cuddieheadrigg
29th Apr 2011, 08:24
Hey all
I know there are some military runways with arrestor equipment: I recently say a youtube clip of an RAF Phantom landing somewhere (Leuchars?) using the arrestor (which appeared to extend a lot further than those on carriers, probably obviously) - were 'cable' landings ever common in the ex RN Phantoms? Did all the RAF Phantoms have tailhooks?
chevvron
29th Apr 2011, 09:59
There were/are two cables at many military airfields referred to as 'approach end' and 'overrun end' the exception being Brize Norton where they have one at the midpoint of the runway As Phantoms were originally designed as carrier borne aircraft, all of them (at least RAF/FAA) were equipped with hooks and could engage either cable. Same applies to Buccaneers.
Many other RAF fast jets were fitted with hooks; some Hunters and Lightnings, all Jaguars, but these were only designed for overrun end use as the airframe wasn't stressed to dissipate the energy from an approach end engagement which would be at 'threshold' speed rather than after it had slowed either by wheel brakes or aerodynamic braking at the overrun end. A Jaguar driver once told me if he engaged the approach end cable it would probably pull the tail off!
Pilots of Phantoms and Buccaneers were required to carry out regular cable engagements as part of their continuation training, (every 6 months I believe) and I witnessed many of them at Farnborough when we still had military aircraft. It was standard procedure to have the overrun cable raised at all times when a hook equipped aircraft was due to fly.