Runway arresting gear

[95i]

The photo is dated November 1960.
It should be RAF Laarbruch.
The squadron crest is not really clear to be seen.
In 1960 the resident Canberra squadrons were 31 Sqn with PR 7 and T4 and
16 Sqn with Bi8 .
http://i105.photobucket.com/albums/m236/95iwarzukurz/1960_11_Canberra_Fanganlage_zpsa07262d5.jpg

Were all runways fitted with arrestor barriers?

[chevvron]

That's a Mk 6 Safeland barrier.
Runways at airfields where the operational types could safely engage barriers had them installed. They were operated by ATC, who would state the barrier position when passing landing or takeoff clearance and were usually left in the raised position unless a pilot requested they be lowered, or unless a particular type was not cleared to engage.
Cable arresting systems were treated similarly.

[95i]

Interesting answer. Thank you.

[JW411]

One of my old RAF mates was just getting airborne from one of the Clutch airfields heading west in his Canberra (I think it might have been Bruggen) when he had a double compressor stall so he threw it back on to what was left of the runway and called "BARRIER". (Meaning that he was likely to overrun and enter the barrier).

The barrier was already up but the ATC Assistant in the Tower decided to be super helpful and hit the barrier switch.

So it was that my mate who had got all tensed up for a barrier arrest, saw the thing go flat on the ground and so he almost ended up in Holland!

[95i]

Nice story. You don't know the year when it happened?

[DaveReidUK]

The only occasions that I recall the barriers on Edinburgh's old 13/31 runway being deployed were when Ferranti were flying their Canberras.

There seems to be a theme developing here ... :O

[chevvron]

At the end of a PAR into Farnborough, the talkdown controller instructed the pilot of a Buccaneer to 'contact tower stud 1' and then remarked to me 'oh he said cable cable'.
The overrun arrestor cable was always raised when the Buccaneer was flying so it was ready for an unplanned arrest.
Incidentally JW, I only did a weeks visit to Bruggen but to my recollection, the west end of the runway was in Holland!!

[Phileas Fogg]

At Honington, at the time, they operated Buccaneers and they also had a few Hunters that were decked out as if they were Buccaneers (for crew training purposes) including a hook in the tail.

Honington's runway was equipped with RHAG's (Rotary Hydraulic Arrester Gears) at both ends of the runway, the Buccaneer, being built like a brick sh1thouse, could take the fast end (touchdown) RHAG (as Buccaneers did on carriers) but the Hunter could only take the slow end (t'other end of the runway) RHAG, one day the pilot forgot this and I spent much of that day retrieving bits of Hunter from the touchdown end of the runway :)

[FantomZorbin]

Many years ago, an Italian Air Force Fiat G91, Fricce Tricolore (sp?), called for the barrier at RAF Luqa:- " GINA, GINA, GINA ". I'll leave you to work out the significance :E

[Phileas Fogg]

Many years ago, 1970's, a Gnat from Valley called for the barrier going in to Shawbury but the air traffic control assistant activated the barrier at the wrong end causing the Gnat to 'trip over' it on final approach.

They got the pilot out but by all accounts he was a mess.

[Lightning Mate]

I remember taking the overrun RHAG on take-off in a heavy Jaguar (engine surge).


It paid out 1300 feet irrespective of the engagement speed.


150 knots to zero in 1300 ft is quite a retardation for non-carrier ops.

[chevvron]

At Farnborough, we had a Buccaneer break the cable.
When the Bucc was flying, we always had the overrun cable rigged, but for a pre-meditated engagement, the approach end cable would be rigged. As this was before we had bowsprings installed, cable rigging involved several RAE departments; Inspection Department to raise the sheaves and cable drums, and AFRS to 'run out' the rubber grommets which raised the cable to the correct height. Anyway, the cable was reported ready and the Bucc landed and engaged, but after about 100yds, we saw it jerk sideways and saw the 'cable' flailing about. What had not been noticed by the various people involved in rigging the cable out on the runway was the sheave on one side of the runway had failed to activate and it was still flush with the ground, causing the canvas(?) tape on the end of the cable to break, the rest of the cable then pulling through the hook on the aircraft thus causing it to be jerked sideways.
Shortly after this, bowsprings were installed and raising the cable became a press of a single button in ATC.

[RedhillPhil]

I seem to recall reading a tale of a Buccaneer at night taking off from somewhere and, after a certain amount of yards had been covered suddenly came to a WTF? type of crunching halt.
'twould seem that the arresting cable had been raised by mistake and the Bucc. had run into it.

[chevvron]

His hook must have been down then because Buccs could 'trample' raised cables; it was perfectly normal to have both cables up for Bucc operations.

[FantomZorbin]

I heard, many years ago, of a Gannet taking a CHAG* in the wrong direction ... apparently there was a big bang and a lot of scraping noises!!


* CHain Arrester Gear. One direction only. It was based on the same principle of controlling ships when launched!

[lightningmate]

chevron,

T'was not me that had the RHAG whoopsie, struggling to remember who was driving that day. RR keeps coming to mind :ok:.

Ah, the vagaries of the RAE Dept responsibilities, happy memories that brings tears to the eyes :{. Had that organisation, and a few similar, not been wilfully destroyed few, if any, of our major aircraft screw-ups would have occurred.

An Approach-End RHAG engagement landing was almost the SOP when operating Buccs from West Freugh. Shortish, damp to wet runway, almost guaranteed 90 degree x-wind and probably carrying the odd 1000 pounder or 2 meant better to be safe than sorry. Great sport whatever :D.

lm

[JW411]

95i:

Sorry, just picked up your post. I regret that I can't remember which year the Canberra incident happened.

I have two other memories of arrester gears etc. I think I am correct in stating that Decimomannu had CHAGS? I was driving Argosies at the time and we were taxiing out one day (squadron rotation) and the Italian controller told me that we were going to have a delay. He had a German F-104 inbound who was transmitting but not receiving.

The F-104 driver used a perfect speechless procedure and called all points in the circuit. The trouble was that he had set up for the wrong end of the runway and landed with a 30 knot tailwind which I would imagine would get your attention in an F-104. The Italian controller was going berserk and our Teutonic friend never thought to look at the stupid windsock which was lying, of course.

Then he picked up the CHAG and tried to tow it all the way to Corsica, I don't think I have ever seen so much sh*t and dust on an airfield.

The second occasion was at Gutersloh. I had been promoted to Belfasts by then and we were approaching the holding point when ATC advised of a delay - recovering a Lightning (a Mark 6 I believe) with a hydraulic failure. So, I positioned my Belfast on the QRA pan so that we had a good view.

He came down finals with the hook down to engage the touchdown RHAG. He touched down on the first inch of concrete in the undershoot but his hook was bouncing up and down and it skipped over the wire!

I really felt sorry for him. He must have been tensed up for a rapid stop and suddenly he was off down the (not too long) runway. he kept it on the runway for quite a time but eventually went "au vache" and, after a bit of a dust cloud, a white bone dome was seen exiting at a fast lightning pace (no pun intended).

[CharlieJuliet]

Ref#12 above. Remember landing a Bucc at Farnborough and seeing the RHAG cable break shortly after engaging (by looking in the mirrors). Sadly not recorded in my log book, but think it was a hydraulic failure that caused the engagement. After a slight jerk as the cable snapped aircraft rolled out straight ahead. Does Chevvron have any other details?

[chevvron]

Trying to recall who were the Bucc pilots at the time; TA springs to mind but I don't think it was him (I do recall an approach end engagement with him due to possible hydraulic failure but that's another story!); I remember the hook was bent and Aircraft Department mounted it on a plinth and presented it to the pilot. I also remember that the aircraft was indeed able to carry on down the runway after the cable parted company.
Don't forget you guys had to do a RHAG engagement as part of CT so to us in ATC, we expected it almost any flight so we had quite a few and as I said, when bowsprings were installed, the whole thing became a lot easier.
RS perhaps (he who banged out of the green Hunter when the engine went on takeoff?

[lightningmate]

chevvron,

Definitely not TA :ok:

lm

[4Greens]

Most economical arrestor gear set up by the RN. Wires across the runway held up by truck tyres cut in half. Ship's cable attached to wires and run alongside the runway. Took it once in a Venom and brought to a halt in short order.

[JW411]

Another memory; I was sitting in my Argosy on Pan 18 (on top of the hill) at Benson when I spotted a multi-coloured Meteor coming down finals for runway 20. It was rather high and rather fast and I expected it to make go-around.

However, it finally touched down halfway down the runway (which was 6,000 feet long) going for the world land speed record.

It disappeared from my sight behind "A" Hangar and then a voice called for the barrier.

"We haven't got a barrier" replied the Tower and so it was that it ended up in the muddy brussels sprouts field off the end of 20.

It was dragged out of the field and given a good wash. It was undamaged by its excursion (it was Meteor 7 with a Meteor 8 tail) and it duly departed for RAE Bedford next morning.

[chevvron]

Sounds like the Martin Baker Meteor, based just up the road at that secret Oxfordshire airbase (Chalgrove), but then an MB pilot should have known Benson didn't have a barrier.

[Talkdownman]

Definitely not TA
TA? Nugget Four Zero?

[4Greens]

The Downside:

Same RN sytem could not be lowered. A Sea Prince in Malta landed long and the taxied to the end of the runway and got its nosewheel snagged in the system.

[chevvron]

Nugget 40 on his second tour at Farnborough, Nugget 53 on the first.

[Talkdownman]

Chevvron, do you recall the incident when the barriers were being checked and there was some confusion over which one was to be raised? The wrong end was raised underneath a gentleman who hadn't isolated it and he was flung into the air. He had quite a tale to tell…in a high voice...

[reynoldsno1]

... a mid 70's Friday night in Gibraltar with a couple of Buccaneers and a Nimrod parked on the apron. Air Commander Malta has a drink with the crews and explains Princess *** is visiting tomorrow and he would like to see some 'airfield activity' before the lunchtime cocktail party. Crewsare invited and can wear their flying suits...
Nimrods don't do less than 4 hours, so get airborne around 8am and stooge around the Strait approaches. Lob in a sonobouy at random. Lead Wet "Contact, probsub". WTF? Lead Wet "Errr, it's one of ours". No-one knows we are where we are, this could be embarrassing .... HOLE 1
Return to BRAVO @ 1150 and collect two Buccaneers doing barrel rolls around us. First one lines up for landing, drops gear, flaps and all its hydraulics. Calls for CHAG, and ends up off the runway in rust haze and righ opposite the cocktail party. Quite impressive HOLE 2 Second one diverts to Tangiers HOLE 3. Princess remarks that ' you shouldn't have gone to so much trouble just for me...'
Nimrod reports that it only has 20 minutes holding fuel - Ops dumbfounded that Nimrods run out of fuel.
1220 Nimrod diverts to Faro HOLE 4
Monday morning Air Commander espies Nimrod nav in flight planning. "Ah, Flt Lt, does your crew have a fuel carnet?" "Yes sir, our trusty Flt Eng has one of those". "You, couldn't pop into Tangiers on your way home and pay the fuel bill for the Buccaneer, could you?" "Well, actually sir, we diverted to Faro on Saturday because we're not allowed to go to shady places like Tangiers - perhaps OC Accounts could go on the ferry? The weather looks OK" HOLE 5

[chevvron]

Yes I do recall it; another case of the assistant being 'helpful'! (She was probably reading Franks newspaper at the time)

[JW411]

chevvron:

No, not an MB aircraft but a Meteor 7/8 from RAE Bedford.

[lightningmate]

Talkdownman,

Correct for that time period, it was a different numeral during preceding and following periods :ok:

Regards
lm

[scarecrow450]

The ATC Rover and Mu Meter took the cable at Marham in 95/96 during an exercise late at night ! The good to come out of it was the canx of the exercise, the bad was I was driving ! Well we got told the Mu Meter could trample the raised cable, well it could, if the jockey wheel was removed completely ! :ugh::ugh::ugh:

[Phileas Fogg]

This has become one of the funniest threads I've read in a long time, perhaps it belongs in the military aircrew thread because I bet they have some equally amusing stories to tell.

This takes me back to my 1970's ATC days and my faves so far, and I can picture them all, are the Buccaneer showing off in front of HRH then crashing directly in front of her, the Meteor at Benson and as for the Mu Meter taking the RHAG ... They're all classics :)

Oh the good old days :)

[Talkdownman]

Yes I do recall it; another case of the assistant being 'helpful'!
One of them became very highly-strung…I don't recall which…

it was a different numeral during preceding and following periods
A third tour? Some people are gluttons for punishment.
(The one thing I remember about lightningmate was his warning at briefing about frogs in the gents: "when checking output don't think that you have had a happy event…")

[lightningmate]

Talkdownman,

Well 4 actually, the last one being 10 years duration and then retirement from the RAF :). Albeit the flying side shifted to Boscombe around 1994, which was a bit of a commuting pain. Certainly not 'Punishment', actually achieving something useful, even if British Industry and the MOD Procurement Organisation did not like the results :ugh:.

lm

[chevvron]

Thread drift: I think lm's last tour was the period when Experimental Flying Squadron was renamed Experimental Flying Wing and the OC changed all 'Nugget' numbers so that, like at Boscombe, ATC could identify them by instructing 'squawk callsign' ie Nugget 20 would then squawk '0420' and I can't remember what his final number was; in any case it changed to a 'Guantlet' number when he moved to Boscombe.

[safetypee]

Many days of fun and excitement at RAE Bedford where cable and other arresting systems were developed on the old RN arrestor runway (24R?). This was after the era of wingless Scimitars and Canberras which developed barrier systems.
When exploring CHAG and SPRAG, where the chains might not pay-out symmetrically, or the pistons or port holes in the spray system, which if not matched / blocked by wild life, the tests concluded in close examinations of the runway edge / grass.

RAHG was regularly tested and also used to develop bottom-cable technology for improved barriers. For this ‘The Commanders Barge’ Sea Vixen, with a Naval Hook, charged the cable over a range of weights/speeds, where a mid range value determined the test stop-fly option in the event of hook/cable failure.

At that time the bottom cables did not use rubber wheel-lifts or springs, thus a system of rubber/wood supports raised the cable to the required test height; the blocks were glued to a ¼” steel plate bolted into the runway; the blocks should shear off if they were inadvertently ‘hooked’.
Came the day when the Vixen had a well-worn ‘sharpened’ hook – the test hooks generally had blunt/rounded ends. The sharp edge engaged the interface of the steel plate and the runway attempting to either ‘arrest the runway’ or roll it up behind the aircraft. Neither resulted, but the Vixen's hook-sting was bent back (3’’ dia steel rod) wrecking the aircraft hydraulics (no brakes), the steel plate curled up departed the runway ‘pinging’ skywards through the aircraft's tail plane – no controls, no fly, and due to the slightly off centre engagement everything went sideways. Fortunately the test condition was to stop for a failure which was concluded in the grass.

Bedford Flight Systems were ‘Nuggets’ (93)

[lightningmate]

Around '73 time, wingless Scimitar launches down a short RW at Farnborough with intent to engage a cable. Whoops! Hook is jolted up just before the cable and no engagement. The outcome of an engagement failure had not really been considered and the Scimitar, along with concerned 'drivers airframe', hurtled onwards towards the boundary fence and public road. Thankfully, the main-wheels ploughed into soft ground and the beast was retarded before it could leave MOD premises. The unfortunate guy was a bit knocked about due to the rough ride but was soon back on his feet.

That particular trial was quickly terminated, with much organisational embarrassment all round, plus the Scimitar was no longer usable.

lm

[JW411]

A story going round Brize Norton in the 1970s:

One night, an air traffic assistant is sent in the Land Rover to the fish and chip shop in Carterton to collect an order for those on duty. He duly collects the fish and chips and starts reversing in the car park and is greeted with expensive graunching noises from behind. He hadn't realised that he had the Mu Meter attached.

[chevvron]

Nice one JW
Lightningmate, I remember the late Honey Monster telling me the tale of that Scimitar, and how even though wingless it actually got airborne on one run!
Then in the late 40s/early 50s, Winkle Brown was doing cable engagements on the 'arrestor' runway in a Sea Fury. After many arrests, the tail section decided enough was enough and parted company with the rest of the airframe which also got airborne. Winkle apparently said 'oh how annoying' as he managed somehow to land the bit he was in.

[Loki]

Being an ATCO cadet at Bedford, it was my task to do the airfield inspection every morning before flying commenced. This included checking the barriers, by the simple method of calling the EFCA on the vheicle R/T and getting him to raise then lower the one under scrutiny (maybe one day I will recount the tale of how dear old George nearly got me killed, but I digress). Everything checked out very well, and the day progressed. Fast forward to some time in the afternoon when yours truly was doing some aerodrome control training, when a Hunter landed. Out popped the chute, which promptly did not develop...."Barrier, barrier" was called and with great aplomb I hit the switch, seeing the masts supporting the netting going up. All a bit superfluous, since the runway was immensely long. Hunter down to a walking pace vacates at the end of the main drag, and the pilot said "you'll need to sort out your barrier". "Looks like it's raised" said I. "Yes, the masts have gone up, but they've left the netting on the ground" He said. Spanish inquisition time later on....was I sure the barrier was alright on the airfield inspection? Could anyone verify it? Eisch.

[PAXboy]

The govt of the day say they want to inculcate 'British Values'. All they need to teach:

Winkle apparently said 'oh how annoying' ...