Harrier Hovering Autorotation
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From: USA
Harrier Hovering Autorotation
Joined: Jul 1999
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From: Warrington, UK
Yes, this happened a couple of years ago, at a display at the seaside town of Lowestoft in the UK. The pilot moved the nozzle positon lever instead of the throttle, and then didn't have time to correct his mistake. 
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From: Cambridgeshire, UK
Interesting demonstration of advantages of low disk loading, over the need to maintain engine power with high disk loading.
Mart
Mart
Last edited by Graviman; 8th January 2007 at 11:39. Reason: So that John Farley could enjoy his breakfast!
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From: Maders UK
What a waste
Great that the pilot got out but... but what a balls up!
The MOD have insurance though - it is called the inland revenue.
Isn't it sad that our taxes funded this terrible waste of money?
SB
The MOD have insurance though - it is called the inland revenue.
Isn't it sad that our taxes funded this terrible waste of money?
SB
Joined: Jul 2000
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From: London
Isn't it sad that our taxes funded this terrible waste of money?
It's a pity the accident happened but even top pilots such as those creamed off to fly the Harrier make mistakes - just like the rest of us in our various occupations.
Fortunately, the pilots also survived the incidents below. Nothing to do with hovering or rotary flight, but amazing pictures nonetheless.
FL
Last edited by Flying Lawyer; 3rd January 2007 at 09:47.
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From: Australia
but the second,
I cannot remember any details if I ever heard them??
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From: Warrington, UK
From the Pprune archives, via google:
The place was Hatfield, 13/9/62, and the pilot was George Aird, a civilian test pilot with Hawker Siddeley Dynamics. The Lightning became uncontrollable after an engine bay fire had weakened a tailplane actuator, and the pilot was forced to eject from low level. Unfortunately he landed on some greenhouses, breaking both legs in the process!
The pic was taken by a bloke covering a ploughing contest for Farmer's Weekly
The tractor was a Fordson Major, and the plough was made by Aveling Barford, and in those days the driver would have been paid £5.10.6d per week for a 50 hour stint, Mild beer was 7-1/2 old pence per pint and larger had still to be thought of in the UK, a portion of fish and chips was 9d and only the American forces had Anoraks, Oh what glorious days we have missed!
The pic was taken by a bloke covering a ploughing contest for Farmer's Weekly
The tractor was a Fordson Major, and the plough was made by Aveling Barford, and in those days the driver would have been paid £5.10.6d per week for a 50 hour stint, Mild beer was 7-1/2 old pence per pint and larger had still to be thought of in the UK, a portion of fish and chips was 9d and only the American forces had Anoraks, Oh what glorious days we have missed!
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From: UK
Mighty; I got a few of those glorious years! (and bought my first pint of mild at the "Hoste Arms" in Burnham Market circa 1965, only 'slightly' underage!)
The only ejections I ever witnessed were from a F18 over Hampshire in 1980. The subsequent crash was spectacular, the aircraft narrowly missing the Officers married quarters and primary school at Middle Wallop.
The only ejections I ever witnessed were from a F18 over Hampshire in 1980. The subsequent crash was spectacular, the aircraft narrowly missing the Officers married quarters and primary school at Middle Wallop.
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From: Cambridgeshire, UK
The place was Hatfield, 13/9/62, and the pilot was George Aird, a civilian test pilot with Hawker Siddeley Dynamics. The Lightning became uncontrollable after an engine bay fire had weakened a tailplane actuator, and the pilot was forced to eject from low level. Unfortunately he landed on some greenhouses, breaking both legs in the process!
Mart
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From: Just left of the centre line
just a thought, but would moving the throttle not have the same outcome i was of the understanding they needed full power to hover ?
Gnome de PPRuNe
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From: Too close to Croydon for comfort
Bertie, this was the F-18 that had displayed at Farnborough the previous week... anyone know tech reasons why said pilot felt obliged to eject? Call it vulgar curiosity if you will...
Gender Faculty Specialist
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From: In your head.
as355f1, not necessarily. It depends on weight. The MAUW exceeds the maximum thrust from the engine even with water meth injection, I think. It does have to be fairly light to hover. John Farley would be a good chap to ask for specifics, he frequents this place from time to time.
Do a Hover - it avoids G
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From: Chichester West Sussex UK
The first steps towards hovering using jet engines for direct lift were all taken by the RAE Farnborough. In 1951 they instigated a model rig test of a jet reaction attitude control system. The success of this led to them contracting Rolls-Royce to build a man carrying hovering rig called the Flying Bedstead which flew in 1954. This in turn led to a contract on Shorts to produce the SC1 aircraft with four separate lift engines plus one for propulsion to investigate the transition manoeuvre. A double transition (accelerating onto the wings and back again) was achieved with the SC1 in 1960. Later that same year Hawkers started to use the P1127 to look at the notion of jet lift (initially PV) using a single engine with swivelling nozzles. This was a less complex way promising greater reliability when compared to the SC1 but the penalty was it relied on the pilot to correctly operate two controls with the left hand (throttle and nozzle lever)
Clearly if you accidentally close the throttle or raise the nozzles when in the hover the thing will fall on the ground. People make mistakes. Whether they recover from them depends on many factors. I accidentally closed the HP cock (so shutting down the engine) at the start of a decelerating transition on one occasion. The dying whine woke me up so I relight the donk and gave myself a talking to.
Even though today they are operated by six nations and have been in service with the RAF since April 1969 there is still much rubbish written about them by people who don’t do their homework – or in some cases even think at all before they post something. Sorry, rant over. I need my breakfast.
Clearly if you accidentally close the throttle or raise the nozzles when in the hover the thing will fall on the ground. People make mistakes. Whether they recover from them depends on many factors. I accidentally closed the HP cock (so shutting down the engine) at the start of a decelerating transition on one occasion. The dying whine woke me up so I relight the donk and gave myself a talking to.
Even though today they are operated by six nations and have been in service with the RAF since April 1969 there is still much rubbish written about them by people who don’t do their homework – or in some cases even think at all before they post something. Sorry, rant over. I need my breakfast.
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From: Florida
