Thunderbird F-16 flips at KDAY

[HossHarris]

I’ve had the same jet, same day, same rain .... pool on one approach, not on another. It’s a crap shoot. 

[Champ Kind]

I’ve had the same jet, same day, same rain .... pool on one approach, not on another. It’s a crap shoot. 

Does the viper community account for this phenomenon in fuel planning when precip is observed/forecasted?

[HossHarris]

12 minutes ago, Champ Kind said:

Does the viper community account for this phenomenon in fuel planning when precip is observed/forecasted?

Meh. I’ve been out of said community for a bit .... but no, not really. 

 

Regular alternate rules. But we didn’t carry extra gas just for rain. 

[Smokin]

6 hours ago, Champ Kind said:

Does the viper community account for this phenomenon in fuel planning when precip is observed/forecasted?

I've been at bases where we had to carry alternate fuel for somewhere without rain, but that is not the norm.  I've only had it happen to me once in 12+ years of flying, so not common enough to justify the loss in training.  Go around and try again.  The time it happened to me, it basically obscured the HUD, so no big deal, just don't be a HUD baby.  I've seen it happen to friends where it obscured +/-30 of the nose, but that is really rare.  In that case, divert.  If you can't divert, then you could do a formation approach.

[DFRESH]

On 11/5/2017 at 6:01 AM, ViperStud said:

If my flight lead was worth a shit there would have been no issues that day. 

DUN.... DUN DUN DUN.............DUN DUN DUN...... DUN DUN DUUUUUUNNNNNNNNN............

SUPER DRINK OFF!

[DFRESH]

9 hours ago, Champ Kind said:

Does the viper community account for this phenomenon in fuel planning when precip is observed/forecasted?

Aviano specifically carried extra gas to account for it when I left there a year or so ago. Or maybe that was to drive the gas requirements so high we would have to cancel and go drink espressos until we switched to wine.

[Buddy Spike]

11 hours ago, SuperWSO said:

Improper application of 10% rule.  Go around for another attempt.

You just got SuperWSOwned.

 

The only acceptable solution at this point is harakiri. RIP.

 

 

[rti35]

15 hours ago, Sprkt69 said:

Also depends on MX actually polishing the canopy. Their trend has been to skip that step

I’ve had canopy pooling as wide as the HUD. I’ve heard it can go about 30 degrees or so

"Originally developed for pilots who faced a hazard with water pooling on aircraft canopies and windshields, the coating is designed to quickly shed water off transparent surfaces for improved visibility during inclement weather"

https://www.wpafb.af.mil/Portals/60/documents/afrl/sbir/achievements/archive/Luna_Innovations_N102-135.pdf?ver=2017-06-06-141643-410

This the stuff you're referring to? 

 

 

[Hopefulflyer389]

On 11/5/2017 at 9:25 AM, Kenny Powers said:

Due to the way the air flows around the canopy, a low pressure area is created on the front of the canopy, right where you'd be trying to look for the runway when flying an ILS, which cause water to just build up and pool there.

 

At least I think that's the science behind it but what it comes down to is it looks like driving through the rain with no windshield wipers on your car.

 

But it doesn't always happen, not sure what other CFs need to be present.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Non-fighter pilot question:

Could Vortex generator(s) be present to break up the airflow? 

[ViperStud]

 

On 11/5/2017 at 12:49 PM, matmacwc said:

If my wingman could do a proper post flight walk around he wouldn't have been stuck either.  

 

19 hours ago, SuperWSO said:

Improper application of 10% rule.  Go around for another attempt.

 

So, there I was.  No shit.  Middle of an ORE at Shaw, first of three sorties for the day turning ACT x ACT x RED.  I was a brand new CMR #2, all thrust, no vector; I'm a pitbull on a fvcking leash.  Brief and ground ops were uneventful, up to the point where PFL (wussy flight lead) calls Ops and tries to cancel due to isolated VCTS.  Fvcking FAIPs.  Ops recommended he grow a pair so we took off and headed west.  After precisely 69% of the vul covered, with a clean picture and most of my missiles expended, the SOF calls on AUX - mushroom cloud overhead; we need to divert to WRB.  PFL quibbles, something about it being his turn to cook dinner that night.  Those of you who know MatMac are aware: this is no joke.  Anyway, Georgia is a state where (up to that point) I had yet to slay so I tactically declared BINGO and reached back with my right hand to make sure my helmet bag contained my trusty mark-1 divert kit: deodorant, toothbrush and a box of rubbers.  On vectors to WRB I've got snowplow called up and I wisely aimed for every rainshower I could...

On the ground, we talk to TA about turning our jets.  Well, I talked to TA.  PFL was on the horn with his wife and then PF Chang's ordering food so he didn't get in trouble.  Turns out TA will take 3 hrs to turn the 8 jets so we go to the bowling alley to get lunch.  This is where the fun starts.  It's summertime, so school is out.  I spy a group of four lovely ladies (who were looking for heroes) on lanes 6-9. I give PFL a 5-spot and directions to order a burger, then I go anchor by the ladies.  Turns out the outgoing blonde is the wing king's daughter and the others are her friends from the nursing program who happen to be visiting during the summer.  Shitty food is consumed.  Numbers are exchanged.  I depart for Base Ops with digits and the hope of a road trip some upcoming weekend.

I proceeded to do the most thorough pre-flight inspection of my life.  Low and behold, I find an EMS bit ball had popped after landing!  Sure, if I had noticed it on my post-flight then maybe they would have had time to send dudes from Shaw to fix it that day.  Not likely though.  Now, everyone knows that flight through precip is likely to trip one without any real problems, so PFL comes over to survey the situation.  He closes the panel and asks what I'm gonna do.  I give my best pep talk about how happiness comes in small doses and opportunities to be true heroes are rare.  His response: "I know dude, that's why I need to get home.  I'm only allowed two TDYs a year, I don't want to burn one in WRB."  SQ policy was to divert as two-ships but I sit idly by with a shit-eating grin on my face as 7 jets blast for home and I walk off to the Qs, helmet bag thrown over my shoulder.

Aftermath: he told me the lettuce wraps were particularly good at home that night.  Me, on the other hand - I got back the following afternoon and was completely spent.  4 nursing students not worth burning one of your allocated TDYs on?  For me it was, and all it cost me was a phone call to my neighbors to take care of my dog.  Well, that and I did have to replenish one divert kit.  

[Guardian]

I want to hear the roll call version.

[matmacwc]

Anything I add would be quibbling.

[Bergman]

1 hour ago, ViperStud said:

Turns out the outgoing blonde is the wing king's daughter and the others are her friends from the nursing program who happen to be visiting during the summer. 

"Maverick, you just did an incredibly brave thing. What you should have done was land your plane! You don't own that plane, the taxpayers do! Son, your ego is writing checks your body can't cash. You've been busted, you've lost your qualifications as section leader three times, put in hack twice by me, with a history of high speed passes over five air control towers—and one admiral's daughter!"

Peggy Benjamin??

Edited November 6, 2017 by Bergman

[Buddy Spike]

3 hours ago, ViperStud said:

 

Words words words epic story words words

 

Crisis averted.

 

SuperWSO, back to your nerdery. 

 

[SuperWSO]

On 11/6/2017 at 7:01 PM, Buddy Spike said:

Crisis averted.

 

SuperWSO, back to your nerdery. 

 

Epic creative writing, on par with an -of the year 1206.  I withdraw my previous objection.

[snoopyeast]

New guys take note.  This is how you tell a story.

[Champ Kind]

On 11/6/2017 at 3:24 PM, ViperStud said:

Well, that and I did have to replenish one divert kit.  

Sorry to hear about your loss of a toothbrush. 

Edited November 8, 2017 by Champ Kind

[HerkFE]

Well, that was a hell of a lot better reading than canopy pooling, HUD obscuration,  and divert gas. Thanks!

[BADFNZ]

What are condoms?

[SocialD]

33 minutes ago, BADFNZ said:

What are condoms?

Like rattlesnakes, they're something you should never fuck with!