Go4Long wrote:Got home and took a look at the pictures. I'm going with essentially zero chance the arrestor hook is the cause. You can see it's sitting right where it belongs. It honestly just looks like delamination to me.
I concur. Excellent airmanship from the pilot. If he'd continued his display, we'd have been photographing something completely different. As it was, it was another safe event and apart from the British weather, another enjoyable weekend.
Nice pics of the Viper , thanks Go4long , I wondered what the issue was and a shame we didn't get to see that awesome demo again. One of the highlights for me today was getting inside the NATO Sentry , again great , informative crew and well worth the rather lengthy wait. Another was taking my mates kids up on the 'Fairford Eye' , they loved it , and seriously you get a great view over the whole show from up there . Plus the Blades were performing at the time ( No I'm not making this up ). Culinary wise , nice tea and honey chabati from the qatari 'pop-up' cafe.
1. I couldn't find the usual stands selling the aircraft checklist. Was one produced or is it somewhere online? I have searched but nothing - or at least not yet.
2. Why was the Turkish KC-135 there - it would have made a good addition to the static. I didn't think there was any Turkish participation this year, or did I miss it?
1. I couldn't find the usual stands selling the aircraft checklist. Was one produced or is it somewhere online? I have searched but nothing - or at least not yet.
2. Why was the Turkish KC-135 there - it would have made a good addition to the static. I didn't think there was any Turkish participation this year, or did I miss it?
TIA
Andy
1. Yes, there was. Being sold at the entry points and merchandise stands. 2. F-4s on static.
1. I couldn't find the usual stands selling the aircraft checklist. Was one produced or is it somewhere online? I have searched but nothing - or at least not yet.
2. Why was the Turkish KC-135 there - it would have made a good addition to the static. I didn't think there was any Turkish participation this year, or did I miss it?
TIA
Andy
Brought over 2 F4s.
Nikon P900 (Sony DSC-HX400V, Sony DSC-HX300 and DSC-H2 retired)
Go4Long wrote:Got home and took a look at the pictures. I'm going with essentially zero chance the arrestor hook is the cause. You can see it's sitting right where it belongs. It honestly just looks like delamination to me.
I concur. Excellent airmanship from the pilot. If he'd continued his display, we'd have been photographing something completely different. As it was, it was another safe event and apart from the British weather, another enjoyable weekend.
You may have to think again chaps.
1. If the tail hook deployed during high speed manoeuvring, it's entirely possible that the resulting turbulence could cause damage of this nature. 2. When the incident happened, the pilot immediately reported on the radio that the problem was an inadvertent deployment of the hook.
And as the smart ship grew, In stature, grace and hue, In shadowy silent distance grew the iceberg too....
Outstanding flying on Saturday. Who got a pic of the A400 'duo' (RAF one appeared behind cloud behind the display A400 when landing)? All displays great but the best two were the final two - Finn F-18 and SU-27. Hats off to RAF Typhoon... really outrageous display and Mig21 and Spanish Harriers. I love how the display teams are so different to each other yet equally as good. Reds win for dynamism and precision; PdF win for style and panache; Freece Tricolori win for imagination, humour and bloody close formation (in that wind, wow), Breitling team very graceful.
Go4Long wrote:Got home and took a look at the pictures. I'm going with essentially zero chance the arrestor hook is the cause. You can see it's sitting right where it belongs. It honestly just looks like delamination to me.
I concur. Excellent airmanship from the pilot. If he'd continued his display, we'd have been photographing something completely different. As it was, it was another safe event and apart from the British weather, another enjoyable weekend.
You may have to think again chaps.
1. If the tail hook deployed during high speed manoeuvring, it's entirely possible that the resulting turbulence could cause damage of this nature. 2. When the incident happened, the pilot immediately reported on the radio that the problem was an inadvertent deployment of the hook.
While theoretically possible, I’ve talked to an F-16 maintainer friend and apparently they’ve been having delamination issues with the stabilizers. If you look at the pass before as he disappeared from view the hook is still stored.
So...yes, it’s possible that turbulence from the hook being deployed caused it. But it’s unlikely to have been a direct cause.
I’d still suspect that in flight delamination will be the culprit when the final report comes out.
I finally manage to do RIAT (only took me 22 years) Swindon Shuttle bus was brilliant got the first one same as one or two others on here, it took about 40mins and straight in, firstly I was overwhelmed by it all but had a few quiet talks to myself to calm myself down, I joined the Q for the yellow entry and it took about 30mins of waiting till we started moving - too early I guess, the staff was Ultra friendly and offered help where they could. I asked one member of staff about this well knwon (by us all on here) second flypast and the repy back from the horses mouth "Its a secret - we cant tell you" (Why) Anyway in after being scanned and bags checked and the static was layed out Interestingly but boy had I foregot how long it was from one ened to other.
I had intended to get the free bus but whats happend no open top viewing buses anymore - what is the point of that???
After doing the normal, route - up one side and working back the other via a morning burger, I arrived at the closest point to the runway keys and made camp there, it was a great spot - not over populated just gaps by the rope line that allowed some decent take off/landing shots.
Put it this way - I got throught 550 shots so cant be bad.
So all in all not a bad day out for someone who suffers with anxiety of crouded places and people.
2e1var wrote:F16 took his tail out with his own arrestor hook, was listening to the pilot on the scanner at the time.
I’m not 100% sure that’s possible without the hook falling off.
I heard the pilot say his hook had deployed inadvertently, then he climbed to height to make some checks. He asked if there were any fighter types airborne to do a visual inspection. Then before landing he said he had flight control issues. Didn't hear him mention the tailplane specifically.
Got home and took a look at the pictures. I'm going with essentially zero chance the arrestor hook is the cause. You can see it's sitting right where it belongs. It honestly just looks like delamination to me.
Fair point but the previous comment about the radio chatter is pretty much exactly what was said by the pilot, I guess on closer inspection it may have been something different.
UBC-15X, 800XLT, 3500XLT, VT-225, Pro-2006, Pro-2042, IC-7300, IC-7100, Airspy R2
Sony a58, Sony 70-300G
A joke at West today... Been here since 0530 in the queue with the hope of getting near the front of the queue to buy tickets. We asked some RIAT staff how to buy tickets and he said they’ll be coming down the queue, first come, first serve, but there is VERY limited numbers. Ticket seller just came out of the tent, tickets in hand and got absolutely mobbed. People who have been here early since 5am won’t get tickets, but people who got here at 7am and jumped the queue have got tickets.... Absolute shambles. Reflects the whole planning of this years event...
mark_aviation wrote:A joke at West today... Been here since 0530 in the queue with the hope of getting near the front of the queue to buy tickets. We asked some RIAT staff how to buy tickets and he said they’ll be coming down the queue, first come, first serve, but there is VERY limited numbers. Ticket seller just came out of the tent, tickets in hand and got absolutely mobbed. People who have been here early since 5am won’t get tickets, but people who got here at 7am and jumped the queue have got tickets.... Absolute shambles. Reflects the whole planning of this years event...
I got in just after 6am and am about 100m from the tent. I just walked down as I saw people selling something and got ticket about 10 mins ago.
People should be well ahead of me if they got in at 5:30.
Go4Long wrote:Got home and took a look at the pictures. I'm going with essentially zero chance the arrestor hook is the cause. You can see it's sitting right where it belongs. It honestly just looks like delamination to me.
I concur. Excellent airmanship from the pilot. If he'd continued his display, we'd have been photographing something completely different. As it was, it was another safe event and apart from the British weather, another enjoyable weekend.
You may have to think again chaps.
1. If the tail hook deployed during high speed manoeuvring, it's entirely possible that the resulting turbulence could cause damage of this nature. 2. When the incident happened, the pilot immediately reported on the radio that the problem was an inadvertent deployment of the hook.
The F16 doesn't have a hydraulic tail hook so, if it was deployed, it would be down on landing which was not the case. The pilot likely saw a deployment indicator caused by the vibration and reported it as such.
Even at high transonic, a deployed hook wouldn't cause turbulence to damage the taileron like that. I'm still going for delam initiated by high G transonic manoeuvring but the official report will tell us soon enough. The main thing is that no further high G flight was performed and he landed safely.
Go4Long wrote:Got home and took a look at the pictures. I'm going with essentially zero chance the arrestor hook is the cause. You can see it's sitting right where it belongs. It honestly just looks like delamination to me.
I concur. Excellent airmanship from the pilot. If he'd continued his display, we'd have been photographing something completely different. As it was, it was another safe event and apart from the British weather, another enjoyable weekend.
You may have to think again chaps.
1. If the tail hook deployed during high speed manoeuvring, it's entirely possible that the resulting turbulence could cause damage of this nature. 2. When the incident happened, the pilot immediately reported on the radio that the problem was an inadvertent deployment of the hook.
The F16 doesn't have a hydraulic tail hook so, if it was deployed, it would be down on landing which was not the case. The pilot likely saw a deployment indicator caused by the vibration and reported it as such.
Even at high transonic, a deployed hook wouldn't cause turbulence to damage the taileron like that. I'm still going for delam initiated by high G transonic manoeuvring but the official report will tell us soon enough. The main thing is that no further high G flight was performed and he landed safely.
Is that a fact or theory regards the indicator ? Seems to answer the question as to what he reported vs what we saw.
UBC-15X, 800XLT, 3500XLT, VT-225, Pro-2006, Pro-2042, IC-7300, IC-7100, Airspy R2
Sony a58, Sony 70-300G
verreli wrote: The F16 doesn't have a hydraulic tail hook so, if it was deployed, it would be down on landing which was not the case. The pilot likely saw a deployment indicator caused by the vibration and reported it as such.
Even at high transonic, a deployed hook wouldn't cause turbulence to damage the taileron like that. I'm still going for delam initiated by high G transonic manoeuvring but the official report will tell us soon enough. The main thing is that no further high G flight was performed and he landed safely.
Excellent info. I will use it to win arguments on the internet. Lol
How did I forget the Phantoms! It must be an age thing. 
