E2C Hawkeye and broken arresting wire

[Gman]

Pretty good reaction from the pilot - looks like he had throttled back perhaps, hard to tell really, but obviously firewalled those new engines in that bird - I wonder if it skipped off the water, must have been close.

[The Fugitive]

I spent almost 2 years on the Eisenhower. They practice touch and goes all the time. Normal procedure is to chop the throttles when they feel the pull of a caught cable. So Im sure that is what he did. When the cable snapped and they lost that pressure Im sure he was all over those throttles slamming them against the dash. Launch and recovery is always done heading into the wind which give them a bit more air across the wings. In this case, it might have been that bit they needed to get air-born instead of swimming. Close call for sure.

[Puma44]

Definitely no seat cushions left in that airplane.

[Gman]

Thanks Fugitive, that does make sense, as it seemed to be decelerating even post cable bye bye, and then roared ahead, that's why I mentioned it.  Quick reactions hitting the gas by that pilot - that crew owed him some beers I bet, very surprising to see that dome reappear climbing up.

[Vraciu]

I spent almost 2 years on the Eisenhower. They practice touch and goes all the time. Normal procedure is to chop the throttles when they feel the pull of a caught cable. So Im sure that is what he did. When the cable snapped and they lost that pressure Im sure he was all over those throttles slamming them against the dash. Launch and recovery is always done heading into the wind which give them a bit more air across the wings. In this case, it might have been that bit they needed to get air-born instead of swimming. Close call for sure.

The cable snapped twenty feet from the end of the deck.   If he wasn't spooled up already he would have gone in the drink, IMHO.    The deck was pitching a bit, too.  I think it was downhill when he went off the end.   

We're talking a matter of inches on this one.

The ground crew said it "had salt spray all over the belly"--I get his point.  The flight crew thought they were dead.

[Vraciu]

Thanks Fugitive, that does make sense, as it seemed to be decelerating even post cable bye bye, and then roared ahead, that's why I mentioned it.  Quick reactions hitting the gas by that pilot - that crew owed him some beers I bet, very surprising to see that dome reappear climbing up.

I dunno, I think they were already spooled.   When the cable snapped it jerked them forcefully--slowed them way down.   Although they spool up faster than turbofans, turboprop engines do not accelerate instantly.   

I have no idea if the E2C has separate levers for throttle, propellor, and condition or if it is like a T-6 II with an all-in-one power lever but...    I would guess that even with the turbines spooled up it will lag three or four seconds from flat pitch to a stabilized takeoff angle on the blades.

Thank goodness for those eight blades per side.   I don't think an E2B (or pre-upgrade E2C) would have made it.

[Serenity]

The cable snapped twenty feet from the end of the deck.   If he wasn't spooled up already he would have gone in the drink, IMHO.    The deck was pitching a bit, too.  I think it was downhill when he went off the end.   

Not sure if their procedure is different from ours, but for us, you STAY at MRT until the yellow-shirt walks in front, gives you the spool down and hook up signal, for this very reason.

[Vraciu]

Not sure if their procedure is different from ours, but for us, you STAY at MRT until the yellow-shirt walks in front, gives you the spool down and hook up signal, for this very reason.

That's what I thought.      

[icepac]

Man....that one guy who almost got it was an exceptionally fast human being.

[Ack-Ack]

Definitely no seat cushions left in that airplane.

Or a clean flight suit.

[Serenity]

Or a clean flight suit.

I mean, flight suits are NEVER clean to start with...

[Mister Fork]

8 sailors were hurt - one with possible brain injury when the cable snapped back - breaking legs, pelvises and ankles.  Kinda crappy outcome overall.   And yes, according to the accident report, pilot actually kept the engine at full throttle.

[colmbo]

I mean, flight suits are NEVER clean to start with...

But they are made of that magical material which keeps you hot in summer and cold in winter!!

[Serenity]

But they are made of that magical material which keeps you hot in summer and cold in winter!!

Aint that the ****ing truth... Everyone here swears by going over to the tan suits in the summer, but I've tried them, and I sure don't notice a difference. I end up just leaving my sleeves rolled, cranking the A/C, and expecting to be covered in sweat and water from the ECS...

[GScholz]

But they are made of that magical material which keeps you hot in summer and cold in winter!!

Funny how that works for all military attire...