Re: C130's and fire fighting
Two different problems, Wayne. The Electra 'harmonics' issue had to do with the engine mount--a single post-type frame. There was not enough lateral support for the engine, and if the prop got a little out of balance, it would start a divergent 'swirl' that would literally twist the prop and engine off the wing. Lockheed solved the problem on subsequent Electra's and P-3's by modifying the engine mounts. Problem was solved immediately, and never an issue again.
As far as the wing spar 'fire' theory. The P-3 and the C-130 are actually very similar airframes. I know that it sounds kind of weird, but we always joked that the Herks were just P-3's flying upside down. Same engines, similar systems, etc., and since they were both built by Lockheed, similar construction materials and techniques. The P-3 NATOPS addressed a 'wing fire' situation, which was directly traced back to an Air Force C-130 that had a spar fire, and the spar failed within 89 seconds. It's been a while, but I think the 'wing fire' was one of the few emergencies where NATOPS recommended bailing out of the aircraft as opposed to trying to set it down somewhere 'controlled'.
Two different problems, Wayne. The Electra 'harmonics' issue had to do with the engine mount--a single post-type frame. There was not enough lateral support for the engine, and if the prop got a little out of balance, it would start a divergent 'swirl' that would literally twist the prop and engine off the wing. Lockheed solved the problem on subsequent Electra's and P-3's by modifying the engine mounts. Problem was solved immediately, and never an issue again.
As far as the wing spar 'fire' theory. The P-3 and the C-130 are actually very similar airframes. I know that it sounds kind of weird, but we always joked that the Herks were just P-3's flying upside down. Same engines, similar systems, etc., and since they were both built by Lockheed, similar construction materials and techniques. The P-3 NATOPS addressed a 'wing fire' situation, which was directly traced back to an Air Force C-130 that had a spar fire, and the spar failed within 89 seconds. It's been a while, but I think the 'wing fire' was one of the few emergencies where NATOPS recommended bailing out of the aircraft as opposed to trying to set it down somewhere 'controlled'.
Comment