Corrosion Prevention Program....US Navy Style!

[SASless]

Every now and then one runs across evidence that challenges belief....and this one did it for me!

Pray tell anyone....why is that Seahawk perched way up there on the forward deck edge?

What kind of thinking led to that decision?

Reckon someone ought to be flogged in front of all hands for that?

Reckon that old girl will be a maintenance nightmare after this?

http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=0f9_1207995501

[Capt SFB]

Hmmm,

And I thought our 500's on the tuna boats got a hiding from the weather!!:{ Yep, someone should be flogged!!

Cheers,
Capt SFB

[Brian Abraham]

Corrosion quality control assurance program SAS. :p

[helofixer]

Man thats some rough seas to be shipping water over the bow of an aircraft carrier. But yeah, whoever decided to leave that aircraft chained down on the bow needs the lash.

[Trojan1981]

Thats alright, they'll just buy another

[Langball]

Maybe I’m being naïve, but I always seem to give people ‘the benefit of the doubt’. If we assume the naval personnel are not stupid, and that they didn’t plan to leave the aircraft out in these conditions, then there must be a good reason why they ended up as they did. But I can’t figure it out for the hell of me. Maybe the weather conditions deteriorated unexpectedly. Can’t think of another reason.

Maybe we need some ex-naval types to give us an insight.

I've experience of trying to maintain equipment in a salt laden environment, I'd consider that machine a 'write off' after having seen that video (a complete strip down at least).

[forget]

I'd consider that machine a 'write off' after having seen that video (a complete strip down at least).

I suspect it already was a write off. The US Navy ain't that stupid. Something was being tested, new weather seals - whatever.

[Langball]

I can easily believe the theory about testing a 'write off', but what about the F18, seems to be faring only reasonably better, doesn't appear to have any covers on either.

[SASless]

Maybe it was the Hangar Queen....and it was spotted there with every hope it would be washed overboard by an opportune wave.....water seals could be tested much easier using a P-3 washdown rack as at NAS PAX River (the USN aviation test facility).

[js0987]

How's this for a possible explanation? The Seahawk had taken the admiral to some conference somewhere and was waiting to return to the ship. The weather was getting increasingly worse as the pilots agitated the admiral's aide to get the old man and let's go. Naturally the admiral has his own schedual, so the weather continues to worsen. By the time the admiral is ready to go, the seas and winds are so bad that the only way to safely return is to have the ship turn downwind and have the Seahawk land facing aft. With the ship heaving badly, the safest spot is clear of all aircraft on the bow. The aircraft lands, but it too dangerous to tow it, so they chain it down where it sits, and the ship resumes course. Mission accomplished - the admiral is home.

I hear Bette Midler singing "Memories" right now!

[IFMU]

Aren't all the pieces on that aircraft qualified for salt fog? That's salt fog if I've ever seen it.

-- IFMU

[Doors Off]

You are all wrong, the object that appears to be a Seahawk is actually the EAT ME (Escape Aircraft Trainer - Maritime Embarked) that is used to qualify crews for underwater escape training. :} That is one angry ocean, I think flying that thing would be the last of my worries :yuk::yuk::yuk::yuk:

[js0987]

Is the EAT ME a seaborne version of the Dilbert Dunker or has the Navy got a new, high tech gadget to keelhaul sailors?

[ecureilx]

Years ago, one of my USN friends told me one chopper is on Quick response - for overboard sailors or ditching aircraft. :sad:

And this is tethered at the bow of the carrier, so less time to launch, or something like that... with a crew ready in the cockpit at all times (guess not in this instance... )

Maybe a carrier guy can confirm this. .

[airborne_artist]

That's a big, big sea. Hard to judge it, but it could easily be a Beaufort nine or ten (Force ten is 60 kts at 10m above sea level), and that deck is at least 25m above the waves, normally....

My guess is that it blew up too fast, and before they could get safely to that helo, to stow in the hangar. For all we know they might have already tucked up six or seven others.

It's easier to leave it up on deck than to have to write to ten families telling them their loved-one is in the ocean somewhere.

[lowflier03]

js0987 had it pretty close. We were busy doing a bunch of "required" ops/transfers. The weather got ****ty fast, the best way for the ship to get winds at the time involved landing the helo "down the throat." As an FYI the waves were large enough that they almost "touched" the helo as it was on short final. The blades are all folded back in the normal storage position for the ship. There was no way we were going to attempt to move the helo in those seas. As another FYI that bird flew Plane Guard the next day. A true testament to our maintainers.

[Supersport]

All materials used for mechanical parts and body work that are used to construct such vehicles undergo extensive tests. From UV tests to massive stress tests. One test in which a lot of focus is put on is the salt spray test. Specimens are left for 100's and 100's of hours, sometimes 1000's of hours and constantly exposed to high concerntrations of salt spray. The specimens are examined at regular intervals for degradation, pitting, corrosion etc. The best performers are identified, maybe some coatings are applied for example HVOF to increase life, and the parts go into production.

So rest assured, as far as corrosion is concerned with regard to the brine, depending on the aircraft / vehicles age and maintainence record you should be good. I'd be more bothered about sand and grit damage rather then salt. It is quite amazing, a very small quantity of sand or grit can be very destructive indeed.