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Spinning the P-3 Orion - Incident from 2008
The P-3 did FIVE rotations in a flat spin, dropping 5500 feet, finally recovering between 50 and 200 feet AGL (above ground level), pulling a whopping 7 positive G's on the airframe after sustaining 2.4 negative G's in the spin. The rolling pullout burst 45 rivets on one wing, physically RIPPED the main spar, and bent the entire airframe... the crew could see INSIDE the fuel tanks of the wing. (www.flightglobal.com) Más...Sort type: [Top] [Newest]
they lived to change their underwear
no joke andy, that would scare the crap out of anyone.
Glad they made it.
I have logged all of 95 (100 minus 5) hours on a C-152 but still I have the temerity to volunteer why the experienced Navy crew did not seem to have added full power to No. 1 engine when No. 2 surged, after all the momentum of those big propellers is so great that when a C-130 takes off the only engines pushed to max power are No. 2 and 3 until the aircraft reaches I guess 100 KIA or so then Nos. 1 and 2 are pusshed to the wall. This procedure was adopted after a number of accidents when one of the outboard engines lost power the aircraft veered violently towards the dead engine. I would assume that the same procedure applies to the P-3 an otherwise wonderful workhorse of almost 50 years of faithful operation thanks to the excellent crews that fly and maintain them in spite of inadequate funding for spares.
In Vietnam we locked brakes for C130 short field take off max power all 4 engines, bleed air off to get more power. If I remember correct we pulled it off the ground around 95 knots and held 95 in the climb until the VVI began to fall off. Minimum control speed for 1 engine out was right at 125 knots so we knew what any failure on take off would mean. Normally surging in a herk engine was NTS system when throttle setting was low and prop driving the turbine when the fuel control would add fuel. Just pushing the throttles up a bit would stop the surging. All this is based on proper and correct maintence.
James,
My hat is off to you Herc drivers - quite an airplane and quite a mission. The P-3 had the same engine / prop issues as the Electra, that is with the NTS system. It was reliable and if any problems, just add or subtract the thrust lever to make it calm down - usually worked but not all the time. Glad to hear these Navy guys made it back. I'm indirectly involved with the P-8 program to replace the Orion, they'll like that airframe a bit better I'm sure.
My hat is off to you Herc drivers - quite an airplane and quite a mission. The P-3 had the same engine / prop issues as the Electra, that is with the NTS system. It was reliable and if any problems, just add or subtract the thrust lever to make it calm down - usually worked but not all the time. Glad to hear these Navy guys made it back. I'm indirectly involved with the P-8 program to replace the Orion, they'll like that airframe a bit better I'm sure.