A Classic Example of Good Airmanship
Thread Starter
Here is one:
Kenneth Schechter, Survivor Of Blind Landing, Dies At 83
Kenneth Schechter, who died earlier this month in Fairfield, Calif., at age 83, had been just 22 years old when he survived an unusual blind landing in Korea. Schechter was flying an A-1 Skyraider above the Korean coastline on his 27th combat mission, in 1952, when an enemy shell blew the canopy off his airplane and metal fragments struck both of his eyes. "I'm blind! For God's sake, help me!" he cried into his radio. "I'm blind!"
He was answered by Lt. j.g. Howard Thayer, who served with him on the aircraft carrier Valley Forge. Thayer flew close beside him, and talked him all the way down, until 45 minutes later Schechter was able to land safely at a dirt airstrip.
"My plane hit the ground, lurched momentarily and skidded to a stop in one piece," Schechter wrote, in 2001. "A perfect landing. No fire. No pain, no strain. The best landing I ever made." Schechter regained sight in his left eye but the right eye was permanently blinded. Schechter wrote (PDF) that he was unwilling to bail out because he'd seen other pilots drown or die of exposure after bailing out into the frigid waters of the Sea of Japan. His immersion suit was damaged and wouldn't protect him from the freezing waters. "To my mind, bailing out meant certain death," he wrote. Schechter worked as an insurance agent after the war. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross in 1995.
Kenneth Schechter, Survivor Of Blind Landing, Dies At 83
Kenneth Schechter, who died earlier this month in Fairfield, Calif., at age 83, had been just 22 years old when he survived an unusual blind landing in Korea. Schechter was flying an A-1 Skyraider above the Korean coastline on his 27th combat mission, in 1952, when an enemy shell blew the canopy off his airplane and metal fragments struck both of his eyes. "I'm blind! For God's sake, help me!" he cried into his radio. "I'm blind!"
He was answered by Lt. j.g. Howard Thayer, who served with him on the aircraft carrier Valley Forge. Thayer flew close beside him, and talked him all the way down, until 45 minutes later Schechter was able to land safely at a dirt airstrip.
"My plane hit the ground, lurched momentarily and skidded to a stop in one piece," Schechter wrote, in 2001. "A perfect landing. No fire. No pain, no strain. The best landing I ever made." Schechter regained sight in his left eye but the right eye was permanently blinded. Schechter wrote (PDF) that he was unwilling to bail out because he'd seen other pilots drown or die of exposure after bailing out into the frigid waters of the Sea of Japan. His immersion suit was damaged and wouldn't protect him from the freezing waters. "To my mind, bailing out meant certain death," he wrote. Schechter worked as an insurance agent after the war. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross in 1995.
WHY SO LONG BETWEEN INCIDENT AND GONG?
There was another extraordinary save by two F86 pilots during the same conflict.
They formated on one of their mates who had flameout a long way north of the 44th parallel, at altitude. By extreme skill and daring the first two came in close so as to be able with their wings to support and carry their mate back over the line and to a point not far from their base. Upon leaving the tight formation the ace in the first Sabre did a few 720s to set himself up for his deadstick, which he performed flawlessly.
The late Tony 'Havachat' Norman once told me about how the RFDS PC12 drivers practice a similar manoeuvre - all all alone, of course - should their PT6 donks ever pack up. He was one of them, based Meekatharra. Imagine. Pitch black night over the Gibson Dessert, for instance. Run out of noise. Punch 'nearest'. Go straight there hoping and praying for enough height and enough illumination from the headlights to put her down in one piece. MR item 1 - engine U/S. Item 2 - pilot seat cushion needs replacement due numerous divots.
Our man in need of a pardon, Slasher, understood the physiology of the anal sphincter if anyone did. (Unlike certain killjoys who banished the way out there bright bugger.)
Thank you wings, for the regurgitations. Arthur Lovell - a man who joined airlines off his family's potato farm in northern Tasmania - passed away only a few years ago. It was he who put a DC-4 back on the ground safely at Essendon following an after maintenance test flight on which he took off and immediately discovered aileron reversal due to a lapse on the part of one of the plumbers.
Though it may be argued that absence of body is preferable to presence of mind, men like Arthur survive due to superior training and superior reflexes.
It may be that he played a lot of squash and frequently practised the salutary old game of 'what if?'.
Whenever the cry of 'INCONCEIVABLE' goes up, the evil devious little man in 'The Princess Bride' comes to mind.
Footnote to Centaurus - please eschew 'airplane' as you eschew 'mom'.
For you are an Englishman . .. . . Englishman.
There was another extraordinary save by two F86 pilots during the same conflict.
They formated on one of their mates who had flameout a long way north of the 44th parallel, at altitude. By extreme skill and daring the first two came in close so as to be able with their wings to support and carry their mate back over the line and to a point not far from their base. Upon leaving the tight formation the ace in the first Sabre did a few 720s to set himself up for his deadstick, which he performed flawlessly.
The late Tony 'Havachat' Norman once told me about how the RFDS PC12 drivers practice a similar manoeuvre - all all alone, of course - should their PT6 donks ever pack up. He was one of them, based Meekatharra. Imagine. Pitch black night over the Gibson Dessert, for instance. Run out of noise. Punch 'nearest'. Go straight there hoping and praying for enough height and enough illumination from the headlights to put her down in one piece. MR item 1 - engine U/S. Item 2 - pilot seat cushion needs replacement due numerous divots.
Our man in need of a pardon, Slasher, understood the physiology of the anal sphincter if anyone did. (Unlike certain killjoys who banished the way out there bright bugger.)
Thank you wings, for the regurgitations. Arthur Lovell - a man who joined airlines off his family's potato farm in northern Tasmania - passed away only a few years ago. It was he who put a DC-4 back on the ground safely at Essendon following an after maintenance test flight on which he took off and immediately discovered aileron reversal due to a lapse on the part of one of the plumbers.
Though it may be argued that absence of body is preferable to presence of mind, men like Arthur survive due to superior training and superior reflexes.
It may be that he played a lot of squash and frequently practised the salutary old game of 'what if?'.
Whenever the cry of 'INCONCEIVABLE' goes up, the evil devious little man in 'The Princess Bride' comes to mind.
Footnote to Centaurus - please eschew 'airplane' as you eschew 'mom'.
For you are an Englishman . .. . . Englishman.
Last edited by Fantome; 2nd Jan 2014 at 15:51.
Thread Starter
enemy shell blew the canopy off his airplane
I agree with you 100%, though. "Aeroplane" or even "flying machine" is much more elegant, don't you think?"
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Whilst I prefer aeroplane to airplane (I suspect only because that is what it was when I was learning as a child), I do find it difficult to counter the argument that the US invented the machine (ignoring arcane arguments to the contrary) and they should really have primacy in naming it.
John
John
Last edited by rjtjrt; 3rd Jan 2014 at 01:03. Reason: Typo
In the early seventies, Neil Williams doing aerobatics in a Zlin had a spar failure. With the failed wing rising, he rolled inverted, locked it back in place and flew upside down back to the field. ( Hullavington in England I think it was). Just prior to the flare he rolled the right way up and landed, just as the wing completely failed. Great demonstration of stick skills and hard to believe the same man then killed himself by flying into a mountain north of Madrid in 1977.
Thread Starter
That was an amazing example of superb flying especially as he had to decide in a split second to invert the Zlin. He was killed while flying a Heinkel HE111 when he flew into a hill in poor visibility
Thread Starter
This incident, which happened 36 years ago in 1978, was one of the greatest feats of airmanship I have ever read about. It was about a Cessna pilot lost while ferrying a single engine Cessna over the South Pacific Ocean and an Air New Zealand DC10 captain who heard the distress signal and was able to guide the Cessna to safety.
I googled the story and with some editing for space reasons, here it is. It is quite probable that the majority of airline and general aviation pilots in Australia weren't even born when all this happened. It will be a fascinating story to them, as well as we of the long in the tooth, who remember the circumstances.
“Mayday, Mayday.” This message of a pilot in distress on radio three days before Christmas 1978 is heard by Auckland ATC. Jay Prochnow was finally located by the innovative navigational techniques of Captain Gordon Vette aided by Malcolm Forsyth both of Air New Zealand, Auckland ATC, Norfolk Island and the crew of the Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) Orion.
The Penrod, a towed oil rig with running lights, served as a beacon which enabled Captain Vette to rendezvous with Jay Prochnow.
The Sun reached its highest ascension 21 December 1978 at the winter solstice (summer in the Southern Hemisphere) and the very next day Jay Prochnow (a former U.S. Navy pilot), piloting a Cessna 188 AgWagon found himself lost. He was ferrying the Cessna from Pago Pago to Norfolk Island. With a failed ADF and an overdue ETA, he was deeply worried.
Prochnow began an expanding square pattern hoping to find Norfolk Island before the fuel ran out. Capt. Gordon Vette in command of an Air New Zealand DC-10 (equipped with three inertial navigation systems), believed to be near the Cessna, was enlisted by Auckland ATC to help locate the lost Cessna. Vette, a qualified navigator, contacted Prochnow and asked him to head toward the Sun and to report his magnetic heading.
Prochnow pointed the Cessna to magnetic heading 274 degrees as Vette steered his DC-10 toward the Sun and read his magnetic heading as 270 degrees. Next Vette instructed Prochnow to determine the elevation angle of the Sun above the horizon using his partially outstretched arm and fingers as a sextant. Prochnow established the elevation of the Sun as four fingers as Vette measured the elevation of the Sun as two fingers.
Vette estimated the Cessna was about 240-250 nmi (each finger was slightly more than 2 degrees with each degree worth 60 nmi) from the DC-10. Vette was then able to get within VHF boxing range of Prochnow in 7 or 8 minutes. Prochnow was directed to fly east toward the DC‑10. The Sun began to set. Norfolk Island and Prochnow were both instructed to note the time that the upper limb of the Sun sank below the horizon.
With this information, the results of VHF radio reception (contact/loss) and the time of sunset comparison observed at Norfolk Island and the Cessna, the Cessna’s position was determined to be within 290 miles of its destination. Rendezvous over a towed ocean rig refined the position and Prochnow was directed to a heading to intercept Norfolk Island.
Space limits including all the details of the crisis confronted by Prochnow and all the refinements employed in the search. Since the heading of the Cessna to the Sun was 274 degrees it was greater than the 270‑degree heading of the DC‑10, that meant that the Cessna was south of the DC‑10 as shown in Figure 20 . Since the elevation angle of the Sun measured by Prochnow was higher than that established by Vette, the Cessna was closer to the Sun or west of the DC‑10 as shown in Figure 21 . Thus, the Cessna was southwest of the DC‑10.
Vette recognized that the VHF communication link could be exploited to locate the Cessna. He requested that the Cessna orbit as he raced through the VHF range circle which had a radius of about 200 nmi.
Capt. Vette reasoned that if he marked the points at which he established and lost contact with the Cessna, he could find the location of the Cessna. He knew the diameter of the VHF range circle was 400 nmi He acquired VHF contact at point 1 and lost VHF contact from the Cessna at point 2 (marking the point) at which time he turned 90 degrees left and began his aural box pattern.
After flying on this new leg for a reasonable period, he turned 90 degrees left for a short period followed by another 90 degree turn to the left and at point 3 he regained VHF contact with the Cessna (as he marked his map). He continued through point 4 where he lost VHF contact with the Cessna. Using the intersection of the perpendicular bisectors to the two chords flown within the VHF range circle, Capt. Vette established the center and the location of the Cessna.
The Cessna, however, was not immediately found. Earlier, the DC-10 had dumped fuel to leave a trail which was not seen by Prochnow. Capt. Vette recognized that one can determine the difference of longitude between Norfolk Island and the Cessna by noting the GMT of sunset at the two locations. Norfolk’s local time was 1900 for this event. The Cessna’s time was reduced to sea level (as Prochnow would see sunset later owing to his altitude and his eastward displacement from Norfolk Island). The difference between the times in GMT for sunset at the two observations was 22.5 minutes which corresponds to 5.6° longitude (a degree is equal to 4 minutes in time).
Norfolk’s coordinates were latitude 30°S, longitude 168°E. This would place the Cessna at longitude of 173.6°E , 291 nmi east of Norfolk (5.6°x 60 nmi/deg x cos 30°). Prochnow was directed to fly northwest during this interlude as he was regarded as being southeast of Norfolk Island. A RNZAF Orion was dispatched to help find the Cessna which had been airborne for 20.5 hours and now had minimum fuel remaining. Continued plotting by the navigators showed that the Cessna was approximately at 30°S, 171°E.
Prochnow soon saw a light on the water’s surface. Prochnow found an oil rig under tow whose coordinates (31°S, 170° 21'E) were relayed to the DC-10 and enabled a rendezvous with the Cessna. The Cessna was less than 150 nmi from Norfolk and was given a steering direction by Vette of 294° magnetic heading to Norfolk Island. The Cessna landed safely after being airborne 23 hours and 5 minutes arriving at close to midnight 8 hours beyond its 1600 ETA. Prochnow had stretched the Cessna’s twenty-two hours of fuel by 5 percent through cruise control.
I googled the story and with some editing for space reasons, here it is. It is quite probable that the majority of airline and general aviation pilots in Australia weren't even born when all this happened. It will be a fascinating story to them, as well as we of the long in the tooth, who remember the circumstances.
“Mayday, Mayday.” This message of a pilot in distress on radio three days before Christmas 1978 is heard by Auckland ATC. Jay Prochnow was finally located by the innovative navigational techniques of Captain Gordon Vette aided by Malcolm Forsyth both of Air New Zealand, Auckland ATC, Norfolk Island and the crew of the Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) Orion.
The Penrod, a towed oil rig with running lights, served as a beacon which enabled Captain Vette to rendezvous with Jay Prochnow.
The Sun reached its highest ascension 21 December 1978 at the winter solstice (summer in the Southern Hemisphere) and the very next day Jay Prochnow (a former U.S. Navy pilot), piloting a Cessna 188 AgWagon found himself lost. He was ferrying the Cessna from Pago Pago to Norfolk Island. With a failed ADF and an overdue ETA, he was deeply worried.
Prochnow began an expanding square pattern hoping to find Norfolk Island before the fuel ran out. Capt. Gordon Vette in command of an Air New Zealand DC-10 (equipped with three inertial navigation systems), believed to be near the Cessna, was enlisted by Auckland ATC to help locate the lost Cessna. Vette, a qualified navigator, contacted Prochnow and asked him to head toward the Sun and to report his magnetic heading.
Prochnow pointed the Cessna to magnetic heading 274 degrees as Vette steered his DC-10 toward the Sun and read his magnetic heading as 270 degrees. Next Vette instructed Prochnow to determine the elevation angle of the Sun above the horizon using his partially outstretched arm and fingers as a sextant. Prochnow established the elevation of the Sun as four fingers as Vette measured the elevation of the Sun as two fingers.
Vette estimated the Cessna was about 240-250 nmi (each finger was slightly more than 2 degrees with each degree worth 60 nmi) from the DC-10. Vette was then able to get within VHF boxing range of Prochnow in 7 or 8 minutes. Prochnow was directed to fly east toward the DC‑10. The Sun began to set. Norfolk Island and Prochnow were both instructed to note the time that the upper limb of the Sun sank below the horizon.
With this information, the results of VHF radio reception (contact/loss) and the time of sunset comparison observed at Norfolk Island and the Cessna, the Cessna’s position was determined to be within 290 miles of its destination. Rendezvous over a towed ocean rig refined the position and Prochnow was directed to a heading to intercept Norfolk Island.
Space limits including all the details of the crisis confronted by Prochnow and all the refinements employed in the search. Since the heading of the Cessna to the Sun was 274 degrees it was greater than the 270‑degree heading of the DC‑10, that meant that the Cessna was south of the DC‑10 as shown in Figure 20 . Since the elevation angle of the Sun measured by Prochnow was higher than that established by Vette, the Cessna was closer to the Sun or west of the DC‑10 as shown in Figure 21 . Thus, the Cessna was southwest of the DC‑10.
Vette recognized that the VHF communication link could be exploited to locate the Cessna. He requested that the Cessna orbit as he raced through the VHF range circle which had a radius of about 200 nmi.
Capt. Vette reasoned that if he marked the points at which he established and lost contact with the Cessna, he could find the location of the Cessna. He knew the diameter of the VHF range circle was 400 nmi He acquired VHF contact at point 1 and lost VHF contact from the Cessna at point 2 (marking the point) at which time he turned 90 degrees left and began his aural box pattern.
After flying on this new leg for a reasonable period, he turned 90 degrees left for a short period followed by another 90 degree turn to the left and at point 3 he regained VHF contact with the Cessna (as he marked his map). He continued through point 4 where he lost VHF contact with the Cessna. Using the intersection of the perpendicular bisectors to the two chords flown within the VHF range circle, Capt. Vette established the center and the location of the Cessna.
The Cessna, however, was not immediately found. Earlier, the DC-10 had dumped fuel to leave a trail which was not seen by Prochnow. Capt. Vette recognized that one can determine the difference of longitude between Norfolk Island and the Cessna by noting the GMT of sunset at the two locations. Norfolk’s local time was 1900 for this event. The Cessna’s time was reduced to sea level (as Prochnow would see sunset later owing to his altitude and his eastward displacement from Norfolk Island). The difference between the times in GMT for sunset at the two observations was 22.5 minutes which corresponds to 5.6° longitude (a degree is equal to 4 minutes in time).
Norfolk’s coordinates were latitude 30°S, longitude 168°E. This would place the Cessna at longitude of 173.6°E , 291 nmi east of Norfolk (5.6°x 60 nmi/deg x cos 30°). Prochnow was directed to fly northwest during this interlude as he was regarded as being southeast of Norfolk Island. A RNZAF Orion was dispatched to help find the Cessna which had been airborne for 20.5 hours and now had minimum fuel remaining. Continued plotting by the navigators showed that the Cessna was approximately at 30°S, 171°E.
Prochnow soon saw a light on the water’s surface. Prochnow found an oil rig under tow whose coordinates (31°S, 170° 21'E) were relayed to the DC-10 and enabled a rendezvous with the Cessna. The Cessna was less than 150 nmi from Norfolk and was given a steering direction by Vette of 294° magnetic heading to Norfolk Island. The Cessna landed safely after being airborne 23 hours and 5 minutes arriving at close to midnight 8 hours beyond its 1600 ETA. Prochnow had stretched the Cessna’s twenty-two hours of fuel by 5 percent through cruise control.
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The decision which Direction to roll inverted had to be made quickly too!
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Actually, Neil initially rolled the wrong way before he figured out what was going on, but then corrected his mistake and figured out that the broken wing must always in towards the ground in both roll in and roll out with a broken lower wing attach point and the need to carry enough G loading to keep it in place.
I do think that Neil's flying in that accident is one of the most impressive pieces of airmanship I can imagine
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Actually, Neil initially rolled the wrong way before he figured out what was going on, but then corrected his mistake and figured out that the broken wing must always in towards the ground in both roll in and roll out with a broken lower wing attach point and the need to carry enough G loading to keep it in place.
I do think that Neil's flying in that accident is one of the most impressive pieces of airmanship I can imagine
That fella who found Norfolk Island thanks largely to Captain Gordon Vette had the story written up in a Readers Digest the following year.
After a good nights sleep he got up in the morning to head off for Sydney.
Why he could not home in on Norfolk Island was because the needle of his ADF had come off. Next day he simply broke the glass and glued the needle back on.
Did Mr Prochnow ever thank Captain Vette personally, or otherwise express his gratitude in a fitting way?
After a good nights sleep he got up in the morning to head off for Sydney.
Why he could not home in on Norfolk Island was because the needle of his ADF had come off. Next day he simply broke the glass and glued the needle back on.
Did Mr Prochnow ever thank Captain Vette personally, or otherwise express his gratitude in a fitting way?
Thread Starter
Next day he simply broke the glass and glued the needle back on.
Fantome, I recall reading the story in a Readers Digest (in a dentist's waiting room), however there was a full length book and a film of the story too. I'd forgotten that Gordon Vette was one of the leading players in the Erebus affair too - a high flier in more ways than one.
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if it happened today. An Inquiry bigger than the Norfolk Island Pelair debacle would take place
Originally Posted by Fantome
Did Mr Prochnow ever thank Captain Vette personally, or otherwise express his gratitude in a fitting way?
This ordeal was made into a telemovie, Mercy Mission, the rescue of flight 771, which ended with a credit that "The two men remain good friends, 15 years after their Christmas adventure". Not strictly the way things went down, with the movie showing a diversion to Auckland, but anyway....I've just found it's even on YouTube, so if you've a spare 90 mins,
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I have a bit of respect for the men in these 3 very memorable events:
If I understand 'Airmanship' as being flying skill, I'd say the above have it.
- Air Florida Flight 90: the helo pilot Donald W. Usher who hovered with the skids in the Potomac River while the paramedic Melvin E. Windsor stood on the skid and grabbed people.
- US Airways Flight 1549: Captain Sullenberger and First Officer Skiles landing the aircraft on the river safely.
- British Airways Flight 38: The way I understand it, SFO John Coward and FO Conor Magenis were in a glide into Heathrow with indications they wouldn't make the airfield perimiter. The pilot dipped the nose to build up just enough speed to get them from over populated area to just within the perimiter fence and the threshold of the runway.
If I understand 'Airmanship' as being flying skill, I'd say the above have it.
Thread Starter
Back in 1969 I left the RAAF after 18 happy years and joined DCA. On arrival in Melbourne I was given a dark gloomy office with no windows at the DCA Headquarters in Aviation House 188 Queen St. In the next office was my immediate boss - a former wartime Lockheed Hudson pilot who fought the Japs in the South Pacific. Many of the people I worked with in Aviation house were also former wartime RAAF aircrew, most of whom were bored out of their mind in DCA.
I discovered that on or around the 11th Floor was the DCA Technical Library. It was a fascinating place of shelf upon shelf of ancient and contemporary aviation books, hundreds of flight safety magazines from UK, USA, Canada and of course the DCA magazine Aviation Safety Digest. It was in another DCA building (Air Liquide House) in South Melbourne,where I had the pleasure of first meeting the editor of ASD, Mac Job and his able assistant Dick McLean. We have remained in contact to this day.
At the DCA Library there were multiple copies of each magazine and I felt it was my bounden duty to liberate these spares and give them a good home (Mulgrave, where I lived). Some of these magazines were bound copies by L.H. Moon & Son Pty Ltd of Melbourne. I still have a bound copy, rescued from the DCA library, of the 1968-1969 editions of the United States Air Force flight safety magazine called "Aerospace Safety".
Following the theme of this thread on Good Airmanship, I thought readers may be interested to read selected examples from USAF Aerospace Safety where good airmanship saved the day. The Vietnam war had started and of course there was no shortage of incidents of the type seldom experienced by todays civilian aircrew. Often, the lessons learned are the same, regardless of how long ago.
For example:
On 14 March 1967, in Vietnam, Major Dubberly as instructor Pilot, with First Lieutenant Jach co-pilot and Staff sergeant Wolpert as flight engineer, took off in a C-7A (Caribou) with 17 passengers. As the aircraft was climbing through 4500 feet the aircraft received ground fire and a slight smoke odour was noticed by the crew. All instruments and circuit breakers were monitored with no abnormal indication noted. The side windows of the Caribou were closed and the smell diminished. Approximately 10 minutes later an acrid smoke odour was again detected. Smoke in the cabin was now affecting the passengers eyes but the smoke source could not be located. Because the intensity of eye irritation was increasing, Sergeant Wolpert opened the aft cargo door to help alleviate the smoke.
Lt Jach started a descent. While the aircraft was passing through 5000 feet, the No 1 engine fire light for zone 2 and 3 illuminated. Engine inflight fire procedures were accomplished but the propeller would not feather. Both fire extinguisher bottles momentarily diminished the now blazing fire which was burning well aft of the firewall and back toward the left wing. Maximum power was applied to No 2 engine and a 3-400 foot per minute descent was the best performance attainable.
At 1,000 feet, attempts to lower the landing gear proved unsuccessful; the gear controls had been burned away by this time. With maximum power on No.2 engine, No 1 windmilling, and zero flaps, Major Dubberly and Lt Jaach continued the approach. By now many pieces had burned off the No 1 engine nacelle and flames were engulfing part of the wing.
Major Dubberly took control of the aircraft, crossed the end of the runway, and touched down on the fuselage. The aircraft slid 657 feet and came to rest on the centre-line of the runway. All power was turned off and the 17 passengers and crew evacuated the still burning aircraft.
Subsequent investigation cited enemy action as the cause of the fire. Because of Major Dubberly's and Lt Jach's crew coordination, skill and professionalism, and Sergent Wolpert's outstanding ability in re-briefing and controlling the passengers, all aboard escaped without injury.
............................................................ .........................................
Centaurus comment: The above incident demonstrates the startling rapidity with which engine fires can propagate in the air with no guarantee that in-built fire extinguishers will be effective. Among airline crews there are sometimes differing opinions on the best way to treat in-flight engine fire warnings.
Some pilots argue that there is no urgency to take action since with pod-mounted engines it is likely the engine will fall away if fire weakens the installation. Others disagree, since that sort of advice is a personal point of view not backed up in aircraft manufacturers flight operations manuals. Most manuals this writer has read, emphasise the need to take prompt action in event of engine fire warning; with the caveat the pilot should ensure the aircraft is under control first. Surely that should be self-evident.
I discovered that on or around the 11th Floor was the DCA Technical Library. It was a fascinating place of shelf upon shelf of ancient and contemporary aviation books, hundreds of flight safety magazines from UK, USA, Canada and of course the DCA magazine Aviation Safety Digest. It was in another DCA building (Air Liquide House) in South Melbourne,where I had the pleasure of first meeting the editor of ASD, Mac Job and his able assistant Dick McLean. We have remained in contact to this day.
At the DCA Library there were multiple copies of each magazine and I felt it was my bounden duty to liberate these spares and give them a good home (Mulgrave, where I lived). Some of these magazines were bound copies by L.H. Moon & Son Pty Ltd of Melbourne. I still have a bound copy, rescued from the DCA library, of the 1968-1969 editions of the United States Air Force flight safety magazine called "Aerospace Safety".
Following the theme of this thread on Good Airmanship, I thought readers may be interested to read selected examples from USAF Aerospace Safety where good airmanship saved the day. The Vietnam war had started and of course there was no shortage of incidents of the type seldom experienced by todays civilian aircrew. Often, the lessons learned are the same, regardless of how long ago.
For example:
On 14 March 1967, in Vietnam, Major Dubberly as instructor Pilot, with First Lieutenant Jach co-pilot and Staff sergeant Wolpert as flight engineer, took off in a C-7A (Caribou) with 17 passengers. As the aircraft was climbing through 4500 feet the aircraft received ground fire and a slight smoke odour was noticed by the crew. All instruments and circuit breakers were monitored with no abnormal indication noted. The side windows of the Caribou were closed and the smell diminished. Approximately 10 minutes later an acrid smoke odour was again detected. Smoke in the cabin was now affecting the passengers eyes but the smoke source could not be located. Because the intensity of eye irritation was increasing, Sergeant Wolpert opened the aft cargo door to help alleviate the smoke.
Lt Jach started a descent. While the aircraft was passing through 5000 feet, the No 1 engine fire light for zone 2 and 3 illuminated. Engine inflight fire procedures were accomplished but the propeller would not feather. Both fire extinguisher bottles momentarily diminished the now blazing fire which was burning well aft of the firewall and back toward the left wing. Maximum power was applied to No 2 engine and a 3-400 foot per minute descent was the best performance attainable.
At 1,000 feet, attempts to lower the landing gear proved unsuccessful; the gear controls had been burned away by this time. With maximum power on No.2 engine, No 1 windmilling, and zero flaps, Major Dubberly and Lt Jaach continued the approach. By now many pieces had burned off the No 1 engine nacelle and flames were engulfing part of the wing.
Major Dubberly took control of the aircraft, crossed the end of the runway, and touched down on the fuselage. The aircraft slid 657 feet and came to rest on the centre-line of the runway. All power was turned off and the 17 passengers and crew evacuated the still burning aircraft.
Subsequent investigation cited enemy action as the cause of the fire. Because of Major Dubberly's and Lt Jach's crew coordination, skill and professionalism, and Sergent Wolpert's outstanding ability in re-briefing and controlling the passengers, all aboard escaped without injury.
............................................................ .........................................
Centaurus comment: The above incident demonstrates the startling rapidity with which engine fires can propagate in the air with no guarantee that in-built fire extinguishers will be effective. Among airline crews there are sometimes differing opinions on the best way to treat in-flight engine fire warnings.
Some pilots argue that there is no urgency to take action since with pod-mounted engines it is likely the engine will fall away if fire weakens the installation. Others disagree, since that sort of advice is a personal point of view not backed up in aircraft manufacturers flight operations manuals. Most manuals this writer has read, emphasise the need to take prompt action in event of engine fire warning; with the caveat the pilot should ensure the aircraft is under control first. Surely that should be self-evident.
Last edited by Centaurus; 11th Jan 2014 at 06:32.
On 16 May 1995, an RAF Nimrod R1 suffered a catastrophic engine fire in number 4 engine. As a result of this fire, the Captain made the difficult decision to ditch in the North Sea just three miles from RAF Lossiemouth rather than push on to land on the runway. It has subsequently been calculated that the aircraft would have lost its wing entirely between 30 and 90 seconds after the ditching and could not have made it to the runway.
SKYbrary - Reflections on the Decision to Ditch a Large Transport Aircraft
SKYbrary - Reflections on the Decision to Ditch a Large Transport Aircraft
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: Australia
Age: 63
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Wow Centaurus what a great story resulting in a great thread.
all awesome pilots and crew.
As part of the check flight for issue of a pilot certificate I often use an engine fire as a 'random emergency' check... with interesting results.http://images.ibsrv.net/ibsrv/res/sr...lies/smile.gif
Side slipping is indeed an essential tool in the pilots tool kit
all awesome pilots and crew.
As part of the check flight for issue of a pilot certificate I often use an engine fire as a 'random emergency' check... with interesting results.http://images.ibsrv.net/ibsrv/res/sr...lies/smile.gif
Side slipping is indeed an essential tool in the pilots tool kit