F-35C Lands at Lakehurst For Testing

[neptune]

...[b]resolving lingering
technical design shortfalls to include the F-35C Arresting Hook...

Not so much about the hook but...what has happened to the failed?? (cracked) bulkhead design the hook connects on?

Is CF-03 the only one (SDD) to upgrade this bulkhead and is this retro-fit to be the new design norm for the F-35C?

[spazsinbad]

What failed hook bulkhead is that exactly? Got a reference?

[spazsinbad]

Reporters do get details wrong for whatever reason. I had thought F-35C Carrier Tests were for October this year [see top previous page] but perhaps not, according to this article. Substitute 'THIS' for 'Next' and we are good to go?

F-35 strike fighter is focus of demonstration 23 Apr 2014 Hugh Lessig, Daily Press (Newport News, Va.)

"SUFFOLK — Fighter jock Randy Forbes, better known as that congressman from Chesapeake, climbed into an F-35 cockpit simulator on Tuesday, descended through clear skies and nailed his landing on an aircraft carrier....

'''Lockheed Martin Corp., the prime contractor, showcased the jet's capabilities at its Center for Innovation in Suffolk....

...The first Marine Corps F-35 squadron has been staffed and will go operational next year. Later next year, the Navy will go to sea with the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz for its first carrier-based F-35 landing....

...At Lockheed's center in Suffolk, the company analyzes the aircraft through computer modeling and simulation. That can be particularly helpful when determining how the Navy version of the aircraft will hold up in the rough environment at sea. It can simulate a launch, a mission and determine how that affects maintenance needs.

"We can do a day in the life of an F-35 on an aircraft carrier," said Jim McArthur, center vice president. "The airplane will tell you what needs to be done in terms of maintenance, and it will tell you when it needs to occur."..."

SOURCE: http://www.stripes.com/news/us/f-35-str ... n-1.279483

[spazsinbad]

This snippet of HOOK news seems to have bypassed the rigid anti-F-35 crowd - but not for long eh? Just Dump Fuel and Ignite? [F-111 crowd pleaser]

...STATEMENT OF: Lt General Christopher C. Bogdan to SASC Program Executive Officer F-35 02 Apr 2014

"...Program Accomplishments in the Last Year
The F-35 program team achieved a number of accomplishments in 2013, including delivery of 35 aircraft; rolling-out of the 100th jet from the production facility in Fort Worth; completion of the Block 3 Critical Design Review; announcing the decision to cease development of an alternate Helmet Mounted Display System (HMDS); and resolving lingering technical design shortfalls to include the F-35C Arresting Hook, Night / Instrument (IMC), Fuel Dump, and Lightning Protection....

...The program also saw improvements with the redesigned F-35C arresting hook system on our CF-3 aircraft. In January 2014, the F-35 team accomplished 36 for 36 successful roll-in arrestment tests at Lakehurst, NJ. The aircraft is now at Patuxent River where it is continuing its ship suitability testing. Thus far CF-3 accomplished 8 for 8 fly in arrestments while at Patuxent River; however, testing has been delayed for approximately 60 days as we discovered a minor nose gear issue. These tests are expected to lead to a certification of the F-35C for shipboard flight trials, which are planned to commence fourth quarter 2014.

The program has also made progress on the redesigned fuel dumping seal and port. The F-35 employs a unique fuel dumping port on the underside of the wings in order to maintain its stealthy signature. Early fuel dump testing revealed that fuel was collecting within the wing flaperon cove, which led to significant external fuel wetting and pooling of fuel at the wing/fuselage root. We redesigned the fuel dump port to more efficiently move fuel away from the wing surface and designed a new and improved flaperon seal to minimize fuel collecting in the cove. Fuel dump testing with the redesigned seal and port has been successful and we are incorporating the new design in all three variants.

SOURCE: http://www.airforcemag.com/testimony/Do ... bogdan.pdf (100Kb)

[neptune]

What failed hook bulkhead is that exactly? Got a reference?

Not yet, hoping you did! Maybe soon or I'll delete it; yuck!

[popcorn]

AFAIK no structural changes were required in connection with redesigning the arrestor hook.

[spazsinbad]

Hmmm, there is a difference between 'failed' and 'AHS attachment point not strong' enough as I recall. Easy enough to look back on this thread and will do so now. On previous page with have this: & wait... there will be more...

GAO JSF/F-35 Report to Congress March 2014 page 15

"...Arresting Hook System - allows the F-35 carrier-suitable variant to engage landing wires on aircraft carriers, was redesigned after the original hook system was found to be deficient. The program determined that the original hook assembly was not strong enough to reliably catch the wire and stop the airplane. As a result, the program modified the hook system’s hydraulic components, and made structural modifications to the plane...."

SOURCE: http://www.gao.gov/assets/670/661842.pdf (1.6Mb)

U.S. Deputy Program Manager Outlines F-35 Fixes 08 Apr 2014 AINonline Bill Carey

"...The initially deficient tail hook of the F-35C carrier variant has been redesigned and proven at the Navy’s carrier suitability test site in Lakehurst, N.J., without requiring structural changes to the airframe, Mahr said. The redesigned tail hook catches an arresting wire “comparable to that of legacy airplanes, including the F-18,” he said. “Nobody catches the wire every time, but we’re in the high 90-percent [range]. The hook works.” The Navy plans to fly an F-35C for the first time to an aircraft carrier, the USS Nimitz, this fall...."

SOURCE: http://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/ ... f-35-fixes

F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) DOTE Jan 2014

"...F-35C Air-Ship Integration and Ship Suitability Testing...
...-- The program began testing its redesigned arresting hook system on a flight test aircraft in late CY13. The redesign was necessary after the original system failed to engage the cable and demonstrate sufficient load-carrying capacity...."

SOURCE: http://www.dote.osd.mil/pub/reports/FY2 ... Report.pdf (48Mb]

[spazsinbad]

I wonder if this nose gear modification has anything to do with the 60 day 'fixit' period now before restart arrest test?

F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) DOTE Jan 2014

"...F-35C Flight Sciences
Flight Test Activity with CF-1, CF-2, and CF-3 Test Aircraft
• F-35C flight sciences focused on:...
...-- Carrier suitability testing in preparation for the first set of ship trials scheduled for mid-CY14. The program
configured aircraft CF-3 with a modified and instrumented nose landing gear system to begin initial catapult testing in August 2013. The test team modified CF-3 with the new arresting hook system and began on-aircraft testing with rolling engagements in late CY13...."

SOURCE: http://www.dote.osd.mil/pub/reports/FY2 ... Report.pdf (48Mb)

[spazsinbad]

An interesting (to me anyways) statistic which probably explains (to those not familiar with NavAv) why the USN insist on going slowly slowly but surely with their testing of the carrier bits (including the X-47B)....

Admiral: China Will Likely Learn Carrier Ropes Faster than U.S. USNI News Editor
Published: May 16, 2013 Updated: March 6, 2014

"...The U.S. Navy’s education in carrier aviation came at a high price. From 1949 to 1988, “the Navy and Marine Corps lost almost twelve thousand airplanes of all types (helicopters, trainers, and patrol planes, in addition to jets) and over 8,500 aircrew,” according a section of the book “One Hundred Years of U.S. Navy Airpower” by Robert C. Rubel.

SOURCE: http://news.usni.org/2013/05/16/admiral ... r-than-u-s

[spazsinbad]

Very good story with some excellent photos about HOW USAF Arrest Test their FOBs - this time in Estonia.

48th AEG takes critical step to validate NATO FOB 25 Apr 2014 by Airman 1st Class Dana J. Butler
48th Fighter Wing Public Affairs

"4/25/2014 - SIAULIAI AIR BASE, Lithuania -- Airmen from the 48th Air Expeditionary Group recently took a trip to Amari Air Base, Estonia, to engage and certify the aircraft arresting system, taking a critical step toward validating the new NATO Forward Operating Base....

...Two F-15C Eagles, originally from Royal Air Force Lakenheath, U.K., helped conduct the certification.

Fighters staged at each end of the runway took turns engaging the barrier by taxiing at about 130 miles per hour with their tail hook lowered so as to hook onto the cable, which gradually slowed the aircraft to a safe, complete stop, much like what occurs on an aircraft carrier. [NO WAY JOSE! Not sure now of pullout length on USN carriers - I think it is less than 350 feet? I would have to check - a carrier arrested landing is something else again in comparison with a runway arrest but whatever...]

Once the aircraft was no longer moving, emergency crews, already standing by, rushed in to tend to the pilot and shut down the plane's engines before setting up for the next engagement.

According to Nicholson, the Air Force requires barrier engagement tests every 12 months if not engaged by a plane in a one-year time span.

"The initial certification of the aircraft arresting system involves taking an active aircraft and approaching the cable at a designated speed based on the weight of the aircraft; it engages the cable, which will stop the aircraft in around 1,000 feet," said Nicholson...." [Older systems stopped aircraft in around 1,200 feet as I recall.]

SOURCE: http://www.usafe.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123408579

F-15 Arresting Side View:
http://www.usafe.af.mil/shared/media/ph ... 34-315.JPG

CAPTION: "An F-15C Eagle engages a barrier at Amari Air Base, Estonia, April 22, 2014. Members of the 48th Air Expeditionary Group recently took a trip to Amari AB to engage and certify the aircraft arresting system, taking a critical step toward validating the new NATO Forward Operating Base. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Dana J. Butler/Released)"

F-15 Arrested Rear View:
http://www.usafe.af.mil/shared/media/ph ... 34-363.JPG

CAPTION: "An F-15C Eagle sits on the runway after a certification barrier engagement at Amari Air Base, Estonia, April 22, 2014. Members of the 48th Air Expeditionary Group recently took a trip to Amari AB to engage and certify the aircraft arresting system, taking a critical step toward validating the new NATO Forward Operating Base. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Dana J. Butler/Released)"

[spazsinbad]

Earlier (but later 2012) reference on this thread page 24 here: viewtopic.php?f=57&t=15767&p=261799&hilit=longitudinal#p261799

STRIKE TEST NEWS Air Test and Evaluation Squadron 23 Newsletter 2011 Issue

FIXED WING SHIP SUITABILITY (SHAKE, RATTLE AND ROLL) LT David “La Douche” Hafeman - Page 18

"Every aircraft, store, or sensor that flies off the ship at some point needs to be tested to ensure that it
can meet the demanding loads associated with a catapult shot or an arrested landing.

Sometimes referred to as “Shake, Rattle and Roll” testing, this is a unique specialty area of flight test that we do more of than anyone else in the world. Shake testing includes both catapults and arrested landings. Catapults build up in longitudinal acceleration up to 5.5g, and include shots with the aircraft deliberately off center in the shuttle. Arrested landings include high sink rates up to 20 feet per second (which translates to 1200 feet per minute or about a 5° flight path angle), maximum deceleration points, free flight engagements, and 18 foot off center points. There is both art and science involved in flying and waving these demanding test points...."

SOURCE: http://www.navair.navy.mil/nawcad/index ... oad&id=769 (PDF 3Mb)

[XanderCrews]

Earlier (but later 2012) reference on this thread page 24 here: viewtopic.php?f=57&t=15767&p=261799&hilit=longitudinal#p261799

STRIKE TEST NEWS Air Test and Evaluation Squadron 23 Newsletter 2011 Issue

FIXED WING SHIP SUITABILITY (SHAKE, RATTLE AND ROLL) LT David “La Douche” Hafeman - Page 18

"Every aircraft, store, or sensor that flies off the ship at some point needs to be tested to ensure that it
can meet the demanding loads associated with a catapult shot or an arrested landing.

Sometimes referred to as “Shake, Rattle and Roll” testing, this is a unique specialty area of flight test that we do more of than anyone else in the world. Shake testing includes both catapults and arrested landings. Catapults build up in longitudinal acceleration up to 5.5g, and include shots with the aircraft deliberately off center in the shuttle. Arrested landings include high sink rates up to 20 feet per second (which translates to 1200 feet per minute or about a 5° flight path angle), maximum deceleration points, free flight engagements, and 18 foot off center points. There is both art and science involved in flying and waving these demanding test points...."

SOURCE: http://www.navair.navy.mil/nawcad/index ... oad&id=769 (PDF 3Mb)

Can't wait to see the crazy pictures that will quickly "prove" F-35C is unlandable. Thank you for the F-15 pics

[spazsinbad]

Maybe this guy'll dance a jig for us instead of walking the plank?

Tailhook13 HOOK Explanation VADM Dunaway NavAir 07 Sep 2013 Aviation Flag Panel

[sferrin]

Very good story with some excellent photos about HOW USAF Arrest Test their FOBs - this time in Estonia.

That's pretty cool. Coincidentally enough, this video popped up a few weeks ago of some F-16s doing the same thing at the Denver airport.

[spazsinbad]

Thanks. A 'Mile High Arrest'! - Always Wanted One of THOSE!