Forum: F-16 Design & Construction

Never seen before! Anyone who can tell me a little bit more about these air brakes - rarely photographed in their extended position? Please understand: I'm more a historian, not a technician.

Hi-res version:
http://www.dodmedia.osd.mil/Assets/2004 ... 08132.jpeg

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Never seen before?? Is this thread a joke or am I missing something??

-Check

Not much to them really. They're just extruded aluminum plates actuated by hydrualic rams. You can actually pry them open by hand on the ground. We do it all the time for post-wash inspections.

ViperFab wrote:

Not much to them really. They're just extruded aluminum plates actuated by hydrualic rams. You can actually pry them open by hand on the ground. We do it all the time for post-wash inspections.

When I was in Jr High a pilot took me up on base and showed me around. He pried open the airbrakes on one (I'd been wondering where they were on an F-16) and I was afraid he was going to break them by opening them the "wrong way" Very Happy

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Who HASN'T seen the speedbrakes open before? There's no secret to them, open 45 degrees on landing and a total of 60 degrees any other time. Actuated by a switch on the T-Grip. There's a ton of photos in the gallery of the speedbrakes.

Hello J.J. - others,

I have fairly often seen Vipers taxi with the speed-brakes open and also parked with them open, just like the picture shows.

Greetings,

Henrik.

I would say roughly 50% of my air show static shots show the speed brakes open on F-16s. It ain't rare at all.

Speedbrakes are a part of the secondary Flight Control System.
The primary Flight Control System is (Fly by Wire) steering in pitch, roll and yaw.
The secondary Flight Control System is control of liftproduction and drag. (Leading Edge Flaps and Speedbrakes)

Extending the lnd gear imposes the 45 degree limit.

It's interesting to hear the little noise of the hydraulic fluid while you open it by hand.

Lajes

It's actually 43 degrees, the 43 degree position switch is on the outboard hinge of each speedbrake. Evil or Very Mad

Your right, not only are you not a technician (as you clearly indicated) but you obviously don't get around much F-16 aircraft either (this is hardly a rare or uncommon sight, in-flight or on the ground) it is normal to see them this way.

Such is life I guess of a computer restricted human....43 degrees max opening is the magic number as MechFromHell posted correctly for the "Speed Brakes"...not "Air Brakes" but that mistake is understandable...since your not a technician or around this aircraft much Smile

Its 43 degrees with the landing gear down until landing. once landed, a WOW (weight on wheels) switch once activated will open them full. And I always checked them after flight just in case the pilot decided to flare a little too much on landing and for leaks, gen. condition. Now, here is a pic of a jet that was having a VERY bad day. And yes Meathook, it is always funny to see how amazed people can be at very simple things for people like us. Glad you liked the pics from Norway.

Bryan

Norway is amazing, I wish I were there now, I always loved it there..your a lucky man ....cywolf

All the best to your adventures....

Good shot of the sanded-off speed brake. Our students at MacDill fairly regularly brought home different combinations of ground down speed brakes, ventral fins, and even a couple of stabs. One that we were kind of concerned with was a jet that had a damaged outboard aft stab (short Blk 10 stabs) yet the brakes and v-fins were untouched. We actually sat down with a model to try and figure out what kind of attitude it would take at touchdown to get that result.

Mike

Oh yea, I too remember all too well the many students (Luke AFB) and many seasoned "vets" that would hold that high AOA and those brakes would look like they went through a meat grinder.

If I remember right, the earlier SB's had a longer clamshell too, it really got eaten up back in the earlier days, then they got shorter. Guess they always will take a beating Smile

Forum: F-16 Design & Construction

Rare Viper shot with full extended air brakes