Video: 15 Min History of Land Arrest Systems from GO to WHOA!

[SpazSinbad]

Better Way ESCO Arresting Jan 10, 2013 [15 mins]
"Better Way is a Marketing film from our former company, ADEC (Gulf & Western / E.W. Bliss) and its amazing Aircraft Arresting Systems that we still produce today!"

Better Way - YouTube

[Courtney Mil]

Good film, Spaz. You'd think after we've been doing it for so long, LM could make it work on, say, any new aircraft they might design!

[SpazSinbad]

As indicated on the long running thread elsewhere [ http://www.pprune.org/military-aircrew/424953-f-35-cancelled-then-what-187.html#post8180119 ] we may see more of this in Dec 2013. That same thread - earlier [ http://www.pprune.org/military-aircrew/424953-f-35-cancelled-then-what-118.html#post7839095 ] - has more detail on what the SHAKE means but I do not know if the Full BAKE & SHAKE will happen in Dec. Probably just the easy bits. We find out soon enough methinks.

STRIKE TEST NEWS Air Test and Evaluation Squadron 23 Newsletter 2013 Issue [produced 11 Oct 2013]
“...Considerable carrier suitability testing was performed at NAS Patuxent River and NAS Lakehurst, bounding the scope of the technical challenges discovered with the landing and arresting gear systems on the F-35C. During this testing, CF-3 performed the 1st field arrestment during a roll-in arrestment to MK-7 arresting gear. Later in the year, CF-3 conducted over 40 successful roll-in arrestments to MK-7 and E-28 arresting gear and performed five operationally representative fly-in arrestments to MK-7 arresting gear....”
&
“...SHIP SUITABILITY PROJECT TEAM – LCDR Thomas “Ub” Kneale, Department Head
...We have... basic responsibilities here at Ship Suitability:... Shake, Rattle, and Roll (SRR) or “shakes;” and new ship systems.... “Shakes” are the testing we do to the limit of shipboard conditions (maximum off-center arrestment, maximum sink rate arrestment, etc.) for new aircraft systems in order to certify them for shipboard use. This is challenging and rewarding flight test, which takes us right to the edge of the aircraft and launch and recovery system limits....

...In the accomplishment of our ship suitability mission, one of the lesser known things we do here at VX-23 is operate a unique, shore-based TC-7 catapult and Mk-7 arresting gear.... I want to express my hearty thanks and job well done to our TC-7/Mk-7 personnel. BZ!"
http://www.navair.navy.mil/nawcad/index.cfm?fuseaction=home.download&id=767 (PDF 1.8Mb)

& Just in case youse are wondering about 'the five flew ins' above here is a thought via AMY ["Lucky you're with AMI" :} - you have to be in Oz for that one - INSURANCE slogan] :

Lockheed Closer To Tailhook Design Fix For F-35C By Amy Butler 19 Sep 2012
“Lockheed Martin officials are creeping closer to a solution to problems with the tail-hook design for the U.S. Navy F-35C. The original design failed to snag the arresting wire in early testing owing to two problems: the point of the hook was not sharp enough to scoop under the wire and securely grab it, and a dampener device was not sufficient to maintain a hold on the wire. Essentially, the hook was bouncing upon landing, reducing the likelihood of a successful arrested landing. Lockheed Martin, the F-35 prime contractor, has redesigned the hook to address those problems. An interim version, which has a sharpened point but lacks the dampener, was tested.

In three of five recent attempts, the redesigned hook did capture the wire; the failures were due to the pilot landing the aircraft too far from the wire for a successful arresting. This testing “was highly successful in demonstrating that when presented the wire... it will grab the wire,” says J.D. McFarlan, Lockheed Martin’s vice president of test and evaluation for the F-35 program. He briefed reporters Sept. 18 during the annual Air Force Assn. conference in Washington. These failures to grab the wire were predicted by models based on where the pilots landed the aircraft, McFarlan says. This, he notes, helps to validate the modeling work done on the redesigned hook....”
AWIN Error Message (http://www.aviationweek.com/Article.aspx?id=/article-xml/awx_09_19_2012_p0-497526.xml) [Sub'n Req'd]

[Courtney Mil]

Thanks for going to all the trouble to post such a comprehensive response, Spaz. But I was only being mischeivious.

[SpazSinbad]

Some people here suggest I'm doing the same fing.

[AGS Man]

My sources tell me that there are problems with the hook fitted to the F35A as well. Not sure if they are the same though.
I wonder if Zodiac Aerospace (ESCO's parent company) still give out Tape Dragon Certificates to anyone who's engaged one of their systems. Bit like the Martin Baker tie but a lot less dramatic!

[SpazSinbad]

Similar F-35 hooks indeed. BTW the first F-35A had the emergency hook tested successfully years ago now. Check this link - on second thought don't bother - too much information:

ESCO's Grand Order of Tape Dragons Announces Newest Inductee (http://www.esco.zodiacaerospace.com/news/2011/tazz.php)
&
http://www.esco.zodiacaerospace.com/downloads/documents/BrakingNews_summer10.pdf (1.2Mb)
&
http://www.esco.zodiacaerospace.com/downloads/documents/Feb2011_lr.pdf (1Mb)

http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l261/SpazSinbad/NewerAlbum/HOOKsF-34A-Cforum.gif~original (http://s98.photobucket.com/user/SpazSinbad/media/NewerAlbum/HOOKsF-34A-Cforum.gif.html)

http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l261/SpazSinbad/NewerAlbum/TapeDragonVeryVarySaurianCardForum.gif~original (http://s98.photobucket.com/user/SpazSinbad/media/NewerAlbum/TapeDragonVeryVarySaurianCardForum.gif.html)

[SpazSinbad]

Oops - probably best posted in other thread about arresting at Lakehurst eh.

[4Greens]

The best cheapest airfield arresting device was in the RN. Old anchor cable across the end of the runway held up by truck tyres cut in half. Used it once in a Venom and saved my bacon.
( You do have to have a hook on the aircraft)

[SpazSinbad]

Heheh. NAS Nowra had chain arrestor gear until replaced c.1968 with BAK-9. It is recorded both arrestor gears were there for awhile. A test A4G BAK-9 arrest had the aircraft engaging the old chain gear with not so good results (not sure of what that was however). Eventually only BAK-9 was at Nowra beginning 1969 (when I got there). Was able to accumulate over 100 hours in the Sea Venom F.A.W. Mk53 - only ashore though - mostly banner tow and DELMAR target with Fleet Support work. Sadly I do not recall any BAK-9 arrests.

However I was given the certificate by our resident USN exchange A4G pilot later towards the end of 1971 when taking the BAK-9 short field gear on RW 26 at night on the A4G drop tanks (after a long story). Missed out of the gold pin. :( :}

http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l261/SpazSinbad/NewerAlbum/GrandOrderOfTapeDragonsFORUM.gif~original (http://s98.photobucket.com/user/SpazSinbad/media/NewerAlbum/GrandOrderOfTapeDragonsFORUM.gif.html)

[AGS Man]

4 Greens
The Chain Arrestor Gear (CHAG) is still in service in some locations I believe but they are attached to net barriers. The last 2 in British service were at Leuchars and Gibraltar. The problem was that they could only be used in one direction and the Leuchars system was withdrawn from use after a Gannet engaged it the wrong way and almost tore itself in half! Very cheap and effective system I will agree. The simplest and cheapest system nowadays is the textile brake and if you watch the link I think you will see it in use.

[SpazSinbad]

[another MAAS story or two (new URL): http://www.esco.zodiacaerospace.com/downloads/documents/Feb2011_lr.pdf ]

ESCO Mobile Arresting Gear Stops F-35 Joint Strike Fighter 05 Aug 2010
"8/5/2010 - EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- During developmental testing and evaluation at Edwards, safety is a core priority. When base resources are unavailable to make flight tests the safest they can possibly be, commanders here do not hesitate to search throughout the Air Force for assistance. With the Joint Strike Fighter currently undergoing braking tests, which include wet and dry brake testing, the 416th Flight Test Squadron and the Air Force Flight Test Center decided they needed an additional safety barrier....

...820th RED HORSE out of Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., arrived in late July to support the JSF taxiing and braking tests....

..."The aircraft carrier uses just steel cables and steam power to stop their jets," said Sergeant Fralick. "We also use a nylon tape to absorb some of that energy and then the B-52 brakes to stop the plane."

The MAAS is held in place with more than 150 66-inch spikes driven into the ground. The team took just two days to set it up, which was notable given the short notice of their deployment. They were able to set up the MAAS in time for the JSF runway testing."
http://www.esco.zodiac.com/downloads/documents/P-IV_pressrelease.pdf (130Kb)

http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l261/SpazSinbad/SpazSinbad010/MAASportableArrestSystem.jpg~original (http://s98.photobucket.com/user/SpazSinbad/media/SpazSinbad010/MAASportableArrestSystem.jpg.html)

[SpazSinbad]

A-4K KAHU takes the short field BAK-(not sure of the time of video nor the BAK No. - perhaps 9 at that time) gear at NAS Nowra R/W 21. Certainly in those days the aircraft will have had to overfly the 'back 9' of the NAS Nowra Golf Course taking up the under run (course not there today I'm told).

RNZAF NAS Nowra A-4K Skyhawk Short Field Arrest Demo - YouTube

[SpazSinbad]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8f4km2wvfXc

[Ex Douglas Driver]

BAK12 on Rwy21 during our time I think Spaz. (Note no vanity mirror and ball for the touchdown for us Kiwis....!!).
I did watch a colleague airborne arrest on 21 while floating a couple of feet above the cable. It certainly threw the nose on in a hurry!

[SpazSinbad]

Thanks 'Ex Douglas Driver'. I'll assume you mean the decade from 1991 to 2000 approx.? I do not know the date of the video however; yet reasonable to assume video shot during that time.

I have a video clip of the last TA4G short field arrest mid 1984 on RW 21 - side view - somewhere....

[SpazSinbad]

One way to get a longer nosed TA-4J broken onboard during USN CarQuals:

TA4J Skyhawk Wave Off Inflight Arrest Nose Broken - YouTube (http://youtu.be/rMBzrvMEaag)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rMBzrvMEaag

[AGS Man]

2 days to install a MAAS?:rolleyes: My team can do it in less than 12 hours in full expeditionary mode including synch check and proof load!

[SpazSinbad]

The bad link to a PDF above has been replaced by this one with similar story or two:

http://www.esco.zodiacaerospace.com/downloads/documents/Feb2011_lr.pdf (1Mb)

Braking News Spring 2011 page 4 of 12
RED HORSE Airmen literally bring safety to JSF brake testing by Kenji Thuloweit - 95th Air Base Wing Public Affairs
"...[The world record for the actual MAAS Installation on a prepared site is under one hour. -ed]

“We were anticipating it would take about four days because of the type of soil on Edwards,” Sergeant Fralick said. “We heard it was really hard, which makes it harder to drive the stakes in the ground, but we ended up knocking it out in two days. They basically set up the MAAS in a weekend, which was amazing,” said Bruce Strong, 412th Operations Support Squadron, Director of Operations for the Airfield Operations Flight. “Those guys are something.”..."

Probably best to read the story for details such as number of personnel etc.

[SpazSinbad]

Towards the end of this 3 minute video excerpt the ashore test facilities at Lakehurst and Patuxent River will be seen.

Sea Legs Pt2 Arrest Structure Test Pax & Lake

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hCnycmRQIuM

[SpazSinbad]

Geiger Fury 2012 First Ever Night Arrested Landing on Tinian

See also: The Aviationist » U.S. Marines do it at night: F/A-18D first ever arrested night landing on Tinian, Northern Marianas Islands (http://theaviationist.com/2012/06/01/tinian-night/) (+ other links: The Aviationist » The U.S. Marine Corps train for a war in the Pacific: F/A-18 Hornets make first ever "coral" arrestment on a tiny island of the Northern Mariana Islands. (http://theaviationist.com/2012/05/25/usmc-tinian/) )
"Published on May 29, 2012 The first ever F/A-18D arrested night landing was accomplished by Marines from Marine Wing Support Squadron -171, Marine Aircraft Group-12 deployed to the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas Islands, Tinian, as part of Exercise Geiger Fury 2012." [VMFA-121 - ‘Green Knights’]
Geiger Fury 2012 First Ever Night Arrested Landing on Tinian - YouTube

[SpazSinbad]

F-16 Arresting Cable Test Denver Airport Published on Mar 24, 2014
"Video by Tech. Sgt. Kevin Coulter Colorado National Guard
(No audio) Colorado Air National Guard F-16D lands at Denver International Airport (DIA) in preparation for temporary operations while Buckley AFB receives runway improvements. The preliminary testing of a temporary aircraft arresting device, which is similar to an arresting cable on an aircraft carrier, is an operational requirement prior to the transfer of flight operations to DIA. The test was successful. F16 flyby, landing, taxi, arresting cable test, ground crews assess success of test. Pilot LtCol James Reeman, 120th Fighter Squadron, COANG He comments that fighter operations at DIA this summer may provide an interesting view for airline passengers, but there should be no interruption to airline traffic."

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