TAC Attack

November 1968

Forewarmed ..page 4
for efficient tactical air pner current interest
FOREWARMED FOR WINTER Pg 4
The doctor speaks
WINTER-EYES Pg 6

THC HTTHCK Those cold phantoms

WET RUNWAYS ••. UN PREDICT ABLE
Some facts about RCR
Pg 10
NOVEMBER 1968
Vol. 8 No. 11 FERTILIZER DEICER Pg 16
How to preclude icy runways
TACTICAL AIR CO MMAND
THE TELELIGHT PANEL Pg 18
COMMANDER What it doesn't say
TIRE TIPS FOR WINTER Pg 20
GENERAL WILLIAM W. MOMYER
A safety check
VICE COMMANDER THE ICE MAN COMETH Pg 21
L T GEN GORDON M. GRAHAM Is your auto ready
YOU'LL GET MORE STATIC IN WINTER Pg 22
Published by the Chief of Safety Shocking facts about electricity
COLONEL R. L. LILES WHOOPS Pg 26
A Hercules happening

departments
Angle of Attack Pg 3

Pilot of Distinction Pg 9

Crew Chief/ Maintenance

Man Award Pg 13
CHIEF SAFETY PUBLICATIONS

L T COL CARL E. PEARSON 2nd Look Pg 14

editor Safety Officer Award Pg 15

Maj John M. Lowery
Chock Talk Pg 24
assistant editor TAC Tips Pg 28
Don Reynolds
Letters Pg 30
art editor T AC Tally Pg 31
Stan Hardison
TACRP 127•1

layout & production Articles~ acciden t briefs, and associated material In this magazine are non·dlrec-
tlve In nature. All suggestions and r ecommendations are intended to remain within the
scope of existin g directives. Information us e d to brief accidents and incidents does
TSgt John K. Miller n ot Identify the per sons, places, or units Involved and may n ot be construed as In-
c r imina ting under Article 31 of the Unllorm C o de of Military j ustice. Names, dstes,
and pisces used In conjun c ti on with accident st orie s are fi ctitious. Air Force units
editorial assistant are e ncouraged to republi sh the mat e risl con tained herein,· however, con ten t s are not
for public relea se. Written pennisslon must be o btain ed from HQ TAC before material
Mariella W. Andrews m ay be republished b y o th e r than Department o f Defense organizations.
Contributions of articles, photos, and Items of Inte rest from personnel in the lield
a r e e n courag ed, as are comments and c riticism. We r eser ve the riQht to edit all manu~
sc ripts lor c la rit y and readability. Direct commun ic" t lon Is authorized with: The Edl~
tor, TA C ATTA C K , H Q TAC (OS P ), LanAiev AFB. Va. 23365.
printing
Distribution F, Contro11ed by OSP • TAC Publi cation& Bulletin No. 22, dated 3
Hq TAC Field Pr inting Plant june 1966 Autovon 25 4~ 2937
Rngle of RTTRCK

your plan for winter

By now, your plan for winter operations should be just about
complete. Yet, despite the best of plans, some relatively simple ·items
invariably crop up to cause trouble.
One of these is winter clothing. A crew chief trying to preflight in
freezing cold needs plenty of warm clothing. Yet every winter you
can find at least one man on the flight line in his summerweight
fatigues. Not only is this detrimental to his health, it causes him to
rush thru preflight or post-flight. Then problems appear such as a low
charge on hydraulic pressure gauges, improperly inflated tires, or
insecure panels.
Pilots sometimes fall into the same trap when they rush out to fly
with only a summer flight suit and jacket. Invariably, they miss that
lift-killing coating of frost on the wing or slab. It's there because the
chilled crew chief didn't feel deicing was necessary. Or maybe ice on
pitot static ports causes problems. The pilot rushed his walkaround
in an effot to get out of the cold wind.
In winter everything must move slower, from flight planning to
engine shutdown. Planning must be more detailed, preflights more
thorough, taxi speed slower. And the decision to fly, which every
operations officer faces, must be more carefully considered. Does the
mission justify the risks involved with flight from a snow-packed
runway? Is that last mission of the day worth the risk of landing on a
coating of ice ... coated by late afternoon freezing of the melted
snow?
And in your ice and snow removal plan, is the munitions loading
and holding area included? Are chains available for vehicles that may
require them? Is your snow removal equipment operational and in
good condition? As elementary as some of this may appear, each
year we have aircraft damaged by the same basic causes; snowbanks,
slush and ice patches, flat tires and struts, and skidding trucks, to
name a few.
By careful planning and religious attentjon to detail, we can foil
winter hazards with an accident-free season. Be certain you do your
part ... now!

,..1?~/~
R. L. LILES, Colonel, USAF
Chief of Safety
 By
forewormed for winter
Capt (Dr.) C. R. Hoyt body, and a cooler environment. Also, the
Flight Medical Officer amount of clothing, wind intensity, and amount
Langley AFB, Va. of skin exposed affect heat loss.
Cold injury can occur to all unprotected flesh
(old injury occurs occasionally in civilian life, at temperatures below +50 degrees. However,
but too often among military forces . Cold played regardless of wind speed, exposed t issue will not
a vital role in the defeat of Napoleon's army in freeze if the temperature is above +32 degrees F.
Poland in 1812 ... the U.S. suffered many cold A 1964 tri-service publication (AFP 161-1-11)
injuries during the World Wars and in Korea . includes a wind chill chart as a guide to determine
Chilblains (inflammation of skin), immersion the rate of cooling which occurs in exposed or
foot, trench foot, and frostbite are types of cold inadequately protected flesh. The wind chill chart
injuries. (back cover) indicates that with wind velocity and
Chilblains result from intermittent exposure to lower temperatures, the chance of cold injury
above freezing temperatures with high humidity increases. And the most troublesome cold injury
present. is frostbite which is the actual freezing of tissue.
Immersion results from exposure ( 12 hours or (Also back cover)
more) in water at temperatures below 50 degrees Once frostbite has occurred (the skin will
Fahrenheit. Parts of the body other than the feet appear white or waxy, will be numb and feel
may be involved also. smooth), there is no cure for the affected area .
Trench foot is similar to immersion foot and Frostbitten skin is dead skin. However, the
results from long exposure to cold and wetness surrounding skin can be saved.
from freezing to 50 degrees F. An important The method seen in the movies, rubbing the
factor in producing trench foot is immobilization skin with snow, just makes the condition worse
or dangling of the lower extremeties. and spreads the frostbite. Immerse the affected
Frostbite is the most severe form of cold area in warm water (104 - 107 degrees F). If
injury. It is crystallization of skin or water is unavailable use warm areas of the body
subcutaneous tissue fluids and is produced by such as the stomach or armpits. Gently exercise
exposure to freezing temperatures. the affected area to prevent muscle degeneration.
Man is a warm-blooded (homoiothermic) When these measures are carried out, a maximum
animal. This means that he can maintain his own recovery of tissue and function is assured .
body temperature through wide temperature Important to everyone exposed to the
variations. The average rectal temperature is elements are factors which contribute to, and
about 98.6 degrees F (37 degrees C) with a prevent cold injuries. Idleness, ground moisture,
normal diurnal (twice daily) variation of 1.8 clothing moisture, and degree of fatigue
degrees F (1 degree C), being highest during late contribute to cold injuries. Physical activity,
afternoon and lowest in the eary morning hours. protective clothing, sunlight, and warming
Some night shift workers reverse this normal shelters are deterrents to cold weather injury.
diurnal rhythm. Clothing for personnel working in a cold
The temperature of human tissue depends on environment must be designed to combat the
metabolic activity of the tissue, temperature and elements and at the same time, enable the wearer
amount of blood flowing through the region, and to move freely. Several factors in keeping warm
temperature of the surrounding air. For example, with any clothing are; keep it clean, wear it loose,
the liver has a much higher temperature than the keep it dry, avoid overheating. Wool, if the wearer
nose. is not allergic to it, is an excellent protective
Human heat loss is mainly through the skin. It material. It insulates even while wet, drys rapidly,
occurs by sweating, increased blood circulation, and maintains its protective properties after
changes in temperature between the air and the having been wet.

4 NOVEMBER 1968
 Woolen undergarments are therefore highly other cold weather problems are snow blindness,
desirable for combating cold. However, the Air chapped skin, sunburn, carbon monoxide
Force issues a two piece undergarment which is poisoning, and falls. Again, common sense will
100 percent cotton in a waffle weave pattern to help prevent most of these from occurring.
give moisture absorption and dead air space for Good supervision includes monitoring the
insulation. Once wet, cotton is not as effective in amount of time personnel are at work in the cold.
providing warmth as wool and takes longer to dry And intelligent scheduling provides rewarming
out. periods that are a must. For mechanics working
A good insulator must have dead air space or around aircraft in cold weather, protection can be
cells in the fiber of the fabric, be porous to enable afforded by wearing a nylon glove under a heavy
"breathing" to allow moisture out, and have some glove. This allows the nylon gloved hand to be
resistance to moisture. The best are goose or duck used for minute work with frozen metals without
down, small feathers, and wool. Cotton is only incurring skin damage. The motor pool, security
fair. Animal fur and synthetic fibers are good. police, maintenance crews, service station
Leather must be soft and not polished or oiled, as attendant and numerous other jobs demand some
it eliminates the porous qualities of the hide. degree of outside exposure. Use of the basic
Once the garments are chosen, they should be principles mentioned above will help prevent cold
worn in three layers, the more layers, the better, injuries and lost man hours.
but no more than one-quarter of an inch air space Crew members flying missions into winter
between the clothing and skin for maximum environments should have proper survival gear in
heating. The first layer, next to the body, should case of ditching in cold water or bail-out over
be loose fitting wool, loose twill, cotton, or frozen tundra. ( See Chart ) The environmental
quilted thermal underwear and should have cuffs ground temperatures should be covered in the
at the neck, wrists, and ankles. The second layer, briefing.
or military garment should be medium weave, We must recognize the special requirements
medium weight, and not tight fitting. The third that a cold environment imposes. Then we can
and outer layer, should be wind resistant (nylon is determine the best methods of living, with or in
readily available and water repellent, but it should some cases surviving, these environmental
not be water proofed or rubberized, as it must handicaps.
breathe.
In temperatures of 15 degrees F and above,
cotton underwear and standard fatigues, plus the WATER IMMERSION SURVIVAL
CWU-S/P intermediate trousers and CWU-7/P
intermediate jacket will provide adequate 36

out-of-doors protection. In temperatures from

plus 15 degrees to minus 65 degrees, the heavy
parka CWU-8/P and heavy trousers CWU-6/P are
designed for wear over the intermediate garments. 24
Gloves are available in several styles and should be MARGINAL FATAL
used depending on the activity required. And so it
is with socks, 25 percent cotton and 75 percent
wool, and footgear. There is no reason to suffer
from cold effects, as long as we use the proper Air 12.
COI
Force equipment and common sense.
The wind chill charts, reproduced on the back 6'
cover of this issue, should be placed in all duty
3,
sections which have personnel exposed to cold in
their routine jobs. 80 70 60 50 40 32
Besides the effects of cold on exposed skin, TEMPERATURE (°F1

TAC ATTACK 5
winter-eyes

•••

The F-4 is designed as an all-weather

fighter-bomber and with your help it can perform
exceptionally well in below freezing conditions.
By Capt. James P. Schneider With winter hazards rapidly approaching and cold
335th TFS, Seymour Johnson AFB, N. C. weather operations a prime subject of
conversation, it seems an ideal time to come forth
with some "lessons learned" poop from our
January 1968 F-4 deployment to Korea.
To start with you've got to dress properly.
Captain James P. Schneider is an F-4 Aircraft This means at least long underwear, flying and
Commander in the 335th TFS. He is not only the G-suits, plus the bulky "bunny" suit. Have you
youngest AIC in the Wing but is giving the old ever gone out for an early takeoff in 20-degree
heads a run for their money by being number one weather with the wind blowing hard enough to
in air-to-ground strafe. He graduated from the frost your long-johns? Makes you rush your
University of South Carolina and finished Air preflight in order to get out of the cold. Then
Force pilot training in Class 67A. He spent the rushing to get your before-taxi checks finished,
winter and spring of 1968 with the 335th in you lower flaps, put them back up, and behold,
Korea. We are indebted to Captain Schneider for the Boundary Layer Control (BLC) light stays
his timely input to TAG ATTACK. . . . Ed "On." That'll slow you down and be hard to
explain as to why you didn't abide by the Dash
One.
In winter you must go slow .. . in everything

6 NOVEMBER 1968
 you do. Get to your bird early so that you'll have Once in the cockpit don't rush to get that
plenty of time for a meticulous preflight. Tires, temperature panel working. If you're properly
air bottles, and accumulators have a way of dressed you should be warming up by now.
leaking when temperatures fall. And be especially During engine start you'll want to get "start"
careful that gear struts, pitot tube, and static ignition early, at about six percent. Cold igniter
ports are free of ice. plugs need warming up too.
Take a good, close look at those engine nozzles. After starting when you check oil pressure,
And make sure they still rattle. Ice can literally don't be alarmed. It'll be way up there initially.
weld them in place. But as the oil warms up it'll drop down.
At about this stage in the preflight you'll Remember the limits . .. 100 psi for no longer
notice your hands are getting cold and stiff. Just a than 45 seconds.
reminder ... wear the heavy G.l. gloves with wool After both engines are running check oil
inserts. You can use your light flying gloves when pressure again. Don't cycle generators until the
in the cockpit and save the others for any needles say 50 psi for longer than 45 seconds.
unscheduled outdoor activity. If you're not getting much air thru the heater
Once you're absolutely sure you have the ports, rotate the temperature control knob full
safest airplane in the inventory you'll have to hot and defog handle full forward . This should
climb into that icebox called a cockpit. Unless, of thaw your temperature selector valve in about a
course, you and the crew chief are good friends and minute.
he has been piping in hot air so that everything's On the subject of frozen valves we come to the
nice and warm. BLC system. Don't go checking the flaps right
By the way, be careful of that icy ladder lest away after start. Best practice is to run for 12 to
you slip and break a leg. And by all means wear 15 minutes at 85 percent. In Korea we found it
your gloves getting in. A naked hand on very cold best to wait until reaching the arming area . There
metal rungs can quickly peel away your skin. we could have everything warmed and our checks
seemed to go more smoothly. This procedure
ended all cold-temperature-caused BLC problems.
Crew chiefs, however, should still tape wing
leading edges.
If your flaps check good but the BLC light
I stays on, it's probably ice on the limit switch . A
" couple of cyclings will usually take care of that .
Once chocks are pulled (and they should be
ice chocks) go easy on adding power. Remember
those J-79s put out more power in cold weather.
With a snow or ice-coated taxiway this can cause
some embarrassment. When you taxi, go real
slow. If nose wheel steering doesn't take, use
wheel brakes plus steering for turns.
In the 335th we found it a good idea to have
pitot heat "On" for all takeoffs, even in clear
weather. This way we made sure we didn't lose
the pitot system when it was most needed.
You should be aware that RPM and EGT read
lower in cold weather. Therefore, if you see 96
percent at full military it's not a malfunction but
engine cut back .
On takeoff you'll accelerate faster than
normal. But before you rush gear retraction

TACATTACK 7
 writes-ups. And you'll get a kind of "well done"
feeling. Then a buddy passes you walking in and
says, "Rough today, huh Frank?" And you can
say, "Nawh, I remember when I was . . . " ~
remember to delay and let the air blow off any
slush or snow thrown up by your tires. Otherwise winter-eyes

you may have frozen gear problems on landing.

RCR gives a pretty fair picture of landing roll
when you've got ice or snow. Touchdown on the
end of the runway "on-speed" or slightly slow.
Brakes won't be very effective so drag chute is an
absolute must. In a stiff crosswind you can't use
the chute. Then you'll just have to be patient and
hope the brakes eventually take hold . If you start
to slide remember you'll get some help from
rudder, ailerons, and above all ... differential
thrust .
Once you have directional control you may
want to shut down one engine to get rid of
residual thrust. You'll tend to taxi faster after
landing, what with a lighter aircraft and the idling
engines. On the way back in remember, TAXI
SLOW!
As you climb down the ladder, the crew chief
will smile because, naturally, you don't have any

8 NOVEMBER 1968
 TACTICAL AIR COMMAND

PILOT
OF
DISTINCTION

Major Keyolan G. Light of the 4409th Combat gear, and lined up on final approach. On final,
Crew Training Squadron, Eglin Air Force Base, EGT of the left engine exceeded limits and the
Florida, has been selected as a Tactical Air unbalanced thrust aggravated yaw control.
Command Pilot of Distinction. Touchdown was 35 knots above recommended
Major Light was on a routine training flight in speed. Major Light controlled the aircraft with
an OV-lOA. Rapidly deteriorating weather the help of the student who held the stick
conditions forced Major Light and his student to forward and provided nose wheel steering. Major
return to their home base. On initial approach the Light feathered the left engine on the runway and
student in the front seat retarded both throttles completed a successful landing.
to flight idle in the break. The right engine Major Light's rapid evaluation and qu ick
responded but the left engine did not. It remained action in a new aircraft during a critical situation
at 100 percent and 1400 pounds of torque. Major qualifies him as a Tactical Air Command Pilot of
Light assumed control of the aircraft, lowered the Distinction.

TACATTACK 9
wet runways .•••
..unpre6i c,ob\e

"After completing a night mission over North roll on damp, flooded, or slush covered runways,
Vietnam we made a GCA approach into Ubon . It you're getting set for a barrier engagement or as
was raining very hard so I followed the GCA glide statistics show too often, an accident. We've
path dose to touchdown and landed slightly long. suspected this all along but now we know it's
The F-4 touched firmly. I applied maximum true. And we know why.
brakes but the bird didn't decelerate. It soon Many variables are involved in getting stopped
became obvious that we were going off the end, on a wet runway. Some of these are aircraft
so I reached for the hook. About this time we ran ground speed, tire tread design, inflation pressure,
onto the grooved portion of the runway and the footprint area and the like. RCR readings do not
brakes really took hold. In short order we take these factors into account.
stopped and turned onto the taxiway. Because of Stopping on snow and ice however, is a
the grooves we didn't need the barrier." different story. In this case RCR may provide a
These comments came from a T AC Lt Colonel fairly accurate picture of landing rollout because
who recently completed a tour in SEA. His the runway contaminant is a solid instead of a
experience graphically illustrates a serious fluid . And the various dynamic forces are not
operational problem . . . and its solution. involved.
If you rely on RCR to compute your landing The Spring 1968 tests at NASA's Wallops

10 NOVEMBER 1968
 Island revealed several significant findings: Grooving the concrete cut stopping distance by
five thousand feet .
1. At the present time there is no accurate Grooving asphalt cut landing distance only
way to forecast aircraft stopping distance on a two or three thousand feet. But it put landing roll
damp or flooded runway with currently available distance at the dry runway stopping distance
measuring equipment. figure. In other words, grooving (1/4 x 1/4 x 1
2. Tire tread design and degree of tread wear inch pattern) eliminates the necessity for a
are major factors in wet surface stopping runway slipperiness factor, such as RCR. (See
distances. attached chart.)
3. Transverse runway grooves, using a pattern Crowning and rough surface overlays are the
of 1/4 inch wide, 1/4 inch deep, and a one inch methods heretofore used by civil engineers to
center space will give a wet, asphalt runway the improve surface traction. This unfortunately does
stopping potential of the same surface dry. not solve the problem . Crowning will eliminate
RCR readings on a wet, slick runway were standing water. However, NASA tests have
almost identical to readings obtained on a wet, shown that the pavement need only be damp to
grooved runway. Yet when an aircraft landed on cause thin film lubrication skids or reverted
the two surfaces for comparison, stopping rubber skidding . These latter two forms of
distance calculations were often four times longer hydroplaning are the primary cause of our wet
on the ungrooved surface. This explains why runway mishaps ..
many aircraft end up in the barrier or off the end, On the other hand, rough surface textures,
despite an RCR that forecasted more than provided by large and small aggregate asphalt,
adequate runway. effectively take care of the slower speed thin film
An F-40 was clocked at 134 knots just after and reverted rubber skids. However, water tends
touchdown on a three-eighths inch aggregate to collect in the texture of some surfaces and
asphalt surface. Tires were new, wide,
three-grooved design. The damp, ungrooved EFFECT OF RUNWAY GROOVES ON
surface provided only 28 percent of the dry AIRCRAFT BRAKING PERFORMANCE
runway braking potential while the same surface
(wet with isolated puddles!
grooved gave 95 percent. RCR readings were
24.18 ungrooved and 24.7 grooved .
At 60 knots these same surfaces showed 56
GROOVED
percent of the dry stopping potential on 80 ASPHALT
ungrooved versus 96 percent on grooved. Again,
RCR readings were 24 .18 ungrooved and 24.7 PERCENT
grooved. OF DRY 6o
BRAKING
At 134 knots, runway covered with a 0.1 to
COEFFICIENT
0.3 inch film of water, the figures showed an even
40
greater contrast. On an asphalt runway, the
flooded, ungrooved surface provided only 4
percent of the dry braking potential while the 20
grooved strips 51 percent . RCR readings were
20.54 ungrooved and 20.28 grooved.
As a matter of interest, damp, ungrooved
0 .2 .4 .6 .8 1.0
concrete is the slickest surface you'll find, even
with a burlap drag finish to roughen texture .
RATIO OF GROUND SPEED TO
F-40 landing data showed calculated rollouts on
HYDROPLANING SPEED
[1.1 =151 lTS FBI F·41 AU 1.0=114 ITS Fll USA !U)
concrete were three to four thousand feet longer
than on both small and large-aggregate asphalt. NASA 990 Aircraft 4-Wheel Borie
TAC ATTACK - - - - - F-4D Aircraft Sinrle Wheel
11
wet runways ..
encourage onset of dynamic hydroplaning. In stopping. Tires skidding on a dry surface tend to
addition when new, this roughed surface causes slide on the molten rubber, a product of
increased tire wear and a resulting increase in friction heat. The grooves wipe this molten
direct maintenance manhours. rubber from the tire footprint, thereby salvaging
The primary disadvantage is that after several some of the braking force and extending the time
months of heavy use, runway asperity drops as of inevitable blowout.
the aggregate become polished with use. Although In some cases grooves act to prevent dry skids.
you may have a good surface texture depth, the For example, a KC-135 wheel was run onto a
runway will become susceptible to thin film and grooved section of runway locked in a total skid.
reverted rubber skids. Traction was so great the brake was unable to
At some of our dry climate bases an asphalt keep the wheel locked. The wheel began to
rejuvenator, known as fog seal, is used to prolong spin-up and subsequently produced a 60 percent
runway life. While this rejuvenator does not f ill-in slip ratio. This provided an efficient braking
surface texture it has the unfortunate effect of coefficient from a situation that should have
making the runway lose its roughness, thus having resulted in a blown tire. Surprisingly, the tire
the same effect as polishing . In at least one case a tread was not damaged.
treated runway became hazardous even when dry. In the United States, two Air Force runways
Transverse runway grooves eliminate all forms are grooved. One located at Beale AFB, California
of hydroplaning. The grooves not only benefit has the optimum 1/4 x 1/4 x 1 inch groove
wet weather operations, they improve dry runway pattern. If you land there when it's wet, you do
not have to consider a slipperiness factor (RCR) .
Your stop will be just slightly longer than the dry
figures, because it's concrete not asphalt.
If you land on TAC's grooved runway at
Seymour Johnson AFB, N. C. you will also have
grooves to help you get stopped . This pattern
however consists of two foot strips of 1/4 inch
square grooves with a 2 inch center, separated
by two foot strips of ungrooved pavement. The
amount of assistance this pattern offers has
not been scientifically measured. We do know
from operational experience in SEA, that it
offers a significant improvement.
The hazards of hydroplaning during wet
runway operations have become so
pronounced-TAC has had seven cases reported
from 20 January 1968 to 25 September 1968,
one of which was a major accident - new
standards are under consideration for all our
operational bases .
Optimistically, we can expect grooving on
more and more of our runways. Perhaps the
NASA's runway at Wallops Island, Yo., is shown future will see transverse grooves as a standard for
all military aircraft operations.
being prepared for wet surface braking tests.
In the meantime . .. beware of wet runways;
they're shorter than you think! ~

12 NOVEMBER 1968
 MAINTENANCE MAN OF THE MONTH

Technical Sergeant Willie L. White of the 831

Air Division, Edwards Air Force Base, California,
has been selected to receive the T AC Maintenance
Man Safety Award. Sergeant White will receive a
letter of appreciation from the Commander of
Tactical Air Command and an engraved award.

TSgt White

SSgt McVittie

CREW CHIEF OF THE MONTH

Staff Sergeant Steve L. McVittie of the 4512

Organizational Maintenance Squadron, Luke Air
Force Base, Arizona, has been selected to receive
the T AC Crew Chief Safety Award. Sergeant
McVittie will receive a letter of appreciation from
the Commander of Tactical Air Command and an
engraved award.

TAC ATTACK 13
 a 2nd look at a ....

By Don Reynolds

doubtful decision given the flight regarding the anticipated weather

check at the range.
The flight departed, proceeding along the
low-level route; all check points and times were
accurate. Just before reaching the most westerly
check point they encountered reduced visibility
and the flight leader reversed course, climbed to
6500 feet in the clear and proceeded to the range
above a solid undercast. At the range, determined
by DME and radial, Rake One said the undercast
topped at about 3500 feet. Range minimums
were 5000 feet and five miles visibility. The flight
made a climbing turn to 10,000 feet, heading
toward home.
After three or four minutes of flying, a clear
area appeared in the undercast. The flight leader
later described it as from 20 to 40 miles wide and
as long as the eye could see. Another flight
Breaking through a low cloud cover, nose and member described the clearing as from three to
right wing down, witnesses saw an F-1 00 plunge five miles wide and 10 miles long, dotted with
through the roof of a house, leveling the two puffy clouds.
story brick residence and killing two occupants. Rake One decided to use the opening to take a
The Supersabre pilot of less than si x months, a look at the underside of the cloud cover as a part
second I ieutenant, apparently made no effort to of his weather observation report. He called for a
eject. loose intrail formation and started a shallow
He was Rake Four from a flight of four banked 360-turn descending toward the opening .
originally scheduled for a morning mission on the Rake Four had less than nine total hours of
range . But immediately after the briefing, the actual flying "on the gauges." Rake Two 's
mission was cancelled due to weather at the ex perience wasn't much better. The flight leader's
range . The Group DCO requested the flight be only briefing as he started the turn was, "in the
rebriefed for a low-level navigation mission, and event you inadvertently enter ragged clouds,
that it pass over the range to eye-ball the weather, climb on top."
which was reported as breaking. The DCO wanted Knowing the cloud tops to be about 3500
verification, in hopes the weather would reach feet, Rake One knew he would be taking his flight
minimums in time for the afternoon schedule. to at least 2000 feet to see the underside. With
Rake One, rebriefed for the alternate mission. the almost 800 MSL ground level in the area, only
They would go in spread formation and fly VFR 1200 feet was available for maneuvering . Also,
in the clear. Rake Two was also a second the briefed range weather included possible snow
lieutenant, and had experience si[\lilar to ill- showers.
fated Rake Four. No special instructions were As the turn bottomed out at 2000 feet , Two

14 NOVEMBER 1968
encountered reduced visibility and called, "Two factor. Their findings were twofold : Primary
going on top." He rolled his wings level and cause ... Pilot factor in that the pilot failed to
recovered in the clear a few seconds later. Rake maintain aircraft contro l during transition to
Three saw Four sliding to the outside of the turn instrument conditions at an altitude too low to
as they entered the cloudy area. He momentarily effect a recovery. Contributing cause: Supervi sory
lost sight of One and Two and heard Two call error on the part of the flight leader in taking a
that he was going on top. He then regained sight flight of four aircraft in loose trail formation to
of One still in a turn and asked Four if he had anareawhereiFRconditions were likely to be
him (Three) in sight. Rake Four said, "No, going on encountered.
top." Rake Three looked back to check on Four The Board terminated its findings with:
and saw him sl iding low and to the outside, four "Knowing the weather conditions from vi sua l
to five ship lengths behind. A few seconds later, a observation, it must be assumed the flight leader
sound described as " UN K!" was heard on the had good indications that the flight possibly
radio . At about the same time witnesses reported could get I FR. Or, at the least, into reduced
seeing the crash during a fine flaked snowfall. visibility and would find it nearly impossibl e to
Rake Three followed One as he leveled and maintain visual reference to the other aircraft
pulled up. Both were on top of the cloud layer in when such a large distance (even three ship
only a few seconds without switching to the lengths) separated them. The ease with which a
gauges. Whether Rake Four, suffered vertigo, or pilot is able to control his aircraft during
just took too much time switching to gauges, will confusing or rapidly changing conditions depends
never be determined. a great deal on his experience level; Rake Four
The Aircraft Accident Board's investigat ion did not have that amount of experience to fall
determined that mechanical fai lure was not a back on ." ____:::::....

~e!,~r&~~~eh&.,~~~~~~e.&l~eh~

~ TAC OUTSTANDING FLIGHT SAFETY OFFICER ~

~ &-
~ Major Sam G. Henley of the 75th Tactical &-
<S
~
Reconnaissance Wing, Bergstrom Ai r Force &-
~
~ Base, Texas, has been selected as the Tactical t:D
~ Air Command Outstanding Flight Safety &-
~ Officer for the six-month period ending 30 f?
~ June 1968. Major Henley directed an accident &
..a prevention program rated "Outstanding" by ~
~ the 12thh AWF. Saf~ty Sfurvey.dTeam. Dudring hids &-
~ tenure t e mg a1rcra t acc1 ent rate roppe &>
~ from 21.1 to zero. He was instrumental in the &-
~ elimination of a serious runway FOD hazard. ~
-B He also served as project officer during the &-
~ production of an outstanding USAF safety &-
~ film, "The Unknown Thirty-Six Seconds." &-
For his contribution to safety Major Henley f?
wi II receive a letter of appreciation from the ~
Commander of Tactical Air Command and an Majors. G. Henley ~
engraved plaque. ~

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
TAC ATTACK 15
 Fertilizer Deicer

By Don Reynolds

Keeping airdromes operational during seasonal Several tested liquid deicing chemicals worked
ice and snow conditions trouble many Air Force equally as well as anti -icers, but one evaporated
commanders. In recent years the problem has too quickly, one caused troublesome aircraft
increased in scope, not because the weather is corrosion, and several were too expensive to be
more severe, but with advent of all-weather practical.
aircraft capability, mission effectiveness is often One chemical, a low cost "garden variety"
dependent on launch and recovery facilities. called urea, proved ineffective in severe climates
This problem has been the subject of recent but worked well as a deicer and anti-icer in
Air Force research. A test program, conducted milder winter climates. Urea was tried at several
during the past three years in collaboration with TAC installations last year and is now
the Royal Canadian Air Force, has proven that recommended command wide.
several techniques are available that would almost It is a colorless, crystalline substance, used in
eliminate the problem. most fertilizers, and was first tested as a deicing
But the sure-fire solutions have serious agent but later was found to have good anti-icing
disadvantages. Example: Melt snow and ice as it qualities. Besides low cost urea creates no
falls on runways, taxiways and ramps with radiant corrosion problems. During testing, a urea
heat applied by electrical or liquid heaters buried solution was sprayed directly into the intakes of
in the concrete . It really works, but cost is various types of jet engines without harmful
prohibitive. effects.

16 NOVEMBER 1968
 It has only two residual effects, both
favorable. Areas treated with urea resist
subsequent ice build-ups for a week or more. And
during the summer months grass grows extra
green along the runways.
It is produced in several forms: pellets, prilled
(extruded), and crystal. The pellets and prills have
a clay coating which acts as an anticaking agent
during storage. The crystal form is not
recommended because it will cake during storage.
This makes spreading difficult. And it does not
have granular composition that gives added
traction on icy or wet pavement.
As a deicer, urea is effective when the
ambient ground temperature is 15 degrees F. or
above. It can be spread in a 50-foot wide strip
along the runway centerline at a rate of
Urea, a common fertilizer, is an effective and low
cost ice control agent. The chemical is non-corrosive,
one-quarter pound to one pound per 100 square
works equally well as an anti-icer and deicer, and feet, depending on ice thickness. Applied
is available in several forms. Above: The prilled accordingly, one-quarter inch ice cover will melt
form (spherical pellets) is recommended because it in about 30 minutes. As the slush is swept from
will not cake like the crystal form, and flows easily runway center to the edge, non-treated ice also
through the spreader. Left: Conventiona I trailer turns to slush.
spreaders can be used, freeing spreader trucks for As an anti-icer, urea is applied to the one-third
other wintertime problems. Below: Applied as an center section of the runway at about one-half
anti-icer, the prilled pellets prevents freezing rain pound per 100 square feet. It not only prevents a
and snow from forming into ice. It also has a residual predicted ice cover from forming but has a
effect that prevents ice from bonding to runways for
residual effect of preventing ice from bonding to
periods up to 10 days. When applied over ice, it will
pavements for up to ten days.
cut through a quarter-inch cover in about 30 minutes.
Urea is particularly effective for glaze ice cover
or hoar frost. In tests, a very Iight spread removed
thin· ice in three to four minutes. A rotary
sweeper clears away excess water leaving a damp
surface which does not refreeze. Immediately
after a deicing application, urea prills increase
surface traction comparable to sand.
The chemical can be distributed with
conventional spreaders either towed by or
mounted on a five ton truck. However, a
self-contained spreader vehicle is being tested
which offers accurate spread density at greater
speeds. It is expected to include a relatively
inexpensive electronic spread control unit which
fits into the vehicle glove compartment, readily
adjustable by the operator.
Urea will not replace volume snow removal
equ ipment, but it is a solution to the "glazed ice
gap" which annually reduces operations at several
TAC bases. ~

TACATTACK 17
 SPARE SPARE

ALT ENCODER
OUT
SPARE
TELELIGHT PANEL...
SPARE

CANOPY
HOOK DOWN

hat it doesn't say

SPARE
UNLOCKED

L WING PIN R WING PIN SPARE

UNLOCKED UNLOCKED

AUTO PILOT AUTO PILOT

SPARE
PITCH TRIM DISENGAGE

t EXT FUEL CTG EXT FUEL R EXT FUEL SPARE By

Capt Lynn B. Grant
FUEL LEVEL LOW
CHECK FUEL
FILTERS
RADAR CNI
COOL OEF
SPARE 4457 CCTS, Davis-Monthan AFB,
Ariz.
L ANTI ICE ON R ANTI ICE ON STATIC CORE OFF SPARE

L AUX AIR DOOR R AUX AIR DOOR SPEED BREAK OUT SPARE
f.

WINDSHIELD
DUCT TEMP Hi =. CHK HYD GAUGES SPARE
TEMP HIGH

B L C
MALFUNCTION PITCH AUG OF OVERSPEED
SPARE

INERTIAL
SPARE
NAV SYS OUT

OXYGEN LOW

knowledge that should any problems arise they

Captain Lynn B. Grant is currently an F-4 will receive immediate warning, thanks to the
aircraft commander and academic instructor with myriad of colorful lights on the "billboard." This
the 4457th CCTS at Davis-Monthan AFB, allows prompt and precise corrective action to
Arizona. Formerly a member of the Maine ANG, counter or control the faulty system.
flying F-84s, he returned to active duty in 1961. There's one possible side effect of this "instant
Since then he's been stationed at Chaument AB, fault reporter." We, as pilots, tend to rely more
France, Holloman AFB, N. M., Command Post in and more on the telelight panel to give us a
Saigon, and now DM. He is presently teaching the complete list, or overall picture, of what we have
electrical, pneumatic, hydraulic, flight and auto lost in the way of systems. In addition, most
pilot control systems. pilots become secure in the knowledge that what
the telelight panel doesn't tell them the checklist
or the Dash One will.
Take the F-4 for example: The left generator
Telelight panels, in most of our supersonic is out and the bus tie is open. What equipment is
fighters, have reduced the problem of keeping lost? Merely turn to page E-22/23 in your
pilots appraised of malfunctions occurring within checklist and there you'll find listed all the
their trusty steeds. Our stalwart heroes can strap inoperative equipment.
on their twentieth century Jennys, secure in the The same is true for most of the major systems

18 NOVEMBER 1968
 in the aircraft. The telelight panel informs the switch, stab aug control box, the switch is held on
pi I ot of a major system or component electrically. This switch will not move to the
malfunction and the checklist tells you what has "Off" position either.
been lost and what to do about it. In all fairness to the Dash One, I must say that
"So what?" you ask. So . .. it ain't so!! The the relationship between PC-1 and the pitch aug is
telelight panel, the pilot's checklist, and the Dash mentioned in a note after the auto-pilot section
One have done you in. They haven't told you on page 4-32. "How can this be?" you cry. "What
everything you need to know. happened to our faithful, never erring telelight
Now before anyone jumps up and down, panel, Dash One, and checklist?" Before you get
calling for my head, look at a couple of systems all choked up, let me spin you around one more
that are suspect. The first is the hydraulic system time.
PC-1 and Uti Iity. The second is the stabi Iity As the relationship between PC-1 and the
augmentation portion of the flight control pitch augmentation has been ignored by the Dash
.system. One and checklist, so too has the relationship
Assume you are airborne and lose your PC-1 between the uti Iity hydrau I ic system and roll-yaw
hyd rau I ic system. What are the cockpit augmentation . The utility hydraulic system is the
indications compared to the actual situation? In only hydraulic system powering the roll and yaw
the cockpit you have the master caution light and augmentation system, even with the new change,
the "Check Hydraulic Gauges" lights illuminated . which routes utility pressure to one-half of the
The PC-1 pressure gauge will read less than 1500 spoiler and aileron actuators. Therefore, it again
:±: 100 psi. For the purpose of our discussion we stands to reason that loss of the utility hydraulic
will assume the pressure is zero. Now what have pressure also causes loss of the roll and yaw
we lost? augmentation portion of the flight controls.
According to the telel ight panel and pressure Once again no warning lights advise you of this
gauge we have lost only a hydraulic system. fact, nor does the Dash-One or checklist even hint
According to the Dash One we have lost hydraulic at this relationship.
pressure to one half of the stabilator actuator and By this time I'm sure you can see the
to one-half the left hand aileron/spoiler actuators. implications of this problem . If you lose both
The checklist merely states, "Land as soon as PC-1 and uti Iity hydrau Iic systems, you lose the
practicable." entire stability augmentation system . And not
Unfortunately, this is not the complete one single warning light, nor remark in the
picture. Nowhere in the description of the PC-1 emergency procedures, advises you of this fact.
system; in the description of the stab aug system; In situations like this, good, old fashioned,
or in the emergency sections of the Dash One and common sense comes into play. Any time you
checklist does it mention you have also lost your lose PC-1, perform the corrective actions listed
pitch aug as well. . . and without benefit of the for loss of pitch aug as well . If both PC-1 and
"Pitch Aug Off" I ight at that. utility systems are lost, take it real easy and get
Since the pitch augmentation system is on the ground as soon as possible. But don't get
powered solely by PC-1, it stands to reason that into pilot induced oscillations and the like,
when the system is lost, pitch augmentation also because YOU are now the only stab aug system
fails. The "Pitch Aug Off" light only illuminates on board. _____:::::..
when the pitch aug switch is off or the electr,onic
portion of the pitch aug system has
malfunctioned. And in the case of a hydraulic TAG is taking steps to see that the tech order
failure the pitch aug switch does not move to and checklist are both modified to include this
"Off." information. Hopefully, some engineering changes
Of course, on the newer three switch stab aug will also be forthcoming. We are all indebted to
control box, the switch is held mechanically in Capt Grant for this timely information.
the "On" position. However, on the old, single Ed.

TAC ATTACK 19
 for winter

TIRE TIPS ...... fo1

TREAD DEPTH adequate nose wheel steering with even the
sligh test runway mo istu re.
One of the most va luable aids you can give a
pilot during winter operations is a good set of COMPRESSED AIR
tires ... and this inc ludes the nose w heel. Fall ,
winter, and early spring are the times a pilot is Fil t ers should be used on all air inflation lines.
most likely to encounter standing water, slush, This prevents mo isture from freezing up ti re
snow, or ice on the runway. This means he' ll be va lves . .. which brings on slow leaks. Some
subjected to slick su rfaces. By giving him good aircraft t ires are inflated with dry nitrogen in
rib-tread tires you'll decrease chances of a winter. This prevents many minor, but irritating
tire-traction-loss incident or accident. If a tire has problems.
less than 1/16 inch tread remaini ng it performs as
if it's bald.
VALVE CAPS
INFLATION PRESSURE Insure that caps are instal led on all air filler
valves, both ti res and gear stru t s. T his can save
Inflate an aircraft's tires in a wa rm ha ngar, you many headaches from water, snow, and ice
then park it outside in winter cold and you have a contamination.
quick case of under-inflation . In fact, you can
calculate the poten t ial pressure loss by deducting FLAT SPOTS ON TIRES
one percen t of the total pressure for each
five-degree drop in temperature. This subjects Don't let an aircraft sit for extended periods in
crewmembers, and passengers if it's a transport, the same spot. Th is is not necessar il y a problem
to several hazards. pecu liar to winter. High gross weights and long
Like the sli ck or worn tire, under-inflation periods parked in the same position can cause flat
encourages traction loss, known as hydroplaning, spots summe r or winter. But cold intensifies the
on wet, slick runways. Hydroplaning speeds are in problem and a short taxi to takeoff position will
direct proportion to tire pressure. High pressure not warm the tire enough to round out flat spots.
tires require higher speeds to hydroplane. Lowe r Then the aircrew will notice gear vibrations on
the pressure and you lower the onset speed and takeoff ... resulting in unnecessary maintenance
the aircraft will hydrop lane longer. checks after landing .
Low tire pressures also magnify the standing
wave effect and tread distortion, which
TIRE STORAGE
diminishes footprint area at higher takeoff and
landing speeds. This increases the chance of Don't store rubber products of any kind near
traction loss and causes a rapid build-up of electric motors, generators, or battery chargers.
tire-damaging heat. Electricity changes oxygen to ozone which causes
premature aging of rubber.
TIRE TREAD
CONCLUSION
Don ' t use smooth or dimpled treads when
there's a chance of rain, snow, or ice. These treads While aircraft tires may seem of minor
almost guarantee traction loss on even damp importance to some, in the overall operation of a
runways. Install dimple or smooth treaded nose sophisticated aircraft, they can be the key to safe
wheel tires and you' ll be denying the pilot f light. Don't take them for granted.

20 NOVEMBER 1968
 the
ice man cometh

By Lt Col Carl E. Pearson

COMETH
Most Air Force types keep their cold-weather let air out of your tires and remember that tire
mobility gear in shape and stay ready for pressure decreases one pound for each ni ne-degree
world-wide assignment in a matter of hours. They temperature drop.
adapt quickly to freezing temperatures, snow, ice, •If you put ballast in your trunk, be sure it's
and longer hours of darkness with "winterized" ahead of your rear axle. Weight aft of your rear
clothing, equipment, and attitudes. So, as a wheels makes your car unstable and reduces front
person, you're cold-weather capable. But how wheel braking traction and steering capability. In
about that car you drive? And that second, heavy going keep moving. Your tire's natural
"pure-transportation" jalopy. Check their "flotation " disappears when stopped.
combat-the-cold readiness against these : • Cold weather starts with a weak battery can
• Check engine cooling system for leaks, replace "chatter" your starter relay, burning the points.
soft radiator hoses, tighten loose clamps, and then Also, weak batteries mean long, slow engine
add antifreeze .. .you'll avoid replacing it, and turnover, overheating starters to the point of
possible engine damage. seizure.
• Repair that leaky, sneaky exhaust system you • Winter's centrifugal force is strong as
lived with all summer. It won't let you survive surnmer's, but your traction. and cornering
the winter. If it doesn't kill you, the carbon capabilities are weaker on winter's slick curves.
monoxide will seriously affect your driving Friction between tires and road surfaces keep you
alertness. planted on roads when turning. As soon as
• Keep windshield defrosters and blades in top centrifugal force exceeds the force of friction ,
shape to avoid ice and snow buildup. Don't try to you're off the road. At 20 mph a 3000 pound car
get by playing peek-a-boo thru an ice hole. Scrape resists 156 pounds of centrifugal force in a
windshield, rear, and side windows clean before 500-foot radius curve. At 60 mph the force
moving. If it's freezing, using the windshield zooms to 1400 pounds. Slow down more than
washer will lose you in a self-inflicted ice storm ever on curves . .. and watch out for quick lane
• Your tire's remaining tread and correct changes.
inflation are more important than ever. Traction • Your night driving increases sharply and 90
is sharply reduced on snow, ice, or wet surfaces. percent of your driving decisions are based on
And you can't start, stop, or turn on winter's sight .. .so are the other driver's. Get your
slippery stuff without tire-to-road friction. headlights on earlier. Parking lights only are
Maintain full recommended tire pressure for full dangerous.
tread contact. Reduced inflation actually reduces • Add your own checklist ideas here ... and get
your tire's grip below its full potential. So don't ready for winter driving ahead of time ! ~

TACATTACK 21
 you get more static ..... .in winter

It was a cold January night. An aircraft was close the valves and sparked the fire; corroded
in fuel cell repair because of a leak near the nose and unserviceable static ground points; a
jack pad . Defueling was in progress. Both drain homemade and non-approved 55 gallon drain
valves for the right internal wing tanks were open barrel, also improperly grounded; personnel
and fuel flowed in a steady stream into a anti-static discharge points were not provided so
locally-made 55 gallon drum. After a time, fuel that body static could be readily eliminated prior
appeared to be draining too fast, so one of the to approaching the aircraft.
mechanics decided to shut off the drains. He Another Air Force static-electricity accident
stooped under the wing, and with a screwdriver, happened last winter. The cause was a lack of
reached to flip the valves closed. As his hand basic knowledge. This time an aero club bird was
neared the valves, a spark jumped from the involved.
screwdriver and ignited fuel vapors. The fire was The pilot made an unscheduled landing in the
extinguished, but not before a valuable first line cold Northwest. He needed fuel, so a local service
aircraft was badly damaged. station trucked in two five-gallon jerrycans of
The maintenance men involved in this hi-octane.
static-electricity accident were well qualified and To prevent spi //age, the pi lot used a plastic
knowledgeable. But, as if to prove "fami Iiarity funnel . As he poured the tank filler neck began to
breeds contempt," investigators found 19 glow ... then suddenly, fire! The aircraft was
separate violations of two basic tech orders and destroyed.
two violations of an Air Force manual. The cause was I isted as static electricity.
Some of the more obvious errors included: Friction of the fuel flowing thru the funnel
improper shoes on the airman who attempted to generated an electrical charge. The plastic funnel

22 NOVEMBER 1968
acted as an insulator between the electrical charge (5) Connect all machinery and equipment in
and the conductive metal tank filler neck. The one room to a common ground to avoid
electrical charge built up until it had sufficient differences of potential.
strength to breakdown the insulating effect of the (6) See that all piping such as exhaust
plastic funnel. The result? Fire! systems and collection ducts are banded together.
Dry, cold, winter weather makes static Physical connection of pipes or ducts does not
electricity a special problem. Actually it is with us necessarily mean the system is bonded .
all year long ... it's just worse in winter. You
probably experience it most often in the shock This winter don't put up with a lot of
you get after sliding across an automobile seat unnecessary static ... electricity that is. ~
and touching the door handles, or walking across
a thickly carpeted room and grabbing the door
knob.
Pilots frequently see static electricity in the
form of St. Elmo's fire around the windscreen of
a jet, or on the prop tips of a recip. In flight it's
no problem because aircraft are built with the
capability to discharge electrical build-up.
On the ground our tech orders spell out
procedures for bonding and grounding to prevent
dangerous accumulations of static electricity . But
here are some tips to help check your protection
in t he shop or on the flight line :
( 1) Check all ground connections to be sure
they provide continuous, low-resistance paths to
ground . . . otherwise they're useless.
(2) Bonding and grounding conductors must
be large enough to handle required electrical
conductivity and mechanical strength.
(3) Connections to equipment and ground
must be strong and insure good electrical contact.
(4) Grounding two pieces of equipment that
are close together by separate ground conductors
does not always eliminate the static hazard. A
difference of electrical potential can exist and a An unauthorized barrel, improperly grounded caused
static spark can occur. To eliminate this this static sparked fuel fire.
difference of potential all bodies in close
proximity must be electrically interconnected or
bonded. References :
1. Tech Order 1-1-3.·
TO PREVENT STATIC-CAUSED EXPLOSIONS:
2. Tech Order 00-25-172.
( 1) Don't use non-conductive material such
3. AFM 127-101.
as plastics or nylons.
(2) Bond and ground all static producing 4. "Static Electricity," T AC ATTACK, Jan 66.
objects.
(3) Have an electrician physically check your 5. Moody, Ruben B., Lt Col. "Static
bonds and grounds for adequacy. Electricity," AEROSPACE MAINTENANCE
(4) Test your ground outlets periodically. SAFETY, Feb 65.

TACATTACK 23
 .... incidents and incidentals

chock talk

PAINT COMPLAINT PRPO cards. Locally, they require pilots and

crewchiefs to check the drain before every flight .
An F-4 had repeat write-ups on the "Static They caution all F-4C and D users of the
Corr Off" telelight. It illuminated during necessity and importance of radome draining
acceleration, rapid changes in altitude, and after any rain.
sometimes remained lit during supersonic flight.
Troubleshooters replaced the central air data
computer several times, checked the water trap,
INFLIGBT DEFUELING
ran several total leakage checks, and changed the Shortly after the F-1OOF took off his wingman
filter. The problem remained unsolved. Then a reported fuel streaming from the belly panel.
sharp maintenance type saw that the exhaust vent After a successfu I emergency landing,
cap for the CADC was almost covered with paint; maintenance crews removed the aft section and
the screen was about 80 percent blocked . Paint ran the bird on the trim pad. They soon
was removed ... and write-ups stopped. discovered that above 85 percent rpm, fuel
sprayed from the tube assembly of the
cooler-to-fuel pressurizing valve. The tube was
WET COMPUTER removed and inspected.
While descending to land an F-4 crew noticed Maintenance inspectors found the tube ferrule
instrument fluctuations; altimeter 600 to 1200 was not properly silver-soldered to the tube
feet, vertical velocity 0 to 2000 feet, and airspeed assembly. This allowed a high pressure fuel leak.
25 knots. In the traffic pattern the pressure The engine had been overhauled by a civilian
altimeter was 400 feet higher than the radio concern in February 1968. Inspection of four
altimeter. After landing, there was an error of 100 other recently overhauled engines turned up one
knots airspeed, and 550 feet on the altimeter. other with questionable soldering.
Maintenance investigators found water in the How about your engines?
static system. The radome on this newly assigned
Phantom did not have the drain holes aligned
with the drain. Water collected in sufficient
RESTRICTED TRAVEL
quantity to back-up and saturate the The F-4 aircraft commander cranked up and
CADC . .. causing serious instrument errors. proceeded with the after-start checklist. When he
The rest of the wing's F-4 fleet was inspected checked flight controls the stick did not appear to
and two other newly arrived aircraft were found go full back. The crew chief confirmed that
with the same problem. A check of Dash Six stabilator movement was also limited. The flight
preflight work cards showed that no requirement was aborted.
existed for checking this drain. Maintenance investigators found that actuator
The wing promptly submitted AFTO Form rods in the pitch viscous damper were installed
22s, to have the radome drain check added to F-4 backwards. This limited normal rod travel by four

24 NOVEMBER 1968
with a maintenance slant.

inches and restricted the horizontal stabi lator to like bad panel shows on TV, you never fail to
12 degrees down versus a normal 20 degrees. have something or someone replaced.
The damper had been overhauled by the base
field maintenance squadron. To compound the
problem, the mechanic who installed the unit, did "KNOCK -KNOCK, WHO'S THERE?"
not follow tech order checkout procedures which
would have revealed the error. Herky cruised quietly at FL 180 ... then
The wing has recommended red strips on the started playing a game of airborne
fuselage to indicate the full-up and full-down "knock-knock" around its right wheel well.
stabilator position providing ground crews with a Searching for right responses to "Who's there?"
quick check reference line. the crew answered, "It's HF antenna" ... a
Best procedure is for each mechanic to follow notorious knocker when broken. So, they peered
the book. If your job is to supervise overhaul of a thru the sextant for confirmation and saw both
dampner . . . supervise! antennas firmly fixed. Puzzled now, they were
If you're supposed to inspect for quality of rei ieved when the bongo beat stopped.
maintenance work performed ... inspect! Other Investigators found the right aft gearbox
lives depend on you! access panel missing. Before tearing loose, the
pounding panel punctured poor Herky's skin.
They also found that cam-loc receptacles were
.. FAILED TO" undamaged; no evidence of fastener failure
existed. If closed at all, it was clearly a "partial
Transient maintenance types removed the panel" operation .
F-1 OO's right link bay panel to reach oil sampling Improperly fastened panels are a major part of
gear. After removal, they failed to replace the the hazardous hai I dropping from T AC aircraft in
panel. Also, failed to record it on the Form 781. flight. Both maintenance types and aircrew
During his preflight the IP noted the loose members share responsibility. And maintenance
panel, but maintenance help wasn't available. So, has the "last clear chance" for a dropped object
he and his student strapped in, requesting some save during quick-check.
support by radio. He failed to mention the Most successful operators avoid panel loss by
unsecured panel to his transient alert crew when setting a few basic rules to live by. First: either
they arrived and also, failed to request a runway all the way open, or all the way closed. No
quick-check. In-between arrangement is allowed.
Upon landing at home base the pilots Second: never use a failed fastener; repair or
discovered the panel missing. replace worn fasteners before they fail. Third: if
If you don't follow the basic rules of panel you're still being caught with your panels down,
play (either full open or full closed, no half-way make certain you're living up to the first two
measures) you put on a pretty poor show. And rules!

TAC ATTACK 25
 whoops?

?•
By Major Keith C. McDonald
316 TAW, Langley AFB, Va.

As we broke out of the clouds about a mile considered full reverse on number one engine, but
out on GCA for runway 25, my copilot switched the right wing was down so I rejected that
to Saigon Tower. The tower operator was talking thought. Gyroscopic effect might cause the wing
continually to many aircraft in the VFR pattern to dig into the ground. I remember applying left
beneath a rain shower. He reported, " ... Wind brake but the antiskid cycled so I stopped
360 at 10 gusting to 20; cleared to land!" A right braking . Steering turned the nose wheel but did
crosswind. not change aircraft direction.
Immediately after touchdown I lowered the Finally, when the nose wheel became effective
Herky's nose wheel, and in a flash we were off the I steered back on the runway, then to the first
right side and over a runway distance marker. I turn-off. As my heart stopped pounding I realized

26 NOVEMBER 1968
 we had blown a main gear tire. all brake pressure on that side is released.
Later, I looked at the holes in the aircraft, the In my mishap, skidding of the left front wheel
blown tire, broken brake line and all that when I applied left brake caused a pressure rei ief
hydraulic fluid on the ground, and I thought, may- on both left wheels. This denied me directional
be I should have done something else .. . where braking control from the non-skidding left rear
did I go wrong? wheel. With the nose wheels hydroplaning, the
After careful study and some 20/20 hindsight free rolling rear wheels on both sides were pivot
here are some of the lessons learned in my points allowing the crosswind to turn the aircraft.
incident. Many pilots don't believe the C-130 will This caused the plane to run off upwind.
hydroplane. Actually this can occur quite easily The new Hytrol Mark II System (T .O.
because of the wide, low pressure tires. 1C-130-743), which is just coming into service,
Reportable incidents are relatively rare though, modulates brake pressure at each wheel
because reverse thrust does most of the work in individually. This "peaker seeker," as it is called,
getting stopped. And many cases of wet runway oscillates slightly, maintaining maximum braking
traction loss go unreported because no damage on each wheel thus providing peak braking
resulted. without skidding . As you can see, the rear main
The key to my unusual hydroplaning incident wheels can provide some braking under the worst
is the crosswind. Usually an aircraft with conditions since they don't appear to hydroplane
hydroplaning tires, under crosswind conditions except on the smoothest runway.
drifts off the downwind side of the runway. Why Critical hydroplaning speed for the C-130 nose
did I go off into the wind? Tests with the C-130 gear is about 65 KIAS. Yet progressive traction
at Dyess AFB showed repeated instances of front loss can begin at 70 percent of that figure. This
main wheel spin-down (decreasing rotation) with means that on a wet runway, moving as slow as
the aft tires rolling merrily along. NASA found 46 knots, the aircraft can weathervane into the
that the front tires have a squeegee-effect which wind, leaving you with aerodynamic controls and
removes fluid from the path of the rear tires. asymmetrical power (and possibly some brakes)
Even without use of brakes the front wheels may to keep her straight.
start to spin-down and stop at 70 percent of a The tech order says to maintain directional
tire's critical hydroplaning speed, usually between control by means of aileron and rudder, nose
57 and 99 knots, depending on tire pressure. This wheel steering, differential brakes and
means the rear wheels will continue to provide power ... in the order. And it's common
braking and cornering traction while the front knowledge that rudder is effective as low as 40
wheels and nose wheels are without traction. knots. My point is, don't get into the habit of
When you apply brakes in this situation the hanging onto nose wheel steering when your
type of antiskid system has an important effect flight controls are effective. Jumping onto t;he
on the success of crosswind landings or aborted steering as soon as the nose wheel touches down
takeoffs. The C-130 system (unless T.O. on landing is especially hazardous as I've tried to
1C-130-743 is complete) has two dump-type show.
antiskid valves, one for the right wheels, the other Get overly dependent on nose wheel steering
for the left. When you apply brakes and a skid is and you may find the thing about as satisfying as
sensed by either a front or rear wheel, the dump sucking your thumb . . . and just about as
valve blocks pressure to both front and rear rewarding.
brakes on the side where the skid is detected. And
TACATTACK 27
TAC Tips

... interest items, mishaps

of movement and a few scattered light-reflecting

'
DAMP DERRIERE objects showed him flying at tree top level.
After this near fatal accident the pilot landed
After a heavy snowfall , early morning ramp and dutifully wrote up the system. But
temperature dropped to five degrees below zero. maintenance personnel could not find an
Having departed warmer climes two days earlier, altimeter discrepancy.
our transi ent Phantom phlyers wore winter As a precaution the pitot tube was replaced
underwear, summer flying su its, and jackets. and the aircraft scheduled for a functional check
Transient alert needed help launching airplanes flight. With another F-4 flying chase, and at dive
that morning because snow removal created angles corresponding to the night bombing
slowdowns. As good TAC types do, the aircrew incident, the test pilot noted a 250 foot altimeter
pitched in and helped ready their birds. A helpful lag in a 10 degree dive; 500 foot lag in a 20 degree
flight medical officer riding one Phantom's back dive; and a 1000 foot lag in a 30 degree dive. In
seat helped remove chocks on four birds. Slippery addition, it lagged in a climb .
footing on the icy ramp forced him to sit in snow Again maintenance specialists could find no
while kicking loose frozen-down chocks. In the malfunction. However, this time they replaced
process he acquired a wet flight suit and a damp the central air data computer (CADC) and
derrie're. Also, two frigid nights cold soaked the rescheduled a flight test.
Phantoms and, subsequently, the phlyer's The altimeter worked perfectly and the CADC
posteriors. was U R'ed. Pending results of a tear down report,
During a refueling stop about two hours later, speculation centers on an internal problem within
our friendly FMO felt a burning irritation . On the CADC static pressure manifold.
arrival at home his discomfort aggravated to the Had this fighter unit not taken extra
point where he preferred to stand rather than sit . precautions to isolate the problem, a subsequent
Diagnosis was frostbite ... in an unaccustomed night mission could have ended in disaster.
area . Fortunately, it resulted in only a week of
"standing operating procedures."
Wearing wet flight suits in subzero
PREFERRED IFR ROUTES
temperatures is a known invite to frostbite. And
it's also true that bulky winter flying gear in a FAA has published an Advisory Circular
fighter's crowded cockpit cuts crosscountry (90 -38) outlining background, intent and
comfort considerably. But for your own survival, requested actions pertaining to preferred I FR
when you head toward frozen lands from TAC's routes. This system has been in effect for some
warm winter resort areas wear your cold weather time in the low altitude structure, however, a 300
clothing . And like our minuteman forefathers: percent traffic volume increase from 1963 to
Keep your posterior dry! 1967 has made preferred routing necessary in the
high altitude structure.
Use of preferred IF R routes, while not
HAZARDOUS LAG mandatory, is certainly necessary from a safety
It was a dark moonless night. The F-4 pilot and traffic flow control standpoint. Many airways
was flying a night bombing mission. He pulled will be ear-marked for one direction only. If you
out, as briefed , at 1200 feet indicated . But a flash file for one, going the wrong direction, ATC will

28
• NOVEMBER 1968
with morals, for the T AC o1rcrewmon.

no doubt reroute you to another conforming to designed for runway over-run and not approach
your direction of flight. If you don't care to end engagements. One engagement resulted in a
follow the route provided, ATC will try to clear minor accident with significant damage to the
you as close as possible to your flight plan. If aircraft. The other was an incident.
weather becomes a problem, controllers will again These mishaps indicate a lack of knowledge of
attempt to steer you around troublesome areas. the capabilities and limitations of jet barriers and
Obviously, all this affects your planned fuel arresting gear systems.
reserve. Only a BAK-9 or· BAK-12 arresting gear
FAA's Air Traffic Service emphasizes that, system can be used for both an approach end and
"T he i m port an c e of cooperation and runway over-run engagement. A.n MA-1A modified
understanding in use of preferred routes cannot barrier, or an MA-1 A used in conjunction with a
be over emphasized." Forewarned is forearmed . BAK-9 or BAK-12, can handle only runway
Watch that fuel reserve! over-run engagements.
If an approach end engagement is desired on a
runway with an MA-1A used in conjunction with
a BAK-9 or BAK-12, the MA-1A must be
DART PRESSING BARRIER disconnected before an engagement is attempted.
An F-100's first two passes went scoreless All pilots should be knowledgeable on the
during an air to air gunnery mission. On the third, barrier and arresting gear information available in
t he dart disintegrated. Struck not by a volley of the FLIP Enroute Supplement and FLIP Terminal
20mm, but hit by the vertical stabilizer of the Charts.
pressing Supersabre. F-4 pilots, particularly instructor
A wingman moved in to give a visual pilots . . . don't be caught lacking this valuable
inspection report to the over-eager jock, w·ho, information. It could be embarrassing.
after a controllability check, decided on a
straight-in approach at a nearby strip (damage
by Maj Sol Harp
repair later estimated at more than 100 hours) .
Thanks to a BAK-9 barrier, the F-100 was saved Hq TAC (OSF)
from further damage when the drag chute
jettisoned immediately after deployment.
The only unused barrier which could have
saved this pilot from the dart pressing incident is SKI BOOM
located between his ears. A thousand-to-one odds USAF recently advised there is some high level
says it will be cocked and ready from this day on . concern over the hazards of sonic booms near ski
resort areas. Those of us who ski know only too
well the dangers of a snow avalanche.
APPROACH END Sonic booms, like a gunshot or the noise of a
BARRIER ENGAGEMENT dynamite explosion, can very possibly set the
We've recently had two separate instances heavily drifted snow in motion. So out of respect
where F-4 pilots attempted approach end barrier to your fellow sportsmen make certain any
engagements with MA-1 A modified barriers. They planned low level routes or supersonic runs avoid
were unsuccessfu I because MA-1A barriers are known ski resort areas. Don't be a spoil-sport.

TACATTACK 29
 with members of their s-upporting units and people
sympathetic with and dedicated to the principles
of the AFPA.
Anyone interested in joining can obtain com·

LETTERS plete information by writing the American Fighter

Pilots Association, P.O. Box 90363, Airport

to the Station, Los Angeles, California 90009.

EDITOR Dear Editor:

Regarding your article in " Tac Tips" on F-4

Trapped Fuel Flameouts (July 1968), there was
a slight error. The tape on the fuel counter
shows internal fuselage fuel only, not fuselage
and internal wing tanks.
We enjoy TAC ATTACK very much in our
squadron; keep up the good work.

Hugh M. Saint, Major, USAF

The American Fighter Pilots Association re· Thanks Major (and other Phantom pilots who
ports eight new chapters have been added to wrote similar letters), we goofed. We weren't
their growing membership. keeping a close watch on our gauges, or at least
Establishing the new chapters were Air their titles. In describing the fuel gauge, we
Force personnel at Shaw AFB, N.C.; Perrin and said, " ... the tape and counter decrease pro·
Ellington AFBs, Tex.; Davis-Monthan AFB, portionately; the tape indicates fuel in the
Ariz.; Eglin and Homestead AFBs, Fla.; and fuselage and internal wing tanks." This should
McChord AFB and Adair AFS, Wash. have read, u . .. the counter indicates . . . "· Our
The chapter formed at Ellington is being apologies, and we appreciate your right seat
chartered in the name of the 147th Fighter Group monitoring. Ed.
of the Air National Guard and thus becomes the
first ANG chapter in the revitalized AFPA. Dear Editor:
Responsible for founding the new chapters Ref~rence your TAC Tip on smoke switch in
were: the August 1968 issue. You state that smoke
At Shaw, Col James D. Catington, Chief of bombs, proper nomenclature smoke grenades, used
Staff for Ninth Air Force; to mark drop zones have letters and number
At Perrin, Col Russell D. DeMont, Deputy which read "M-18, Smoke, Yellow, BBA-1-30."
Commander, 4780th Air Defense Wing; TAC Combat Control teams also use white,
At Ellington, Major Dean T. Landon, 147th green and red smoke to mark the drop zone. The
Fighter Group; white grenades have an M8 smoke, HC and lot
At Davis-Monthan, Col Robert A. Ackerly, number. The other colors have M18 smoke, color
Commander, 4455th CCTS; and lot number. PBA-1-30, you have listed is
At Eglin, Col Daniel (Chappie) James, Jr., only the lot number and will not be the same on
Vice Commander, 33rd TFW; all grenades. White smoke is the most widely
At Homestead, Col Walter P. Meyler, Com· used smoke for marking drop zone.
mander, 319th Fl S;
At McChord, Col Frederick M. O'Connor, A 1C Kenneth L. Copeland
Commander, 318th FIS; 9th APS, Forbes AFB, Kansas
And at Adair, Col Wayne R. Rhynard, Com·
mander, 26th Air Division. We appreciate your letter. This information
The American Fighter Pilots Association is should be useful to our airlift people and Combat
a multi-service association of former and active Control Teams. Our point was that "WP" stands
fighter aircraft organization members, together for white phosphorous, which is dangerous. Ed.

30 NOVEMBER 1968
TAC Tally

TACTALLY MAJOR AIRCRAFT ACCIDENT RATES AS OF 30 SEPTEMBER 1968*

15 15

TAC

10
9.1

imm mom Alm.0 m THRU SEP

5

AIRCRAFT 1968
1967.

-
ir MI MN WM.., ANG Nur ma al. aft
TYPE TAC ANG-AFR
1
41.
1.0,
.... _
-
10
I 10
52.0 0
- / A-1
- i 7.3 _ 23.1
o 0
-/
-.. _
R8-66
0 0
o 7.2
_
AFRes F/RF-84 0 16.7
10 10 19.8 28.4
F-86
9.7
5
0
5

_ F-111
0
2.0 --
o
0
_
Feb Mar Apr Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Uec F-100
23.7
m 19 641
10.3 o
on re 1967
F/RF-101
22.4

THRU SEP
967
UNITS
1968
THRU SEP
1967
F-5

F-105
I DJ
o

o
0

9 AF 5.7 8.3 12 AF 9.3 9.6 0

4 TFW 9.8 7.2 23 TFW 20.8 11.6 11.6 91.0

F-104
123 TRW 0 0
15 TFW 10.4 25.9 8.0 14.0

33 TFW 9.1 9.8 27 TFW 8.3 13.5 F/RF-4

0
113 TFW 21.5 15.0 140 TFW 5.8 20.4 o 0
C-47
4531 TFW 12.3 0 479 TFW 9.6 10.1
o
363 TRW 3.2 10.2 474 TFW 38.1 o
KC-97
64 TAW o 0 67 TRW 12.6 6.3
0 2.0
75 TRW C-119
316 TAW o 0 o 17.6
o
317 TAW 0 5.3 313 TAW o 0
C-123
464 TAW o 2.9 516 TAW o o 0
o o
4442 CCTW o 7.7 4453 CCTW 12.8 3.9 C-130
0
4510 CCTW 6.0 9.0 o 0
T-29
0 0
2.5 10.6

SPECIAL UNITS T-33

0 o
o 0
T-39
1 SOW 7.1 6.7 4500 ABW 0 0 0 0
0 0
4410 CCTW 18.1 9.4 4440 ADG o o C-7
o
4409 SUP SQ 0 o 4525 FWW 33.9 24.1
o
0-1
4416 TSQ 46.1 0
0

* ESTIMATED FLYING HOURS

31
TAC ATTACK
 a
e?* MAXIMUM EXPOSURE BEFORE

40

35
ummumam
NHM
Malan
5 0 5 1 nMHR
ITE

UMENV E
N
30

NI 25
IMUMMW O
Wind velocity speeds-up effect of cold
temperature on exposed flesh. The
combination creates an equivalent calm air
temperature shown on the chart below. At
20

15
IMMeaWO
EOCOMM
actual temperatures above 32 degrees F. flesh
will not freeze (frostbite), regardless of wind
10

5
ESMACM
velocity, but body heat loss remains relevant.

COOLING POWER OF WIND ON EXPOSED FLESH

ESTIMATED ACTUAL THERMOMETER READING (°F)
ND
WISPEED
50 1 40 30 20 1 10 0 -10 -20 -30 -40 -50 -60

(MPH) EQUIVALENT TEMPERATURE (°F)

calm 50 40 30 20 10 0 1 -10 -20 -30 -40 -50 -60

5 48 31 21 16 6 -5 -15 26 -36 -41 -51 -68

10 40 28 16 4 -9 -21 -33 -46 -58 -10 -83 -95

15 36 22 9 -5 -18 36 -45 -58 -12 -85 -99 -112

20 32 18 4 -10 -25 -39 -53 -61 -82 -96 -110 -124

25 30 16 0 -15 29 -44 59 -14 -88 -104 -118 -133

30 28 13 -2 -18 -33 -48 -63 -19 -94 -109 -125 -140

35 21 11 -4 -20 -35 -49 -61 -82 -98 113 -129' -145

40 26 10 -6 -21 -31 -53 -69 -85 -100 -116 -132 -148

LITTLE DANGER INCREASING

GREAT DANGER
(for properly clothed person) DANGER

DANGER FROM FREEZING OF EXPOSED FLESH

Trenchfoot and immersion foot may occur at any point on this chart.
Wind speeds greater than 40 mph have little additional effect.

See Fore warmed for Winter, Page 4