Forum: Military Aircraft of the Cold War

Hi
I'm wondering, is the F-15E still 9G capable when there's AG stores loaded? Or is there a G limiter that prevents the aircraft from going 9G?

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I don't have any F-15 experience, but typical air to ground g-limits are 5.5g. I am certain the F-15E does not have 9g limits for a to g stores. Also don't know if it has a g limiter for any loading. F-15 A,B,C,D do not have a g limiter, but the E is a different bird, with many improvements.

As you may know the F-16 has a 9g limiter for air to air loadings, but no limiter for air to ground. Most a-g stores are limited to 5.5g, and the pilot is responsible for not exceeding the limit by referring to the g meter in the HUD.

Forum Veteran Joined: Dec 15, 2006 - 12:28 AM Posts: 760

Wasn’t there an F-15 in Iraq that was heavily loaded and ripped off a drop tank or ground ordnance on bank & climb out ant relatively low G? I think later they analyzed the load out, bank and climb rate and the some sort of limit was exceeded?

skwabie wrote:

Hi
I'm wondering, is the F-15E still 9G capable when there's AG stores loaded? Or is there a G limiter that prevents the aircraft from going 9G?

I think your mixing up terms, there is a "G LIMIT" but not a G LIMITER.
You can over G anything, (exceeding your G limit), regardless of having prop in the nose or a jet in you rear end.

Yes you can 9G an F-15E with a full load of bombs, but you may hear all kinds of bad sounds like cracking and popping as the wings and backbone began to twist and bend beyond limits. Sad

The older the jet, the more hours on the airframe all factor in to what the "g limit" is for a given mission and aircraft.

ACMIguy wrote:

but you may hear all kinds of bad sounds like cracking and popping as the wings and backbone began to twist and bend beyond limits.

A light gray Eagle Driver in Alaska found that out the hard way, when he passed over the field at ludicrous speed with 3 bags slung under the jet. When he pulled up into the max climb, he went one way and the wings went the other way. He ended up going down in the Yukon River, and unfortunately didn't make it.

Well looks like the eagle doesn't have as advanced FLCS as the hornet or viper.
I'm told that the AFCS does calculate the max G and has a OSW system to warn the pilot, but that's all.

Eagles aren't fly by wire jets. They are mostly analog ( rods and cables ) with some digital assist appliances.

Forum: Military Aircraft of the Cold War

G limit of the F-15E when loading AG stores