PPRuNe Forums - View Single Post - US Navy F-18C catches fire on landing on USS Carl Vinson
Old 18th Apr 2011, 09:28
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Agaricus bisporus
 
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Not exactly lightning reflexes from the fire crews!
Oh come on! Which video were you watching? Not the one posted above! The first sign of foam from the vehicle appears about 15 seconds after the fire could reasonably have been recognised and is on full strength protecting the cockpit at T+30 secs though I daresay it felt like forever to the crew. (Shades of - Deke Slayton, was it? "Scared? Hell no! But I sure was impressed!")
The hose team weren't exactly sluggish either. (T+40sec)
15 seconds slow??? Were you expecting a response in 12?
Try having a fire miles away on an airfield sometime...


I call that response almost superhuman, even for an on the ball fire crew.

The result of a blocked deck and no diversion is pretty obvious I'd have thought. However decks aren't easily damaged by such a fire to the extent of denying landing, landings don't rely on brakes so a slippery patch on deck (fuel spill) isn't as critical as it might be on an airfield, they can almost certainly launch a tanker to keep aircraft airborne until things are cleared away or accompany them to shore. There are several options but ultimately nowhere to land must = go for a swim.

Last edited by Agaricus bisporus; 18th Apr 2011 at 09:42.
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