear, then lower it slowly, you will see the shock struts compress up to a point, then become rigid. When the airplane is fully supported by the gear, the struts are still rigid. At all normal loaded weights, the struts remain rigid. If you were to somehow grossly overload the airplane, the struts would then begin to compress until they reached full compression.

The struts are designed this way to prevent the airplane from rolling (roll axis, not tire rolling) while making a turn during taxiing. So, during taxi, only the tires act as springs, with no help from the struts. Normally the only time the struts are compressed past the static rigid condition is at landing touchdown, when the load on the main gear may reach three times the static load.

Forum: F-16 Design & Construction

Wing height above the ground during taxiing