Sea Vixen

[Lima Juliet]

I think leaving the canopy jettison until inside the airfield boundary is a good idea - at least the area should be devoid of people and houses!

[Compass Call]

In the clip posted by 'rhino power', at the 29 second mark the RAT is visible and at the 33 second mark the canopy rails can be seen separating from the canopy. The canopy jettison system certainly did what it said on the tin

[Feathers McGraw]

Am I right in thinking that the hydraulic system had a major re-build over the winter?

I don't recall why this was done, was it as a response to reliability concerns?

[chevvron]

Originally Posted by Rhino power

Short vid clip of approach, touch down and canopy jettison...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R5qEhY3XD6Q

-RP

Looks like he waited for the 'scraping' noise before blowing the canopy.
Superb landing apart from the lack of wheels though.

[SpazSinbad]

3 page PDF from Fly Navy Heritage Trust FNHT about the Sea Vixen FAW Mk2 attached:

http://www.fleetairarmoa.org/content...w_Layout_1.PDF

[Compass Call]

It should be remembered that G-CVIX (XP924) is not a FAW2, it is a D3. There are differences. The FNHT seem to like calling her a FAW2 because outwardly she looks like one

[cyflyer]

What a pity. She was the main attraction at next week's fly navy day at shuttleworth. I wonder if they going to replace her with something else ?

[Hangarshuffle]

Does the UK taxpayer pick up the tab for the costs for the removal of the aircraft and any repairs to 27 and returning the airfield to an operational standard?
That aircraft must have nearly used the entire 7000 foot plus, surprised it didn't reach the 09 end barrier.
Just another weekend with vintage aircraft that just don't cut it anymore, isn't it? Superb bit of recovery by the pilot. But will lessons be learnt?

[Mortmeister]

With complex aircraft, this happens sometimes.

When all is said and done, this looks to have been very well handled by the pilot and brought to a safe conclusion, BZ Sir!

Shame about the Sea Vixen, she is a beautiful aircraft. I do hope she will live to fly again. I remember doing my trade training on Escape Systems on Sea Vixens at Cosford in '83. Oh the intricacies of the underwater ejection system!

Mortmeister

[Compass Call]

Hangarshuffle
I would imagine that the insurance company will pick up the tab for any damage caused. As well as the repair bill for the aircraft.
After all, is that not why the CAA require the aircraft to be insured

[Basil]

SpazSinbad, thank you for that interesting Emergency Handling .pdf but despite anything the test pilots have advised, what you actually do on the day is up to the pilot. TF it all ended well.

[Nige321]

Originally Posted by Hangarshuffle

Does the UK taxpayer pick up the tab for the costs for the removal of the aircraft and any repairs to 27 and returning the airfield to an operational standard?
That aircraft must have nearly used the entire 7000 foot plus, surprised it didn't reach the 09 end barrier.
Just another weekend with vintage aircraft that just don't cut it anymore, isn't it? Superb bit of recovery by the pilot. But will lessons be learnt?

Does it really matter if the 'UK taxpayer' picks up the tab for shifting the Sea Vixen?
Sometimes Hangershuffle you need to look a little further than the end of your nose.
What a misery you are...

[SpazSinbad]

Originally Posted by Basil

SpazSinbad, thank you for that interesting Emergency Handling .pdf but despite anything the test pilots have advised, what you actually do on the day is up to the pilot. TF it all ended well.

'Basil' I'm agreeing with the 'what you actually do on the day is up to the pilot' however Pilot Notes may be 'out of date' according to later pilots and SOPs perhaps. These details I do not know while I thought it was clear I was just parroting a Pilot Note. However pilots making up stuff as they go along can be hazardous if Pilot Notes are disregarded. Starting out at NAS Nowra in the A4G Skyhawk era when fixed wing aircraft were changing from the British Pilot Note tymes (if they were by then available) to the comprehensive USN NATOPS safety culture - I would pick the NATOPS (even though it might have been noted as the BIG BLUE SLEEPING PILL). NATOPS are said to be 'written in blood' from not only test pilot experience but also pilot usage in extreme circumstances over time. This meant that EMERGENCY PROCEDURES would change sometimes.

For example in the early 1970s it was NATOPS procedure to carry out a 'short field arrest on empty underwing tanks' with certain U/C problems. By the late 1970s this NATOPS action had been changed to 'land on empty tanks on foamed runway - NO ARREST'. Not being in the RAN FAA by the late 1970s I can only guess that as noted in earlier NATOPS there was danger in landing short of the short field gear, to have the wire go over the nose of the aircraft, causing pilot death. My point is that Emergency Procedures change while the pilot quite rightly has the freedom to change actions - he may do so at peril perhaps. And I agree all is well that ends well in this case at Yeovilton.

Here is an example of 'all is well that ends well' KIWI TA-4K KAHU arresting - not quite per SOP - with U/C damaged and UP. The aircraft lands well short of the short field gear so it slides into the wire which thankfully catches the drop tanks and goes no further over them or the aircraft: [the 'fire' at end is from fuel vapour in the D/Ts]

You Tube

[Art Smass]

Originally Posted by Compass Call

It should be remembered that G-CVIX (XP924) is not a FAW2, it is a D3. There are differences. The FNHT seem to like calling her a FAW2 because outwardly she looks like one

and she was built as one.... the D3 conversion came later

[Fonsini]

Originally Posted by LOMCEVAK

Fonsini,

This was a display sortie whereby minimum crew only is permitted. The Vixen can be flown solo and, therefore, there was no-one in the 'coal hole'. The seats were live.

Thanks LOM.

[chevvron]

Originally Posted by Art Smass

and she was built as one.... the D3 conversion came later

I can remember several Sea Vixens being converted at Farnborough in the late '70s (under contract to Flight Refuelling) for target drone work at Llanbedr, was that the D3? I thought drones had a 'U' prefix.
Tarrant Rushton was still open then and the Flight Refuelling test pilot used to fly into Farnborough to test fly them.
On one occasion, a Vixen was pulled out of the hangar, the test pilot arrived and got togged up; next thing we knew the Vixen was being put back into the hangar along with the TPs Aztec.
Apparently he had been a bit enthusiastic leaping into the Vixen and had struck his head on the forward part of the canopy nearly knocking himself out!
Was this a common occurence with the type I wonder?

[MAINJAFAD]

Originally Posted by chevvron

I can remember several Sea Vixens being converted at Farnborough in the late '70s (under contract to Flight Refuelling) for target drone work at Llanbedr, was that the D3? I thought drones had a 'U' prefix.
Tarrant Rushton was still open then and the Flight Refuelling test pilot used to fly into Farnborough to test fly them.
On one occasion, a Vixen was pulled out of the hangar, the test pilot arrived and got togged up; next thing we knew the Vixen was being put back into the hangar along with the TPs Aztec.
Apparently he had been a bit enthusiastic leaping into the Vixen and had struck his head on the forward part of the canopy nearly knocking himself out!
Was this a common occurence with the type I wonder?

Drone designation in the UK was changed from U to D sometime during the 1970s.

[sandiego89]

Originally Posted by Nige321

Does it really matter if the 'UK taxpayer' picks up the tab for shifting the Sea Vixen?
Sometimes Hangershuffle you need to look a little further than the end of your nose.
What a misery you are...

Agree Nige, these folks that always scream about the "taxpayer" seem to miss some of the finer points. I am sure the fire trucks, cranes and crews are all paid for, and having them serve on one weekend for a major airshow is part of the deal. Insurance should pick up any runway damage. Maybe there is a bit of overtime, but having the emergency crews and the duty crew do an actual emergency response, de-fuel, lift and recovery is better training than squirting water on the same old fire trainer day after day....


Guess some folks would rather have all airshows, open houses, open ships, flyovers, etc. cancelled- and further erode the public connection with the military...

[DANbudgieman]

Originally Posted by Hangarshuffle

Does the UK taxpayer pick up the tab for the costs for the removal of the aircraft and any repairs to 27 and returning the airfield to an operational standard?

Why worry? It was an ever increasingly rare live training opportunity to practice removal of a fair sized aircraft from an obstructive position. Damage to the runway, while unfortunate can at worst be looked at as fair wear and tear.

[H Peacock]

Notwithstanding my facetious post early about being operated by the Navy, I'd forgotten that the Vixen is operated by a charitable trust and operated with a civilian registration. Therefore I assume the AAIB will be involved in the incident investigation.