I'm in a new squadron in idaho and they do not wear covers on a flight line (active or inactive). is there a regulation about this either wing, region, or national?
No regulation, though there may be some wings that have supplements to that effect.
It is always a local call.
Huh. I've seen covers forbidden on the flight line at Squadron, Group, Wing, Region, and National activities. It's really just a local call? I believe you Eclipse, just curious.
Quote from: JerseyCadet on February 22, 2012, 03:28:16 AM
Huh. I've seen covers forbidden on the flight line at Squadron, Group, Wing, Region, and National activities. It's really just a local call? I believe you Eclipse, just curious.
Yes. For every MSO or FLS who says that hats on a flight line are a bad idea, there is one who believes that sunburn or heat stress is as much of a risk as
FOD or chasing FOD.
A lot of members I know wear ear protection or aviation headsets when working the flight line (myself included), so that negates the risk of a fly-away hat.
AD AF it's no hat no salute area most of the time.
Quote from: abdsp51 on February 22, 2012, 03:50:47 AM
AD AF it's no hat no salute area most of the time.
+1 At encampment they (AF AD & FL ANG) told us that.
Quote from: Extremepredjudice on February 22, 2012, 04:21:37 AM
Quote from: abdsp51 on February 22, 2012, 03:50:47 AM
AD AF it's no hat no salute area most of the time.
+1 At encampment they (AF AD & FL ANG) told us that.
Do you know why?
Hats getting sucked into engines is kinda hard on the equipment.
Forget it being a local CAP call.. It's more of an airport call. If someone walks on the flight line at any of the airports near me, they're gonna get yelled at by airport / FBO people. And forget it on a military flight line, it darn well better be off.
I'm actually kind of surprised we're even having this conversation. I've never seen a single flight like where it was acceptable for anyone (CAP or otherwise) to wear any sort of covers / hats, and that has nothing to do with CAP. The exception is sometimes FBO and airport employees wear "color coded" hats that are secured with straps of ear muffs.
Quote from: PHall on February 22, 2012, 04:28:09 AM
Quote from: Extremepredjudice on February 22, 2012, 04:21:37 AM
Quote from: abdsp51 on February 22, 2012, 03:50:47 AM
AD AF it's no hat no salute area most of the time.
+1 At encampment they (AF AD & FL ANG) told us that.
Do you know why?
Hats getting sucked into engines is kinda hard on the equipment.
Yes, I know.
The hat can be blown off (or sucked off) by the engines propulsion resulting in Foreign Object Debris. If a hat goes into an engine (especially a jet) it can cause thousands of dollars in damages.
For what its worth...
The EAA requires flight line workers at EAA Airventure to wear covers because of sun burns.
Quote from: Woodsy on February 22, 2012, 04:28:30 AMI've never seen a single flight like where it was acceptable for anyone (CAP or otherwise) to wear any sort of covers / hats, and that has nothing to do with CAP.
(http://www.blueberet.org/nbb_2004_marshalling.jpg)
(http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/51/USAF_Security_Police_-_173d_Security_Forces_Squadron.jpg/800px-USAF_Security_Police_-_173d_Security_Forces_Squadron.jpg)
(http://commemorativeairforce.org/editor/userImg/2011AIRSHO/KevinHong_Marshallers.jpg)
(http://www.avweb.com/newspics/potw/large/potw01_1627.jpg)
(http://www.blueberet.org/20_003.jpeg)
(http://www.goldengatewing.org/events/images/3marshallerst28.jpg)
(http://www.airteamimages.com/pics/126/126458_big.jpg)
(http://www.goldengatewing.org/events/images/t28_skippy.jpg)
From the CAWG FLM Home Study Course.
Headgear
Your BDU cap is not normally worn on flight lines. However, there may be situations such that marshalers
may want to wear headgear during CAP aircraft marshaling. This may be because of intense sunlight, rain, or
just for warmth. If worn, though, they should be secured somehow. Hat retainer devices may be locally
purchased or fabricated, to help secure the hat. But it is VERY important to remember that should a hat or
anything be blown from a marshaler's head, let it go! Under NO circumstance should a marshaler run on the
flight line. Carefully walk and retrieve it. It is mandatory, however, that head-coverings be removed and
stored securely during any activities involving helicopters or if any turbine powered engines are in the area.
Your FLS should brief you on headgear during his team briefing. If he doesn't, ask!
The one time a year I'm on a flight line (when my squadron helps a local aviation museum with their annual fundraising fly-in) I'm cover off. I have to do too much near moving aircraft to risk it getting blown off (into someone's expensive turbojet, prop, or rotor) or risk having my vision restricted. As a result, my face is usually medium to extra crispy by the end of the day.
Bottom line.
The call is in the hands of the flight line owner and/or the activity director.
sorry all, i wasnt clear enough. I meant will during squadron drill and they are drilling on the ramp at the local airport.
Quote from: cadet zimmerman on February 22, 2012, 03:33:07 PM
sorry all, i wasnt clear enough. I meant will during squadron drill and they are drilling on the ramp at the local airport.
Different question, same answer - local call, however likely a non-issue.
In most cases, I think the restriction is ridiculous. One one side of a rope are airshow visitors with beach umbrellas and floppy hats, and on the other side are CAP Cadets doing crowd control and working on their heat stroke and melanomae. If the wind is strong enough to suck your hat off, and there are jet engines around, it makes sense, but with conventional engines and props, it seems a little over-reactive. Its more likely that a tumble weed or a seagull will be aspirated by an intake than a patrol cap. Like ear protection, hats or "covers" as are jar-headed brethren say, IMHO, should be worn by default when conditions permit and safety makes it wise. How many of us have seen Cadets ( and seniors) melt like slugs with salt on them on toasty flight lines? If in doubt, just staple or super glue your cadets covers in place.....it will only sting for a couple of hours.
Major Lord
What are these covers you speak of? The USAF and by extension CAP wear hats or caps.
If I had to define an SOP strictly from experience:
If it's an air show, you're under cover.
If it's not an air show, you're not under cover.
The "it could fly off and get sucked into .. " citation seems fairly universal.
However the times I have been in operation under cover on a flight line I do make a habit of pulling it down extra so it's tight. I've also never seen one just go flying off, and certainly seen many other items doing that ..
So, local call. Way of the land, whatever.
Well I guess I was wrong! First time for everything I guess! :o
In this area, you would (and I have, more than once) get yelled at for walking onto the flight line with head gear.
When I was a Crew Chief on A-10's we were issued "bump caps". They were sort of a hard baseball cap, not as sturdy as a regular hard hat. The first day I reported in there was a sign on the bulletin board in the line shack that said:
Squadron Head Bashing Contest
Sgt XXX leads with 9 stitches
Sgt YYY is in second place with 6
Sgt ZZZ is in third with only 3
:o
The issue was "Hog Bites", the danger of slicing open your head or even back on the various projections underneath. So, it really boils down to ORM (risk vs. benefit).
That's a good idea!
http://www.grainger.com/Grainger/FIBREMETAL-Vented-Bump-Cap-8XC42 (http://www.grainger.com/Grainger/FIBREMETAL-Vented-Bump-Cap-8XC42)
I see you can also buy just the shell, presumably for any other ball cap.
http://www.grainger.com/Grainger/FIBREMETAL-Bump-Cap-Inner-Shell-2KFF7 (http://www.grainger.com/Grainger/FIBREMETAL-Bump-Cap-Inner-Shell-2KFF7)
(http://images.grainger.com/B354_34/images/products/250x250/Bump-Cap-Inner-Shell-2KFF7_AS01.JPG)
Gonna have to consider getting one of these.
It is definitely a local call for policy. In most cases, the real reasoning behind it is safety.
For example for first time cadets going on their orientation flights, we do specifically ask them to remove their patrol hat or cap so that it doesn't get blown off and cadets ended up chasing his cover into an active runway, taxiway, or worse into a turning prop. Granted the chances of that might be remote, but still a good safety practice.
We ask members to wear proper hat (cover) when working airshows.
In short, please don't automatically assume that "no hats (covers) in flight line" is a bad policy setup by some ego driven members. :angel:
Chasing their caps onto a flight line? I guess we are practicing "diversity": you have a squadron of golden retrievers! Note that the police above are wearing headgear, which they will do by default, since they are under arms. I submit that the non-wear of covers on flight lines is a guideline, and one local command can alter to provide the minimal risk to all participants at any activity using common sense and experience. Of course, this pre-supposes that local command has either/or common sense or experience....
Major Lord
Quote from: Major Lord on February 22, 2012, 05:06:58 PM
Chasing their caps onto a flight line? I guess we are practicing "diversity": you have a squadron of golden retrievers!
Your statement is funny in a way and at the same time a bit insulting calling members dogs. But I guess that is the nature of CT and it is all in good fun.
Quote from: Major Lord on February 22, 2012, 05:06:58 PM
Note that the police above are wearing headgear, which they will do by default, since they are under arms.
Not sure what police you are referring to since I was only referring to CAP members, not LEO or anything else. The example I gave referred to cadets on their first O'Rides, cadets that are excited and can easily forget the safety briefing when walking near a CAP airplane or other airplanes that are taxing on the flightline. Besides, we can only safeguard our own members as we have no saying about what other groups or agencies act or how they wear their uniforms.
Quote from: Major Lord on February 22, 2012, 05:06:58 PM
I submit that the non-wear of covers on flight lines is a guideline, and one local command can alter to provide the minimal risk to all participants at any activity using common sense and experience. Of course, this pre-supposes that local command has either/or common sense or experience....
And I believe that is the right thing to do. Way too often we paint the commander or activity director who issues such guidelines as someone who lacks common sense and it hurts the general well being of our members.
Quote from: vento on February 22, 2012, 05:39:47 PM
Quote from: Major Lord on February 22, 2012, 05:06:58 PM
I submit that the non-wear of covers on flight lines is a guideline, and one local command can alter to provide the minimal risk to all participants at any activity using common sense and experience. Of course, this pre-supposes that local command has either/or common sense or experience....
And I believe that is the right thing to do. Way too often we paint the commander or activity director who issues such guidelines as someone who lacks common sense and it hurts the general well being of our members.
This is OK:
"As the activity commander, I believe the FOD issues on a flightline are more critical then then heat stress or cold. Therefore I direct that the designated
flightline will be a 'no-hat / no salute area'..." (or the inverse)
This is
not OK:
"As the activity commander, I believe the FOD issues on a flightline are more critical then then heat stress or cold. Therefore I direct that the designated
flightline will be a 'no-hat / no salute area', and since this is clearly the only correct choice, I will tell everyone that this is a national regulation, despite the fact that I have nothing to support this assertion, and then I will get indignant when anyone challenges this clearly correct choice..."
Absent a clear prescription from the regulations or a higher HQ directive, commanders have a fair amount of latitude in these matters, however they
should not just make things up to support their opinions when they are not confident enough to simply direct their participants' actions. There's plenty of places that things are ambiguous or left to local choice, but commanders who just make things up call all of their decisions into question, and rightly so.
Depending on the circumstances defenders will wear their berets however it's generally accepted that the flt line is a no hat no salute area. If an engine is spinning up or down they will not wear berets, during a security incident they may or may not he wearing a beret. That pic shown looks like a publicity shot overseas somewhere.
You guys are ignoring his
ACTUAL question:
Quote from: cadet zimmerman on February 22, 2012, 03:33:07 PM
sorry all, i wasnt clear enough. I meant will during squadron drill and they are drilling on the ramp at the local airport.
Quote from: Extremepredjudice on February 22, 2012, 06:13:31 PM
You guys are ignoring his ACTUAL question:
Quote from: cadet zimmerman on February 22, 2012, 03:33:07 PM
sorry all, i wasnt clear enough. I meant will during squadron drill and they are drilling on the ramp at the local airport.
No.....I already answered it.
It is up to the flight line ownere or the commander of the activity if the flight line owner does not care one way or the other.
You go to Nellis AFB on a NON airshow day...and go on the flight line...hats off....as per Nellis' policies.
You got to Nellis AFB on an airshow day....and it is up to the event director.....In the case where that was me...it was hats on.
So at local airport X.....see the FBO for their policy. The commander can make the call based on those policies.
End of argument.....it is not rocket science guys.
In my 15,000 hours of flight time, Ive never seen a hat get sucked off and ingested into a C172. :)
Quote from: Thrashed on February 22, 2012, 08:04:03 PM
In my 15,000 hours of flight time, Ive never seen a hat get sucked off and ingested into a C172. :)
I hope some day to accrue that many flight hours.
Quote from: cadet zimmerman on February 22, 2012, 03:33:07 PM
sorry all, i wasnt clear enough. I meant will during squadron drill and they are drilling on the ramp at the local airport.
FWIW, my squadron meets at an airport which closes at sunset, so if we're drilling on the ramp before sunset, no caps. If it's after sunset (more often than not, it seems), caps on.
Quote from: Thrashed on February 22, 2012, 08:04:03 PM
In my 15,000 hours of flight time, Ive never seen a hat get sucked off and ingested into a C172. :)
But I have seen hats blown off the heads of the wearers by the prop wash of a taxiing C172.
And the hats can go all sorts of places, including some that could cause damage, i.e. the intake of a jet engine.
Once the hat comes off your head you have no control where it goes.
People have and will do some really stupid things, like walking into a spinning prop, while chasing hats on ramps.
Quote from: PHall on February 23, 2012, 12:14:01 AMAnd the hats can go all sorts of places, including some that could cause damage, i.e. the intake of a jet engine.
Not if it's a robohat!
(http://img822.imageshack.us/img822/6796/robohat.jpg)
Quote from: Eclipse on February 23, 2012, 12:16:29 AM
Quote from: PHall on February 23, 2012, 12:14:01 AMAnd the hats can go all sorts of places, including some that could cause damage, i.e. the intake of a jet engine.
Not if it's a robohat!
(http://img822.imageshack.us/img822/6796/robohat.jpg)
What did you do, steal that from Inspctor Gadget? >:D
To the OP: It depends on the size and activity at your local airport. The little airport where I went to meetings as a cadet had a guy come out about 8 am, unlock the building, and then do a few chores. He then went home until someone called his for fuel. If nothing else happened, he would go back about 5pm and lock up(We had our own key). We drilled on the ramp with covers and if someone, landed and wanted to taxi up on the ramp instead of to the hangars, we would move off to the side of the ramp and take our covers off until he shutdown and them back to drilling.
Quote from: PHall on February 23, 2012, 12:14:01 AM
Quote from: Thrashed on February 22, 2012, 08:04:03 PM
In my 15,000 hours of flight time, Ive never seen a hat get sucked off and ingested into a C172. :)
But I have seen hats blown off the heads of the wearers by the prop wash of a taxiing C172.
And the hats can go all sorts of places, including some that could cause damage, i.e. the intake of a jet engine.
Once the hat comes off your head you have no control where it goes.
People have and will do some really stupid things, like walking into a spinning prop, while chasing hats on ramps.
Yea, but I've never seen a Jet near a CAP plane. Around here, we don't even operate out of airports that have jets.
Quote from: Thrashed on February 23, 2012, 02:00:36 AM
Yea, but I've never seen a Jet near a CAP plane.
(http://img546.imageshack.us/img546/8650/standoff.jpg)
Quote from: Thrashed on February 23, 2012, 02:00:36 AMYea, but I've never seen a Jet near a CAP plane. Around here, we don't even operate out of airports that have jets.
Then you have not been to California, and I'd imagine Nevada, Texas, Florida, and a few of the other populous states.
Quote from: Thrashed on February 23, 2012, 02:00:36 AM
Quote from: PHall on February 23, 2012, 12:14:01 AM
Quote from: Thrashed on February 22, 2012, 08:04:03 PM
In my 15,000 hours of flight time, Ive never seen a hat get sucked off and ingested into a C172. :)
But I have seen hats blown off the heads of the wearers by the prop wash of a taxiing C172.
And the hats can go all sorts of places, including some that could cause damage, i.e. the intake of a jet engine.
Once the hat comes off your head you have no control where it goes.
People have and will do some really stupid things, like walking into a spinning prop, while chasing hats on ramps.
Yea, but I've never seen a Jet near a CAP plane. Around here, we don't even operate out of airports that have jets.
Geez, my podunk little munis have jets. And they have had CAP aircraft at them.
(http://img94.imageshack.us/img94/6835/bildelk.jpg)
^^^
I've seen that one at one of our local airfields a couple of times.
That is a super nice bird... where can I get one? >:D
Quote from: davidsinn on February 22, 2012, 03:42:43 PM
What are these covers you speak of? The USAF and by extension CAP wear hats or caps.
ive always heard them as covers both in the air force and CAP
Quote from: Eclipse on February 23, 2012, 03:25:47 AM
(http://img94.imageshack.us/img94/6835/bildelk.jpg)
Really stretching to try to make your point aren't you?
Quote from: cadet zimmerman on February 23, 2012, 06:32:31 AM
Quote from: davidsinn on February 22, 2012, 03:42:43 PM
What are these covers you speak of? The USAF and by extension CAP wear hats or caps.
ive always heard them as covers both in the air force and CAP
Well, there are some folks who just never get the right "word". Cover is a term from the other services, which has been introduced and passed on by CAP members with a history in those services. These members have failed, for whatever reasons, to adapt to the AF/CAP way.
Quote from: PHall on February 23, 2012, 06:39:13 AM
Quote from: Eclipse on February 23, 2012, 03:25:47 AM
(http://img94.imageshack.us/img94/6835/bildelk.jpg)
Really stretching to try to make your point aren't you?
Don't they have chinstraps?
Quote from: Thrashed on February 23, 2012, 02:00:36 AM
Yea, but I've never seen a Jet near a CAP plane. Around here, we don't even operate out of airports that have jets.
Don't know where you're from, but on Sunday we were on final into our home base with a Lear in front of us, a Falcon behind us, and when we landed, we went to fill her up at the FBO, and out of 20+ planes waiting on gas, we were the only prop bird around.
Quote from: Thrashed on February 22, 2012, 08:04:03 PM
In my 15,000 hours of flight time, Ive never seen a hat get sucked off and ingested into a C172. :)
In my less than 20 hours Mission Observer time, I've seen hats blown off by a prop, then sucked into a jet engine. Twice.
Well, I guess I'm doing something right. Of those 15,000 hours, 9000 are jet and I've never had nor seen any FOD- especially from hats.
People are not wearing enough hats to create FOD:
"Meaning of Life" - "People are not wearing enough hats" (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O2QJvc_SxFQ#ws)
Major Lord
Quote from: Major Lord on February 23, 2012, 03:12:22 PM
"Meaning of Life" - "People are not wearing enough hats" (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O2QJvc_SxFQ#ws)
;D God, I love Monty Python
Quote from: Thrashed on February 23, 2012, 01:53:03 PM
Well, I guess I'm doing something right. Of those 15,000 hours, 9000 are jet and I've never had nor seen any FOD- especially from hats.
I was hanging out at the observation pavilion next to the runway one afternoon after a Sarex, just watching the planes take off and land. Both incidents happened on the same day, same airport, about 10 mins apart. Strong storm was moving in and FBO people were rushing to get some planes moved. Wind was crazy already but the prop wash sent it flying. Usually these people would have had hats off at this airport, but I think they were in a hurry so weren't thinking. Neither incident involved CAP members or planes.
Quote from: Eclipse on February 22, 2012, 05:25:29 AM
(http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/51/USAF_Security_Police_-_173d_Security_Forces_Squadron.jpg/800px-USAF_Security_Police_-_173d_Security_Forces_Squadron.jpg)
As someone who grew up during the Cold War, it still amazes me to see an F-15 (OR ANG?) on the same flightline with a Bulgarian MiG-29...though of course they carried different insignia back then.
(http://ts3.mm.bing.net/images/thumbnail.aspx?q=1609064318602&id=1ed7a112a07c88f5d15ce8f9e11b0f97)
I have found that YMMV is very true in terms of whether or not hats are allowed on the flightline. I've been in situations where hats were required (including once doing flightline safety) and in situations where it was "no hat no salute."
Like I said before.
He who owns the flight line owns the rules.
Your airport enfoces a no hats policy follow it. If not then it is up to supervision.
Quote from: CyBorg on February 23, 2012, 06:25:30 PM
Quote from: Eclipse on February 22, 2012, 05:25:29 AM
(http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/51/USAF_Security_Police_-_173d_Security_Forces_Squadron.jpg/800px-USAF_Security_Police_-_173d_Security_Forces_Squadron.jpg)
As someone who grew up during the Cold War, it still amazes me to see an F-15 (OR ANG?) on the same flightline with a Bulgarian MiG-29...though of course they carried different insignia back then.
(http://ts3.mm.bing.net/images/thumbnail.aspx?q=1609064318602&id=1ed7a112a07c88f5d15ce8f9e11b0f97)
I have found that YMMV is very true in terms of whether or not hats are allowed on the flightline. I've been in situations where hats were required (including once doing flightline safety) and in situations where it was "no hat no salute."
Notice that the Cop is the ONLY person in that photo with a hat. Everyone else (i.e. the maintenance guys) is bare headed.
Quote from: PHall on February 23, 2012, 10:59:04 PMNotice that the Cop is the ONLY person in that photo with a hat. Everyone else (i.e. the maintenance guys) is bare headed.
Incorrect.
Quote from: Eclipse on February 23, 2012, 11:06:51 PM
Quote from: PHall on February 23, 2012, 10:59:04 PMNotice that the Cop is the ONLY person in that photo with a hat. Everyone else (i.e. the maintenance guys) is bare headed.
Incorrect.
Okay, other then the cop, who is wearing a hat? Because I sure don't see any hats besides that beret.
Quote from: PHall on February 24, 2012, 12:29:45 AM
Quote from: Eclipse on February 23, 2012, 11:06:51 PM
Quote from: PHall on February 23, 2012, 10:59:04 PMNotice that the Cop is the ONLY person in that photo with a hat. Everyone else (i.e. the maintenance guys) is bare headed.
Incorrect.
Okay, other then the cop, who is wearing a hat? Because I sure don't see any hats besides that beret.
The guy with the back pack looks like he is wearing a black ball cap.
Quote from: lordmonar on February 24, 2012, 12:32:00 AM
Quote from: PHall on February 24, 2012, 12:29:45 AM
Quote from: Eclipse on February 23, 2012, 11:06:51 PM
Quote from: PHall on February 23, 2012, 10:59:04 PMNotice that the Cop is the ONLY person in that photo with a hat. Everyone else (i.e. the maintenance guys) is bare headed.
Incorrect.
Okay, other then the cop, who is wearing a hat? Because I sure don't see any hats besides that beret.
The guy with the back pack looks like he is wearing a black ball cap.
Yep.
What exactly would a hat do to a jet engine? Does it get burned to ashes or does it hit a fan and damage it?
Quote from: Littleguy on February 24, 2012, 02:18:00 AM
What exactly would a hat do to a jet engine? Does it get burned to ashes or does it hit a fan and damage it?
Damage and deform the fan blades.
It does not take a lot to ruin a high performance jet engine.
Having said that....the envionment on a civilan air port is a lot different then a military one.
F-16 with their low intakes are infamous for sucing up things...and the USAF spends a lot of time pushing the FOD mantra.
But at my air port in North Las Vegas we get a lot of buisness jets....and a lot of ramp workers wear hats and they are not nearly as anal about FOD as the military.
I think a lot of it is simply the military mind set. There are some things we get into our heads that "this is critical" and you can't insert any common sense in the equation.
Force Protection and Safety are also areas where it is very hard to insert common sense once the FP or SE Gods have spoken.
More than likely, it would damage the compressor blades and possibly the gas-producer turbine blades. We typically never wore headgear on the ramp at Army air fields.
Man sucked into A-6 Intruder jet engine intake (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5jxcSY1AwrM#)
Quote from: Eclipse on February 24, 2012, 12:38:16 AM
Quote from: lordmonar on February 24, 2012, 12:32:00 AM
Quote from: PHall on February 24, 2012, 12:29:45 AM
Quote from: Eclipse on February 23, 2012, 11:06:51 PM
Quote from: PHall on February 23, 2012, 10:59:04 PMNotice that the Cop is the ONLY person in that photo with a hat. Everyone else (i.e. the maintenance guys) is bare headed.
Incorrect.
Okay, other then the cop, who is wearing a hat? Because I sure don't see any hats besides that beret.
The guy with the back pack looks like he is wearing a black ball cap.
Yep.
Even looking at the picture under high magnification (400%) it looks like a bald spot to me.
Quote from: Littleguy on February 24, 2012, 02:18:00 AM
What exactly would a hat do to a jet engine? Does it get burned to ashes or does it hit a fan and damage it?
The turbine section at the rear of the engine is very hot and the blades are easily damaged.
Solid stuff like hats, especially hat devices or grade insignia, will knock the crap out of those blades.
With the potential of a uncontained turbine wheel failure being the worse case.
Turbine engines are expensive beasts to repair.
Quote from: PHall on February 24, 2012, 02:36:22 AM
Even looking at the picture under high magnification (400%) it looks like a bald spot to me.
A bald spot and a fairly misshapen head if that isn't a hat.
I have seen two fodded engines up close, and helped change one of them. I can say that the compressor blades take the brunt of the damage.
#1 was an A-6 that sucked the nose gear safety out of the BN's hans as he went in front of, instead of under, the intake in an attempt to install it. The fist-sized chunk of metal tore up the lower right quadrant of the stator blades, and the first two rows of compressor rotor blades. The flag made it all the way to, and through the hot section, and exited the exhaust a little bits pf charred red cloth. The J-52 is an olde style conventional jet engine. Helped change that one, and still have a compressor rotor blade somewhere in my collection of stuff.
#2 was a US-3A that sucked in an empty mail bag. (They didn't nickname them Hoovers for nothing.) The fan took the major hit, and the pilot shut it down soon enough that it saved the hot section. The TF-34 is a high-bypass, turbofan style jet engine.
Quote from: Eclipse on February 24, 2012, 02:33:03 AM
Man sucked into A-6 Intruder jet engine intake
I saw that on the Discovery Channel or some similar program. It's just incredible to me that he was able to survive that incident. I wouldn't be surprised if he changed his job after that one!
He survived because the first thing you hit in a J-52 is stationary parts. His head and shoulder were up against the inlet guide vanes, and the pilot shut it down quickly. His arms and hands were behind him.
Had he been sucked into a turbo-fan, he would not have survived.
I'm not sure what he did after his recovery.
First, he likely changed his shorts.
Quote from: SarDragon on February 24, 2012, 03:23:54 AM#2 was a US-3A that sucked in an empty mail bag. (They didn't nickname them Hoovers for nothing.) The fan took the major hit, and the pilot shut it down soon enough that it saved the hot section. The TF-34 is a high-bypass, turbofan style jet engine.
High bypass turbofans are much more damage tolerant.
Usually if the bird or whatever just goes through the fan section the damage is minimal. Usually a good visual inspection and blending the nicks in the fan blades will do the job.
Now if it goes through the core section (the hot section) then the engine is toast. At a minimum you gotta bore scope it and will probably require a teardown.
They usually just replace the engine so the airplane will be back in service quicker and so they can do the teardown in the shop.
If the FOD makes it to the turbine wheels, it gets expensive real fast!
That canvas sack really trashed the fan and stator vanes. Not just nicks, but bends. Some of the blades were bent enough to contact the outer casing.
Quote from: FlyTiger77 on February 24, 2012, 02:25:40 AM
We typically never wore headgear on the ramp at Army air fields.
Army Aviation is primarily helicopter and light prop/turboprop fixed-wing though, isn't it? Wouldn't that mean a little bit less chance of FOD ingestion by an engine (not ZERO chance, LESS chance)?
My brother-in-law works for GE...I forget what he said just one of those compressor vanes costs, but it's big $$$.
I remember airshows with (mostly ANG) A-7's...there was a bird with a low-slung big mouth.
(http://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/shared/media/photodb/web/071030-F-1234S-019.jpg)
The Navy versions also probably didn't do wonders for carrier-deck safety...
Quote from: CyBorg on February 24, 2012, 06:05:01 AM
Quote from: FlyTiger77 on February 24, 2012, 02:25:40 AM
We typically never wore headgear on the ramp at Army air fields.
Army Aviation is primarily helicopter and light prop/turboprop fixed-wing though, isn't it? Wouldn't that mean a little bit less chance of FOD ingestion by an engine (not ZERO chance, LESS chance)?
Agreed, but the major hazard is spinning airfoils, and folks chasing errant hats. It's a really hard thing not to want to do.
QuoteMy brother-in-law works for GE...I forget what he said just one of those compressor vanes costs, but it's big $$$.
The price of a new TF34-GE-400 is $1,953,400.
QuoteI remember airshows with (mostly ANG) A-7's...there was a bird with a low-slung big mouth.
The Navy versions also probably didn't do wonders for carrier-deck safety...
Due to the layout of the airframe, they were much harder to get complacent about. All of the stuff that needs attention while the engine is running is well away from the intake. The A-6s and F-4s had a higher incidence of sucking people in. A-7s, F-8s, and S-3s had bigger issues with just sucking trash off the ramps and flight deck.
Quote from: SarDragon on February 24, 2012, 07:01:39 AM
Quote from: CyBorg on February 24, 2012, 06:05:01 AM
Quote from: FlyTiger77 on February 24, 2012, 02:25:40 AM
We typically never wore headgear on the ramp at Army air fields.
Army Aviation is primarily helicopter and light prop/turboprop fixed-wing though, isn't it? Wouldn't that mean a little bit less chance of FOD ingestion by an engine (not ZERO chance, LESS chance)?
Agreed, but the major hazard is spinning airfoils, and folks chasing errant hats. It's a really hard thing not to want to do.
With tail rotors spinning much faster and around a horizontal axis presenting a much greater danger.
Quote from: CyBorg on February 24, 2012, 06:05:01 AMArmy Aviation is primarily helicopter and light prop/turboprop fixed-wing though, isn't it? Wouldn't that mean a little bit less chance of FOD ingestion by an engine (not ZERO chance, LESS chance)?
Less FOD ingestion, true, but not less potential for damage. Even a mild nick on a rotor blade has to be inspected, and I've seen blades replaced for things I didn't even realize would be a problem.
I haven't been around Army Aviation much, so I plead ignorance.
Yes, obviously there are FOD hazards there too.
I would say that CAP personnel wearing a hat there should be up to the senior Army commissioned/warrant officer or SNCO on scene.
Like what has been said about four times already, he who owns the airfield makes the rules on hat wear.
When in doubt, ask!
It is a national regulation. Covers are not to be worn on the flight line do to risk that they will be blown on to the airstrip and or be sucked into an engine of a jet.
Quote from: fearedskill on February 29, 2012, 11:13:04 PM
It is a national regulation. Covers are not to be worn on the flight line do to risk that they will be blown on to the airstrip and or be sucked into an engine of a jet.
It is not a regulation. It is however stated in the task guide.
Quote from: fearedskill on February 29, 2012, 11:13:04 PM
It is a national regulation. Covers are not to be worn on the flight line do to risk that they will be blown on to the airstrip and or be sucked into an engine of a jet.
Cite please...
5 Pages totaling nearly 80 responses, 1500+ views, photos and other references as evidence to the contrary, yet someone still insists on
standing by the wive's tale.
This might not be the only thing wrong with the universe, but's it's gotta be on the second or third page of the list.
Why not just do what is practical? If you need the cover, wear it. If you need a watchcap, wear it. If you don't need a cover, don't wear it.
Quote from: Littleguy on March 01, 2012, 03:02:20 AM
Why not just do what is practical? If you need the cover, wear it. If you need a watchcap, wear it. If you don't need a cover, don't wear it.
Hey, that is too much common sense for us to handle! >:D
(http://forums.cadetstuff.org/images/smilies/icon_deadhorse.gif)
(http://forums.cadetstuff.org/images/smilies/icon_deadhorse.gif)
(http://forums.cadetstuff.org/images/smilies/icon_deadhorse.gif)
Enough already!
Calling in a Mike Strike!