Dumbass Questions About USAF

[Guest regularjoe]

Ok, I got the approval for a thread that basically you can ask questions that otherwise you wouldn't. The questions HAVE to relate to USAF in general or military flying. The idea of this thread is to cut down on all the new threads for people that just need to ask one question. The mods are going to be a little more lenient with this one than usual but ask a stupid question and you will be publicly mocked by everyone else.

Usual wardroom rules apply - no wives, no religion, no politics AND DON'T ask something that has been covered 10 times already that can be easily found by searching.

To get this started -

I was watching a documentary on Vietnam air-power the other night and they showed MER racks coming off A-7's basically as soon as the last bomb dropped, I know that the MER is a jettisonable store but why is it automatically coming off the aircraft?

Anyone?

[brickhistory]

I was watching a documentary on Vietnam air-power the other night and they showed MER racks coming off A-7's basically as soon as the last bomb dropped, I know that the MER is a jettisonable store but why is it automatically coming off the aircraft?

No definite answer, but:

USAF or USN A-7s? Reason for asking is there could have been something wrong with the jet and the pilot dumped everything prior to going back to the boat. Of course, a USAF SLUF could've needed to clean up the jet for the drive home due to a problem. So, no help there, sorry for the stream of consciousness.....

An obvious suggestion would be switches setting failure/electrical wiring failure that punched the MER off as well. "Finger trouble" if you will.

Good idea on the thread.

[afnav]

Great thread idea. I'm used to being the only AF flier in my office, and constantly being asked questions that I can't answer by my colleagues. I hope you guys don't mind more than one at a time.

- The A-10 performing at the Offutt airshow last Saturday was performing fake gun runs on the infield. Every time he simulated his burst, he quickly raised his nose, lowered it again just as quickly, and then commenced his turn. Does this have anything to do with avoiding the smoke cloud coming out of the barrel?

- Do the -135 derivative aircraft equipped with the CFM-56 engines have an automatic system that pulls power back on the opposite engine if thrust is lost on one side?

- Will ALL KC-135E models be permanently grounded in October, or will there still be some flying until they transition to the R-models?

Thanks in advance.

[Guest regularjoe]

No definite answer, but:

USAF or USN A-7s? Reason for asking is there could have been something wrong with the jet and the pilot dumped everything prior to going back to the boat. Of course, a USAF SLUF could've needed to clean up the jet for the drive home due to a problem. So, no help there, sorry for the stream of consciousness.....

An obvious suggestion would be switches setting failure/electrical wiring failure that punched the MER off as well. "Finger trouble" if you will.

Good idea on the thread.

Well they were all white and bombing "downtown" so I am making a rough guess that based on it being Vietnam they were most likely USN planes.

The video was shot from the cockpit looking back towards the wing racks and you see the 500 snakes start to ripple off and about 2-3 seconds after the last round left the entire rack followed it. My thought as your's was simply they were cleaning up for speed to get away but it seemed odd the way the rack just appeared to come off in the same sequence with the other bombs.

I couldn't stop chuckling thinking about a bunch of nva sitting around "man poor guy survived all those 500 pound bomb but got creamed by that 100 pound spear"

Great thread idea. I'm used to being the only AF flier in my office, and constantly being asked questions that I can't answer by my colleagues. I hope you guys don't mind more than one at a time.

- The A-10 performing at the Offutt airshow last Saturday was performing fake gun runs on the infield. Every time he simulated his burst, he quickly raised his nose, lowered it again just as quickly, and then commenced his turn. Does this have anything to do with avoiding the smoke cloud coming out of the barrel?

- Do the -135 derivative aircraft equipped with the CFM-56 engines have an automatic system that pulls power back on the opposite engine if thrust is lost on one side?

- Will ALL KC-135E models be permanently grounded in October, or will there still be some flying until they transition to the R-models?

Thanks in advance.

I'm not an A-10 guy but I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night....

Maybe the guns recoil offsetting the site so after each burst he re-aims?

I asked an A-10 guy once about the exhaust gas from the gun and the old rumors that it could cause compressor failure and he said "the exhaust gas causes no issues for the plane". But then again he didn't like that I started off by asking him if it was true that the A-10 is the only plane that can suffer a bird strike from any angle.

[MD]

The A-10 has a PAC (Precision Attitude Control) system that's engaged whenever the gun is firing. It uses the stab-aug system to hold the pipper on the aimpoint, almost like an autopilot. It's not a perfect system and the recoil from a long burst will shift it around slightly but any Hog driver through the BSA portion of the B-course can hold it steady (you can still make pilot inputs when it's engaged).

PAC Off is the only way to strafe.

[Guest]

is the top gunner called "PAC-man" then?

:groan:

[Scooter14]

- Do the -135 derivative aircraft equipped with the CFM-56 engines have an automatic system that pulls power back on the opposite engine if thrust is lost on one side?

Thanks in advance.

No, actually the KC-135R has what's called EFAS, which is an engine failure assist system that's tied in with the yaw damper system. Basically, when your flaps are down more than 5 degrees, or you are slower than 200 KIAS, and the system is on, it can sense a difference in your outboard N1 fan speeds and feed in some rudder. So, let's say you are cooking down the runway and you lose #4. Once #4 rolls back approximately 10% N1 below what you have #1 set at, it will start to feed in some left rudder. Without it, the thrust differential would not be noticed by the human pilot until the yaw has developed even further.

When we simulate engine failures on takeoff and we bring the flaps up or pass 200 KIAS, you can feel the system kick off and you definitely need more rudder.

Most KC-135 takeoffs use a reduced thrust setting, unless you are just so heavy that you need all the thrusties. We'll run our data to meet a certain climb gradient (usually 8% on a trainer).

We'll do lightweight TRT takeoffs in the sim and the IP will kill an outboard engine and you are in the dirt pointed 90 degrees off runway heading before you even know what happened to you.

- Will ALL KC-135E models be permanently grounded in October, or will there still be some flying until they transition to the R-models?

I don't think any are slated for re-engining. We had 8 sitting on our ramp, and in the last few months some NJ ANG crews have stopped by and flown 4 of them to D-M. The other four are being maintained (tire rotations, HPO's, etc) but I suspect they will be flown out soon.

[Guest Tip Tank]

We'll run our data to meet a certain climb gradient (usually 8% on a trainer)

Don't you mean an 8% climb gradient parameter?

[Scooter14]

Don't you mean an 8% climb gradient parameter?

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

I'm trying to keep it simple for the masses. I should have hacked a watch to see how long it would take for someone to call me on a performance manual problem. You are correct, though.

The KC-135 community...Creating ass-pain for ourselves in the form of obscure TOLD problems and idiotic EP questions since 1957.

[Herk Mafia]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

I'm trying to keep it simple for the masses. I should have hacked a watch to see how long it would take for someone to call me on a performance manual problem. You are correct, though.

The KC-135 community...Creating ass-pain for ourselves in the form of obscure TOLD problems and idiotic EP questions since 1957.

I think that goes for the entire heavy community.

[JarheadBoom]

The KC-135 community...Creating ass-pain for ourselves in the form of obscure TOLD problems...

Every time I fly, I listen to the FE's beating themselves up on TOLD, because the requirements seem to change every other week. We -10 guys are right there with you...

[Guest Jollygreen]

- The A-10 performing at the Offutt airshow last Saturday was performing fake gun runs on the infield. Every time he simulated his burst, he quickly raised his nose, lowered it again just as quickly, and then commenced his turn. Does this have anything to do with avoiding the smoke cloud coming out of the barrel?

Nothing to do with the guns, the demo pilot simply pulled up too much and had to correct his pitch.

I had a chance to watch the demo team certifications before the season, saw the same thing, asked the same question, and that was the answer I was given.

[stract]

and that's the rest of the story...

[Insubordinate & Churlish]

We were sitting in ground school, looking over L-charts (government charts, not Jepps) for IFR review, and we noted that most of the airports now are green (no DoD approved procedures), to include ours, which has a full compliment of approaches, 8100' runway among others, radar services, etc., FWIW.

Everyone was wondering what changed that so few airports are still blue (DoD approved approaches availabe)?

Thanks for any info!

-Port Dog

[Guest Boom]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

I'm trying to keep it simple for the masses. I should have hacked a watch to see how long it would take for someone to call me on a performance manual problem. You are correct, though.

The KC-135 community...Creating ass-pain for ourselves in the form of obscure TOLD problems and idiotic EP questions since 1957.

How many engines does the -135 have?

[stract]

here's what it boils down to:

blue = approaches in the FLIPs.

green = approaches are approved, but not in approach plates. You have to go to the NACO website to download them

[Guest regularjoe]

It's been a bit dramatic around here lately so I thought I would post an old but I think still funny joke for everyone to take a break and breath a little.

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The Ultimate Differential Theory of US Armed Forces (Snake Model)

Upon encountering a snake in the Area of Operations (AO)

Airborne: Lands on and kills the snake.

Air Force, O-6 and above: "Get that damned snake off the fairway!"

Armor: Runs over snake. Never knows it,as well as where he is on the battlefield. Continues directly ahead wondering what all those new buttons in his turret do.

Army Aviation: Has GPS ten digit grid to snake. Stands off at a range greater than any other weapon system and destroys snake with precision fires at a cost equivilant of one Mercedes 350SEL. Returns to base for fighter management and a "cool one".

Army Shrink. Attempts to get snake to explain its sexual feelings about its mother.

Chaplain. Tries to get snake to attend services, mend its ways.

Combat Controllers: Guides snake elsewhere.

Combat Engineer: Studies snake. Prepares in depth analysis based on obscure 5 series FM about how to defeat snake using counter mobility assets. Complains that maneuver forces don't understand how to properly conduct doctrinal counter-snake operations. (Engineer School tries to hide the fact that M9 ACE proves ineffective against snakes).

Field Artillery: Kills snake with massive Time On Target barrage with three Forward Artillery Brigades in support. Kills several hundred civilians as unavoidable collateral damage. Mission is considered a success and all participants (i.e., cooks, mechanics and clerks) are awarded Silver Stars.

Infantry: Snake smells them, leaves area.

Military Intelligence, G-2: Sanke? What snake? Only four of 35 indicators of snake activity are currently active. We assess the potential for snake activity as LOW.

Judge Advocate General (JAG): Snake declines to bite, citing professional courtesy.

Marines, ForceRecon: Follows snake, gets lost.

Marines, Infantry: Kills snake by accident while looking for souvenirs. Local civilians demand removal of all US forces from Area of Operations.

Mech Infantry: Runs over snake, laughs, and looks for more snakes.

Military Intelligence, S-2: Reports to ground troops that snake is a non-combatant. Six Infantry wounded. MI states that if the ground forces would have read the nesting diagram provided in the 24 page enemy intel report, they would have known the snake was a possible threat.

Military Police, Criminal Investigation: Handcuffs snake's head to its tail, reads it its Miranda rights, then proceeds to beat snake to a pulp with night stick.

Missileers, Air Force: Lays in target coordinates to snake in 20 seconds, but can't receive authorization from National Command Authority to use nuclear weapons.

Military Police, Field: Snake safely infiltrates rear area of operations.

Navy SeaBees: Build snake elaborate rec room, complete with secret still.

Navy, SEAL: Expends all ammunition and several grenades, then calls for naval gunfire in failed attempt to kill snake. Snake bites the SEAL, and dies of salt water poisoning. Hollywood makes film in which SEALS kill Muslim extremist snakes.

Navy, Surface Action Group: Fires off 50 cruise missiles fro several ships, kills snake and makes presentation to Senate Appropriations Committee on how Naval forces are the most cost-effective means of anti-snake force projection.

Ordnance: IDs snake as having improper scales. Deadline snake and order parts against snake. Parts come in 15 days later but the snake has been upgraded to FMC due to scrounging of parts through improper channels.

Para-Rescue: Lands on snake upon descending, thereby injuring it, then feverishly works to save the nake's life.

Pilot, A-10: Has Global Positioning Satellite coordinates to snake. Can't find snake. Returns to base for refuel, crew rest and manicure.

Pilot, Air Force, B-52: Pulls ARCLIGHT mission on snake, kills snake and every other living thing within two miles of target.

Pilot, Air Force, F-15: Misidentifies snake as enemy Mil-24 Hind helicopter and engages with missiles. Crew chief paints snake kill on aircraft.

Pilot, Air Force, F-16: Finds snake, drops two CBU-87 cluster bombs, and misses snake target, but gets direct hit on Embassy 100 KM East of snake due to weather (Too Hot also Too Cold, Was Clear but too overcast, Too dry with Rain, Unlimited ceiling with low cloud cover etc.) Claims that purchasing multimillion dollar, high-tech snake-killing device will enable it in the future to kill all snakes and achieve a revolution in military affairs.

Pilot, Air Force, Fighter, Generic: Mis-identifies the snake as a HIND and engages it with missiles. Crew Chief paints snake on airplane.

Pilot, Air Force, Transport: Receives call for anti-snake equipment, and delivers two weeks after due date.

Pilot, Army, AH-64 Apache: Unable to locate snake, snakes don't show well on infrared. Infrared only operable in desert AO's without power lines or SAM's.

Pilot, Army, HH-53 Jolly Green Giant: Finds snake on fourth pass after snake builds bonfire, pops smoke, lays out flares to mark Landing Zone. Rotor wash blows snake into fire.

Quartermaster: Encounters snake, then loses contact. Can not identify who owns snake by hand receipts. Orders new snake through supply channels. Request is denied by higher authority; issuing the unit a snake will bring the manager to a zero balance; one snake must remain on hand at all times as per their boss' guidance.

Ranger: Plays with snake, then eats it.

Signal, Enlisted: Tries to communicate with snake . . . fails despite repeated attempts. Complains that the snake did not have the correct fill or did not know how to work equipment a child could operate.

Signal, Officer: Informs the commander that he could easily communicate with the snake using just his voice. Commander insists that he NEEDS to videoconference with the snake, with real-time streaming positional and logistical data on the snake displayed on video screens to either side. Gives Signal Corps $5 Billion to make this happen. SigO abuses the 2 smart people in the corps to make it happen, while everybody else stands around, bitches, and takes credit. In the end, GTE and several sub-contractors make a few billion dollars, the two smart people get out and go to work for them, and the commander gets what he asked for only in fiber-optic based simulations. The snake dies of old age.

SJA: Swear they saw something like that on the Discovery Channel . . . spend weeks arguing if it was a snake or not.

Special Forces: Makes contact with snake, ignores all State Department directives and Theater Commander Rules of Engagement by building rapport with snake and winning its heart and mind. Trains it to kill other snakes. Files enormous travel settlement upon return.

Supply: (NOTICE: Your anti-snake equipment is on backorder.)

Transportation Corps: "Snake? What snake? We were sleeping in the truck."

War Correspondent. Decides snake is patriotic nationalist agrarian reformer being molested by imperialist U.S. forces, asks snake for directions to nearest bar. If bitten by snake, charges U.S. troops with neglect of duty to protect freedom of the press.

[ACCBoomer]

How many engines does the -135 have?

Hmmm... I will say 6.

Four big ones hanging on the wings

Two inside the jet near the aft hatch...

Not only do I win a copy of the -135 home game, but I get a free PCS tour to wonderful Altus next spring!

[Guest loduck]

ok, possibly the dumbest question here but important: Does your BDU's have to be Ripstop cotton or can they be poly/cotton twill. This answer could save me $120.00.

[Guest TacAirDrvr]

here's what it boils down to:

blue = approaches in the FLIPs.

green = approaches are approved, but not in approach plates. You have to go to the NACO website to download them

Or have your pubs shop order NACO flips instead of NGA(DOD), the pages suck but WAY more information and approaches for you to choose from!!! NACO approach plate = LEGAL and better!!! This obviously isn't a better solution for the fighter guys except they can rip the pages out of the book and it has all of the "legal info" on them already without haveing to do anything, you rip a page out of a DOD book and you got some doctor'n ta do!

Don't know nothin bout no BaDooos man, does it matter, BDUs...... are they even flame retardant??

[Guest AceTomatoCo]

Toro,

Have you been stealing parts again? One of these parts is not like the other.

[RASH]

Toro,

Have you been stealing parts again? One of these parts is not like the other.

Scavenged off of a light gray???

[sky_king]

here's what it boils down to:

blue = approaches in the FLIPs.

green = approaches are approved, but not in approach plates. You have to go to the NACO website to download them

Actually, green might or might not be in the book. Blue just means they have at least one approach in the DOD high book.

[Guest ANGGuyBri]

ok, possibly the dumbest question here but important: Does your BDU's have to be Ripstop cotton or can they be poly/cotton twill. This answer could save me $120.00.

Well, you have probably either saved or spent the cash by now, but, BDU's come in 2 fabrics... Summer (ripstop) and Winter (poly cotton) you are probably safest getting them at the MCSS if you have questions..

[Guest IncompletePete]

I may well be overstepping my boundaries here, but I'd be interested to know the meaning/origin of "him him" and about chucking a nickel on the grass when someone's lost.

Cheers