Army Aviation Digest - Apr 1971

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    UNITED

    DIRECTOR OF ARMY AVIATION, ACSFORDEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY

    BG William J . Maddox Jr

    5

    COMMANDANT, U . S . ARMY AVIATION SCHOOLMG Allen M . Burdett Jr

    ASST COMDT, U. S. ARMY AVIATION SCHOOLCOL Hubert S Campbel l Jr.

    DIGEST STAFFRichard K. Tierney , EditorCPT Edward A. Bickel2lT Kenneth G . Kitzmiller2LT John H . ZwarensteynCW2 Mike lopezWilliam H . Smithl inda McGowanBrenda R. HarpBetty S . Wallace

    GRAPHIC ARTS SUPPORTHarry A . PickelDorothy l CrowleyAngela A . Akin

    DIRECTOR , U. S . ARMY BOARD FOR AVIATIONACCIDENT RESEARCH

    COL Eugene B ConradPUBLICATIONS AND GRAPHICS DIV

    Pierce l . Wiggin, ChiefWilliam E. CarterJack DeloneyTed KontosCharles MobiusPatsy R. ThompsonMary W . Windham

    , /, _, \ )\ -

    RMY VI TION

    1GESAPRIL 1971 VOLUME 17 NUMBARTICLESWill The True Pro Please "Shaddup "Did Someone Say A Cold, Safe LZ? Blow In My Ear. . .The Tail Tells The TaleStandard Lightweight vionics EquipmentSuper Chief Starch The NomexHelp At The Learning CenterCrossword PuzzleInstrument Training Confidence And SafetyTask Force: "Golden Hawk" Accident Investigation And Reporting SenseUnqualified Test PilotSupervisor's Special Trust Technique Or Lack Of Knowledge?Broken Wing AwardThe Martin-Baker J-5 Ejection SeatInvestigation And Reporting Sense Back CoViews From ReadersMaintenance Matters

    FEATURES

    Aeromedic- When Is A Helicopter Like AnEjection Seat?Charlie And Danny's Write-InUSAASO Sez

    The mission of the U. S. RMY AVIATION DIGEST i, to proyide information of on operational or functional nature

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    JEWSROE DERS

    Sir:The last initial entry fixed wing classes,OFWAC 71-18 and WOWAC 71-17, havearrived at Ft. Rucker, Ala., and arescheduled to complete their training on29 June 1971. All future fixed wing training will be conducted as a transitioncourse after the successful completion of

    .the rotary wing flight training courses.Finales bring back memories so I thoughtyour readers would like to share the Iyr-

    ics of a nostalgic talkin' blues song withall those who remember the small butfaithful Bird Dog. It was composed byMajor Joe T. Pope while stationed in theRepublic of Vietnam.

    CPT David C. GoodwinDept of Adv F/W TngUSAAVNSFt. Rucker, Ala. 36360

    WHISTLING WILLII'm a hot pilot-but I sure feelsilly cause they gave me a planecalled Whistling Willie.When I signed in-the CO saidson-come down to the flightline and have a little fun.Well there on the line-dirty asheck-sat a Bird Dog plane-adamn big wreck.He said check It out and we llgo t ry- to get enough speed tomake it fly.I took the book from thatdirty old dog-it looked like amail order catalog.I should have known it wasa flying tramp-cause the redX symbol was in rubber stamp.I looked at the gear and founda tire-held in place withsafety wire.Well I fired it up and itran queer-sounded like anole John Deere.Flew around the pattern withno bad luck-but the wingsthey flapped like a mallard duck.

    APRIL 97

    The FM-is all screwed u -got 90 feet of wire on aDixie cup.The UHF is the best part y t-got two cat whiskers on acrystal set.When I fly over Charlie you cansee him dash-for overheadcover in case I crash.Came back feet wet andhauling tall-dragging 40 feetof net and a sampan sail.Called up the tower-the clearancewas chilly-get the crash crew outcause here comes Willie.Rolled out on final in thatragged old thing-the cowlsstood out like an angel s wing.Put Willie on the ground afterhours aloft-when the gear toucheddown the tail fell off.Though Willie is a terror-mightyhard to fly-he takes me into combatand brings me back alive.I ll stay a hot pilot and I'llfeel silly-but as long as heflies-I'll keep my Willie.

    /

    Sir:Major Marsh, in his article in your

    January issue on personnel managementproblems, was concerned about the problem of assignment to G-J jobs of officerspossessing no prior experience, education or training. That problem has beensolved by the U. S. Army Adjutant General School. The Adjutant GeneralSchool has developed a resident Personnel Staff Officer Course. It is 5% weeksin length and is designed to providetraining to field grade officers for assignment to G-I positions in divisions andcomparable size units or activities. Emphasis is on management of personneland administrative activities and development of policy. The next class begins 2April 1971. The Personnel Staff OfficerMOS, 2260, is awarded upon graduation.

    Your readers who desire S 1/adjutanttraining may be interested in the correspondence course program. The purposeof this course is to provide officers witha working knowledge of the functions,duties and responsibilities of an S 1 oradjutant at battalion or brigade.The Adjutant General School hasmany training options and materials forthose who are interested in personnelwork. Further information about trainingmaterials may be obtained by writing toDirector, Department of NonresidentInstruction, U. S. Army Adjutant General School, Fort Benjamin Harrison.Indiana 46216.

    Sir:

    LTC William M. ShattuckDirector, Dept of NRIU. S. Army Adjutant General

    SchoolFt. Benjamin Harrison, Ind.46216

    Reference is made to your article inthe January 97 issue of AVIATION DIGEST. Maintenance Matters, pertaining

    Continued on page 5

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    2

    Will The True roURING MY CAREER in aviation, one o

    the many things that has impressed me ithe role of the air traffic controller, the unsunhero of the skies. When the subject of aviatiocomes up, few bother to mention air traffic control (ATC) despite its significance.A good air traffic controller is a considerablboon to all pilots and deserves their cooperatioand the same respect accorded to any competenprofessional. For example, few pilots envy thjob of the tower operator at the Tan Son Nhutower in Saigon, Republic of Vietnam, durinlaunch period or the feeder controller at CairnArmy Airfield Ft. Rucker, Ala., during recoveryperiod. These men must be able to cope withlarge variety of situations under stress withouerror.

    The major function of the controller is to aidthe pilot and the pilot in turn, should make every effort to cooperate. This would providehealthy atmosphere to facilitate the flow of aitraffic. However, there are times when patiencwears thin and tempers flare. No one enjoys waiting an hour to receive IFR clearance, 20 minutefor takeoff clearance or 15 minutes holding VFRIn such situations there often arises an overpowering urge to vent your hostility verbally on thtower operator or radar controller. While it maybe frustrating for those about to enter downwinto be instructed to hold this same action comeas a godsend to those on the ground who havebeen waiting 30 minutes to take off.

    Admittedly there are times when the controlleis at fault and, perhaps, even in need of censureHarsh words, however, seldom improve the situation. Courtesy is always the best policy andshould be practiced by pilots and air traffic controllers alike. f more pilots were familiar with thcontroller S function, then there would be less likelihood of misunderstanding and the resultinuneven tempers and migraine headaches.

    Like pilots air traffic controllers, both militaryand civilian are highly trained. Military personnemust meet the prerequisites of DA Pamphlet 3501 for acceptance into a 4-month formal courseUpon graduation he is qualified to serve as anapprentice controller under direct supervision ofrated air traffic controller in tower, approach control and ground control and ground control ap

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    Please uShaddup "proach. After 6 months in a specific job he iseligible for certification by an FAA appointedexaminer. To change specialties, the controllermust receive on-the-job training until tested andrated by an FAA examiner. The controller training continues in accordance with Army TM 95-200and Army Subject Schedule 1-4 throughout hisentire career.

    Currency requirements for the Army RadarApproach Control include satisfactory performance of the duties associated with all operationalpositions for at least 8 hours each month. Further, he must conduct four surveillance and fourprecision approaches per month. Currency requirements for the ground control approach finalcontroller are somewhat stiffer. He mu t complete20 actual approaches or 15 actual and 15 simulated approaches per month and, in conjunction,five no-gyro approaches.

    Ratings for controllers recently have beenchanged to establish a facility rating that maybe obtained by a certified air traffic control toweroperator who qualifies at all operating positions ata particular control tower. The previous ratingsgiven were known as junior and senior ratings.

    An 8-hour shift and a 40-hour week are standard for the air traffic controller. Frequently, thishas to be extended but is limited to a maximum of1 consecutive duty hours and a 60-hour workweek within a given 30-day period. A 16-hour restperiod is standard between shift but an 8-hourrest period i the minimum. During periods oflight activity different positions can be consolidated if the personnel are qualified to handle allduties.

    With each shift change it is recommended thatall radios be checked. Thus, when ATC asks youfor a communications check on several differentfrequencies it simply means that the controller istaking extra precautions to ensure the best possible help for the pilot.

    Also, the pilot is occasionally asked to make apractice instrument approach on a beautiful VFRay. This can be particularly frustrating if one is

    about to finish up for the day and is looking forward to a cold shower or beer. Try to look at thesituation from the controller's point of view. Hemay need the practice approach to maintain hiscurrency and proficiency, or it may be for trainingAPRIL 1971

    aptain Joe l Tilghman

    3

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    Ofnd

    YouDon tForget

    Either-

    Two traffic control light guns one batteryoperated). Two pairs of binoculars. Airfield lighting panel. Primary and secondary crash phones. Radar navaids emergency warning system. Mechanical counters for recording VFRtraffic.In addition to the equipment listed above , eachtower also should have a crash grid ma p , an air-field diagram , a visibility check point chart ifapplicable), a diagram of areas not vi ible fromthe tower , a diagram of remaining runway lengthfor intersection takeoffs and a crosswind compo-nent chart for all locally based aircraft. Emer-gency lighting y terns also should be available atall ATC facilities.All control tower will maintain a file of aircraftoperator da h 10) manuals for all locally ba edaircraft as well as other appropriate publications.Controllers are instructed in the u e of these pub-lications which are maintained primarily to betterassist the pilot. Using these publications the con-troller can relay verbatim specific emergency in-structions to the pilot. t is then the responsibilityof the pilot to interpret the e instructions.All pilots , and aviation unit commanders in par-ticular , should make a valid effort to establishrapport with all members of the aviation team. Itmust be remembered that the pilot form only onesegment of this team and that the other membersare often neglected. Better cooperation can beachieved through acquiring an under tanding ofthe capabilities and responsibilitie of the othermembers. This can be accomplished in a numberof ways.A short, simple visit to the control tower canprovide much insight into the problems confront-ing tower operators . The airport looks much dif-ferent from the tower than it doe from a cockpit.Similarly a quick tour of the local radar facilitycan prove informative. I guarantee that pilot willalways receive a friendly welcome when vi itingeither facility. Most air traffic controllers enjoythe opportunity to meet the people they workwith each day in tead of just knowing them by acall sign.

    Above all , an aviator hould attempt to main-tain a high standard of profe sionalism when deal-ing with the air traffic controller and ca n , in turn,expect the same. In this case professionalism canbe liberally interpreted to include not only the useof proper phraseology but also , and more impor-tantly , the practice of courtesy and respect for afellow airman.

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    id Someone SC ayo l ~ Safe LZCW hn D MOs

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    ON'T BELIEVE IT Anaviator can use a landingzone (LZ) every day and knowthe location of every tree androck, yet suddenly find himselfbeing pulled from the wreckageof his helicopter.

    Early in 1970 2 slicks madea combat assault into a largesecure LZ. Of the 21 only 8flew out. The remaining threewere destroyed or heavily dam-aged.

    What caused these accidents?Every pilot had flown into theLZ at least once before, so itwas not a strange LZ. The en-emy was not a factor and neitherwas the weather. It should beapparent that the "safe" LZshould not be so labeled untilthe aircraft has come and gone.

    LZs can be divided into twotypes: TOLZ (terrain obstaclelanding zone) and EOLZ (enemyoccupied landing zone). Terrainand obstacles are not the onlythings to watch for when enter-ing a TOLZ. Most of us are fa-miliar with the term "drivedefensively." The same thingapplies to flying especially for-mation flying. Be alert for theunexpected. Anticipate the ac-tions and reactions of others.Never assume; consider everypossibility, however remote. Theexperienced aviator has learned

    there is no room for compla-cency in himself or his crew.

    f the enemy is present thesituation becomes more critical.Then the TOLZ becomes anEOLZ. One bright spring morn-ing in the Republic of Vietnam,Army Huey 23 made a routinelong range reconnaissance patrolinsertion into a cold LZ. Reportsindicated no enemy activity inthe area. These reports held trueuntil 123 was on short final thenthe surrounding jungle eruptedwith enemy small arms fire. Theonly occupant hit was the air-craft commander, who slumpedover the controls. Before thepilot could regain control, 23crashed. Fortunately, there wereno fatalities and all occupantswere rescued. Nevertheless, 23was a total loss.

    As is the case with many air-craft accidents, the crash of 123leaves many questions unan-swered. For instance, was thearea properly scouted? Investi-gation revealed that a week priortwo aircraft had taken hits in thesame area. Or could the accident

    have been avoided if the pilothad kept a closer watch on thecontrols? The answers to theseand other questions are unavail-able, but perhaps the most im-portant thing to remember is thata cold LZ is only positively coldfter the mission.Many times the safe TOLZ

    has snatched its victims from theair and tons of molten scrapmetal testify to the ability of thecold EOLZ to do the same. Butalways remember that the ele-ments contributing to these dis-asters are not only the terrain,obstacles and enemy. Determinefor yourself the other elementsand remember: when you flyplan before doing and be pre-pared for the unexpected. Asyou continue your flying careerstay alert and fly defensively.The cleared LZ may be highlydeceptive and the cold LZ maybe your melting pot.

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    Any Beaver Starting ProblemsLately? In order to keep the U-6engine starter operational it isimportant to keep the plungerassembly of the starter electricalsolenoid free of rust or corrosion. Frequent inspection andlubrication of the plunger willhelp keep the starter operatingtrouble free.

    Whenever the engage switch isactivated electrical power is sentto the solenoid and the plungermoves outward contracting thebellcrank on the operating shaftof the starter and the starter isengaged to the engine. f corrosion or rust is present theplunger will not freely movethrough the starter housing (forward of the solenoid coil) andthe starter wiJ not engage electr ically. If this occurs theplunger will have to be pried outwith a screwdri ver and while itis held outward the plunger willhave to be lubricated. Once lubricated with either graphite or aspray silicone, the plunger willoperate normally.

    Preventative maintenance ofthe plunger through inspectionand lubrication will prevent unnecessary delays or damage toequipment.

    Grinding Machine Operation:When operating grinding ma-

    ln en nce

    chine, bench, hand operated,FSN 3415-241-3116, from theA tool set, or operating grinding machine, utility, FSN 3415-517-7754, from the B andC tool sets, avoid grinding onthe side of the abrasive wheel.U sing the side of the abrasivewheel will cause it to becomeout of balance. This may resultin the wheel breaking up - adefinite hazard to the operatorbecause flying fragments canpenetrate the body.

    Electrical Compartments: A littlereminder on the UH-l series helicopters-when working in andaround the electrical compartments, to include inspectionsto remember to help prevent anyelectrical shock or burns-remove all rings, bracelets andwatches. Always do this eventhough the battery switch maybe OFF and/or the battery isdisconnected.

    Toolbox Talk: So you're takingyour toolbox on the mission withyou. Good toolbox maintenanceassumes new importance whenthe toolbox is used for recoveryor mission maintenance operations. Is your toolbox ready togo? Is it complete with all au-

    thorized tools and are they allserviceable? Is your box organized so that you can readilylocate each tool -even underpoor light conditions? Is yourtoolbox free of unnecessaryparts and materials?Are the delicate and the sharp or cuttingtools protected from vibrationdamage? f you can't answer yesto all the above questions it'stime for some serious thinkingon your part. A properly maintained toolbox can be the bestfriend a mechanic ever had.

    Mechanics Beware-Caution:After the main drive shaft hasbeen repacked, extreme caremust be taken to handling of theshort shaft prior to installation inthe helicopter. Carrying theshort shaft in the vertical position causes the grease to compress in the downward retainerassembly and results in a lack ofgrease on the gears. f thisshould occur in flight, it wouldresult in a short shaft failure,thus causing loss of the engine.

    Hydraulic Filters Foulup: Whenremoving the hydraulic filtersfrom your OH-58, beware of thedrip. According to the techmanual you should disconnect

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    both lines and cap them. However, if you disconnect the inletline and cap it first, you willavoid losing any hydraulic fluid,not to mention saving oncleanup after the job is completed.

    Collective Bounce: In the dash 1on the UH-ID/H series helicopters, paragraph 4-68, section IX,chapter 4, TM 55-1520-210-10,indicates that a cause for coHective bounce can be pilot in duced. However, this situationon the H model has beenfound to be untrue many times.In TM 55-1 520-210-35P, figure370, items 48 and 49 show aNUT (PN 204-001-222-1),SPACER (PN 204-001-622-3 andWASHER (PN 204-001-622-5)respectively. When installing theSPACER AND WASHER, ifeither one is installed incorrectlyand the proper torque is not applied to the NUT, colJectivebounce can be induced. Therefore, it 's imperative that thespacer and washer be installedcorrectly and the proper torquebe applied to the NUT, for thecorrect friction.

    How Are Your Pubs? When wasAPRIL 1971

    rsthe last time you pulled maintenance on your TMs? TMs require attention to keep themserviceable. Give them the following checks. Does the issuedate and number of changesposted agree with DA Pamphlet310-4? Are all pages present andlegible? Do new TMs andch nges re ch y o uautomatical1y? f you can't answer yes to al1 the above quest ions g t wi th your uni tpubl icat ions c lerk and getstraight.

    Contaminated Oil Cooler: On theU-6, R-985 engine, when the oilcooler is contaminated withmetal particles it must be removed without flushing andshipped to maintenance overhau1. (Reference: chapter 5, section 5, paragraph 2-231, page 5-41, TM 55-1510-203-20.

    Leakage Of NIl Gearbox On UBI: A common malfunction of theT -53 engine is leakage of the NIlgearbox around the NIl tachgenerator. Corrective action forthis is sometimes performed incorrectly. In order to correctthis leakage properly, two components must be replaced. First,

    replace the NIl tach generatordrive shaft seal which is locatedin the gearbox (part and stocknumber not avaiJable . Second,replace the gasket, FSN 5330-023-7623. The first step is themost important in correcting thisleak; however, this step is usually omitted by most mechanicsfor the simple reason they didnot know that the tach generatordrive shaft sea] was there.

    Replacing UH-I Tail RotorChain: Do not apply lubricant ofany kind to the tail rotor chain.Lubrication causes grit and otherforeign matter to adhere to thechain.

    Notice: It has been pointed outthat the article appearing in theJanuary issue on cleaning Ly coming turbine engine compressor blades with walnut shell gritis misleading. There appears tobe more exceptions to the casethan those to which this procedure can safely be applied. Consult your appropriate TM foreach engine and model for themost effective method of cleaning. Alternate measures that canbe applied are usually also listedand are acceptable.

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    CID T STI I IA portable heater is used to warm heli-copter parts under repair during ACIDTEST' held near Ft. Greely Alaska inDecember. Temperatures reached a cool50 degrees below zero during the exercise1

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    or when keepingw rm re lly counts

    SOLDIERS and airmen from the UnitedStates and Canada jointly battled temperatures ranging to 50 degrees below zeronear Ft. Greely Alas. during a cold weathertest of men and machines. ACID TEST III wasthe first major combined effort to take place inAlaska in the last 2 years.

    Major General James F. Hollingsworthcommanding general U. S. Army Alaska di-rected the 6 day exercise. Highlights includedair drops of soldiers and supplies air reconnaissance tactical air strikes and helicopter air-mobile lifts of fighting forces.

    A UH-l Huey helicopter undergoes a heat treatment Special maintenance and operating proce-dures are required to maintain most equipment functioning in the subarctic environment

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    b .

    e

    f

    2

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    a H 25 f CL 84 k C 130b U 8 g TH 13 I AH 1Gc T 41 h CH 37 m AH 56d T 42 OV 10 n T 28e U 1A U 10 o OH 6

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    4

    S tandardL ightweightvionicsE quipment

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    Avionics long the secretive stepchild of Army aviation is introducing a multitude of communication and navigation improvements. This new equipment is lighter more compact andoften far more reliable than the older ones. Standard lightweight avionics equipment-SLAE to you insiders-is one ofthese significant developments. If you have ever wonderedwhat those i rcr f t radios ctu l ly do read on

    FREE, 70 POUNDS of fuel,ammo or any other additional cargo you desire to carryin your flying machine. Equallyimportant you l1 have more timeto transport this additional cargowith less time waiting on theground for repairs. This too isfree.

    How do you get this 70 poundwindfall? I m glad you asked .There are no forms to fill out, nojingles to complete. The U. S.Army is giving this to you in theguis o f four n wcommunication/navigation radiosand an intercom called standardlightweight avionics equipment.Not to be outdone, standardlightweight avionics equipmentuses an acronym-SLAE-andis now classified Standard A.SLAE is pronounced the sameas Santa s flying machine orwhat David did to Goliath.SLAE represents a giant stepforward in the field of avionicsas the Army has SLAEed theavionics weight problem and atthe same time received a gift of

    The AN/ARC-lI6 is a transceivercapable of amplitude modulatedAM) air-to-ground communications inthe ultrahigh frequency UHF) range.You select one of 3 500 channels. It isextremely l ightweight and reliableAPRIL 97

    Major John M. Apgar

    reliability and short downtimefor repairs.

    SLAE was originally designedas an avionics package for theArmy s light observation helicopter (LOH), but now is beingused by other triservice aircraft

    as well as those of allied nations. SLAE consists of threetransceivers , an automatic direction finder , a communicationsystem control and three maintenance kits (see figure 1).SLAE came into this world as

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    The C 6533/ARC s the control unit a centralized switchboard. It is extremely versatile

    LOHAP (lightweight observationhelicopter avionics package) inJanuary 1964 when the LOHproject manager requested theU. S. Army Electronics Command (USAECOM to developand produce an avionics packagefor the light observation helicopter . On 21 January 1966 adevelopment/production contractwas awarded to provide a totalavionics package for the LOH,then determined to be the OH-6A. To avoid confusing the twoproject managers' offices (LOHPM and LOHAP-PM), LOHAPbecame SLAE. In lieu of a qualitative materiel requirement(QMR), the military characteristics of the LOH (dated 30 March1960 were used for SLAE requirements which were, and stillare: Avionics-not to exceed 100pounds.

    6

    Complete provisioning forUHF and VHF communicationradio (only one instaJled at atime). FM radio with auxiliary receiver and FM homer. Headset and microphone forthe second crew station. Complete provisioning forthe ADF navigation set.Each respective radio covers the

    ccep ted i r c r f t communication/navigation band forthat type radio, with the exception of the ADF which covers100 KHz to 3 M H z - a 50 percent broader frequency spectrumthan other ADFs. AdditionaJly,the three communicati.on radioshave a harmonicaJly related receive guard capability in each oftheir frequency bands. (It shouldbe noted that preset switch toguard transmit was not a re quirement until 23 June 1969. At

    that time the Army determinethat it . . . should be incorporated . . . as soon as practicawithout causing a reduction ithe production rate. )

    t can be noted in figure 2 thaSLAE communication radiohave more available channelswider frequency spectrum fotransceiving and one-third thweight of the present equipmentThe ADF is two- thirds theweight of the present equipmenand has twice its tunable bandwidth. In addition to what itpredecessor can do, the lighteweight C-6533 intercom controcan select any of five transceivers to operate and is providewith four direct audio circuitfor continuous monitoring.A complete SLAE systemweighs a couple of pounds morethan one ARC-51 BX, whichoccupies twice the space of al

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    SLAE items. Just the controlhead of the ARC-51 BX is approximately the size and weightof one entire communicationstransceiver of SLAE-FM, VHFor UHF.Test, alignment and repairhave been simplified for SLAEby maximum use of integratedci rcui t s removable ci rcui t(pluck-out) boards and builtinself-test features, as well asalignment and fault isolationequipment. One of the self-testfeatures is located on the frontpanel of the three communications transceivers. This is in theform of a "push-to-test." Whenthe operator wants to make areceiver check, he depresses thebutton for an 800 Hz tone. Pres-

    ence of the tone indicates thereceiver is working properlythis is also a tremendous moralebooster when you haven't received a transmission for sometime).

    The three pieces of test equipment-MK-994, MK-1191 andMK-1192-are used with standard shop equipment to isolate afault down to a pluck-out circuitboard. Should it become necessary, this same test equipment isused for alignment of the radios.Demonstrated mean-time-to-repair (MTTR) at direct supportlevel is 5 minutes.

    As with all equipment, SLAEhas had some development andearly production pains. Let 'slook at some of them:

    No preset "switch to guard"transmit-not a requirement un til June 1969. Spare parts not availabledelay at manufacturer's plant isbeing corrected. Water enter ing r a d i o s modification work order issued.

    Radio frequency interference problem has been correctedand a fix will be incorporated ifit is cost effective. Unusable channels in theARC- I I 6- t rue all three ofthem There are 46 channelswith background noise; of the3,500 chan ne Is thi s re prese nts1.3 percent. Failure rate excess ive SLAE has demonstrated a meantime- between-failure (MTBF) in

    + + + + + + + +: Figure 1 :+ +: SLAE COMPONENTS :+ +: 1. The AN/ARC-114 transceiver operates in the VHF frequency band and is :: frequency modulated VHF-FM). The primary use of this radio is to net :+ with Army tactical ground forces. ++ : 2. The AN/ARC-lIS transceiver operates in the VHF frequency band and is :: amplitude modulated VHF-AM). The primary use is for air traffic control :+ ATC) by the Federal Aviation Administration. ++ +: 3. The AN/ARC-IIG transceiver operates in the UHF frequency band and :: is amplitude modulated UHF-AM). The primary use is for military ATC and :+ air-to-air communications. ++ +: 4. The AN/ARN-89 automatic direction finder is generally used as either a :: backup or auxiliary navigational system, or as a terminal navigational aid :: at secondary or smaller airfields. :: 5. The C-GS33/ARC communication .system control provides a switching :: capability for the audio portion of the avionics items installed in the air- :: craft. :: G The MK-994/AR maintenance test facility kit interfaces between SLAE :: and standard test equipment to provide a facility for trouble-shooting and :: isolation of faults as well as radio alignment. :: 7. The MK-1191/AR general support and depot maintenance test facility :: kit interfaces between the MK-994 and SLAE to provide test points for :: fault isolation. :: 8. The MK-1192/ARM direct support maintenance test facility kit inter- :: faces between the MK-994 and SLAE to provide test points for fault isola- :+ tion. ++ ++ + + + + + + + + +.+ + + +APRIL 97 7

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    Figure 2+ + : COMPARISON DATA + + + : Weight Pounds) * Channels : Equipment Frequency SLAE Present SLAE Present: AN/ARC-114 30.00 - 79.95 MHz 7.0 920: AN/ARC-54 30.00 - 69.95 MHz 27.7 800: AN/ARC-lIS 116.000 - 149.975 7.2 1360 AN/ARC-73 116.00 - 149.95 30.0 680: AN/ARC-116 225.00 - 399.95 8.6 3500+ : AN/ARC-51BX 225.00 - 399.95 34.0 3500: AN/ARN-89 100KHz - 3MHz 12.2 N/A+ : AN/ARN-83 190KHz - 1750KHz 17.7 N A: C-6533/ARC N/A 1.9 N/A C-1611/ARC N/A 2.0 N/A SlAE 36.9: . Present Equipment 111 4 :+ *Figures represent most accurate weight data as determined by project manager,: Selected Avionics Equipment for Army Aircraft SAEFAA), Ft. Monmouth, N. J. . exces s of 660 hours-a signif-icant reliability improvementover previous equipment.

    Despite these early problems SLAE still represents oneof the significant avionics inno-vations in 20 years . It will elim-inate the cumbersome heavyweights and separate controlheads of older equipment andshould provide the pilot moredependable and versatile equipment for the future .

    So , next time you need thatextra lift, take a SLAE ride.

    T he AN/ARN-89 is a low/mediumfrequency automatic directionfinder. It is of modular and solid statedesign. Used as a backup navigationsystem, it is very light and reliable8 U. S . ARMY AVIATION DIGES

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    Dear Sir:

    The IGEST recently received the following letterwhich aptly reflects the growing stature and image of

    rmy aviators and thus the increasing significance ofrmy aviation

    Bangkok , Thailand

    I know there are many unsung heroes in the Army many who are not officially recognized, but havemade us proud of them and proud of being Americans.

    There was such a man-an Army aviator-working with us in Thailand. His radio call-sign was SuperChief, and he was a chief-a chief warrant officer. Perhaps you also would call him super, particularlywhen you knew how he flew and trained others to fly, and how he helped people. He was crusty and oldtimes-ish ; he hated inefficiency, sham and pretense. But hundreds of Thais in the land where he diedwould call him their friend-and yes, super.

    When the land was flooded and the raging river flowed around the submerged towns and villages, he flewday and night to bring succor to the people. In one day alone he flew and delivered 2,000 rations to thepeople stranded by floods. He flew missions for the Thai border police, bringing aid when aid was sorelyneeded. Many a weekend he spent flying Air Force medical personnel to distant areas for medical aid topoor people in those remote villages.

    When MITRAPAB (Thai-American Educational Foundation) required air support to reconnaissance dropzones, or support for the parachuting demonstrations that raise money for Thai schools in remote areas, hewas there. When the skydivers finished their freefalls and parachuting demonstrations, then old SuperChief wound up his bird and showed wide-eyed Thai villagers and blase Americans alike what a CH-34 helicopter could do under the expert tutelage of an old-hand warrant aviator. Then, when he was on theground, the kids would watch in amazement when he pulled a farcical facial trick or made his thumb comeapart at the joint.

    Every governor of every province in Thailand knew Super Chief for he had flown many times, in manyareas, for a muititude of missions. Yet, his primary duty was to train people and tlie ~ s i s t n c e and helpwas unprogramed, not planned, an additional added effort of one man. By helping and simultaneouslytraining, he accomplished two missions without extra money, dme or personnel. That Is why the SuperChief was so widely and well known. And, whereas most men rest and seek relief on weekends, he continued to fly, train and help people.

    He worked with Boy Scouts, orpbans and handicapped children. My son said, He was a second fatherto me.

    One Sunday last year (1969) the CH34 that Super Chief was flying suffered a mechanical malfunction.Skill and experience were to no avail, and the helicopter crashed into a rice paddy near Phichit, Thailand.The stories out of Southeast Asia normally are tales of war and politics and events that sell newspapers

    or make lively pictures on television. Super Chief did not make the headlines, but the heartlines of thousands of Thais in hundreds of villages were touched and warmed and had new vistas because the old warrant had been there.

    Like so many comrades that served with him in Southeast Asia, Warrant Officer George T. McKenzie,true to his code as soldier and flyer , gave his life while helping others. Super Chief's position is vacant, andshortly a replacement will arrive. It will be no insult to the new man that the Super Chief's flying bootsinitially will be a little bit too big for him to wear. But, I feel confident he will try to live up the the heritage Super Chief has helped to create. That's why I am proud of the American soldier.

    Lewis L. MillettCOL USA(Medal of Honor)

    P. S. The MITRAPAB Educational Foundation has voted to name the school, number 79 being built atPhichit, Thailand, for CWO McKenzie.APRIL 97 9

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    WHELIKE A

    S A HELlJECTI

    PTERSEAT

    In rotary wing accidents the forward folding seating position is best Thisposition is assumed by bending forward t the waist with feet firmly plantedon the floor The chest rests on the knees and the position is held by en-folding and locking the arms around and behind the thighs with the hands

    Provided by the Society o U S. Army Flight SurgeonsLieutenant Colonel John P. Heilman Jr. M. D.

    o the air crew member: Dur l ing the course of two rec e n t i r c r f t c c i d e n tinvestigations, it became apparent that a certain amount of confus ion exis ted as to theappropriate and proper positionto be assumed by certain aircrew members in the event of anapproaching and imminent ,crash.One young lad, flying in theback of a UH-IA, remembered a2

    recent trip he had taken on oneof our unnamed commercial airlines and assumed the positiondescribed to him at that time bya lovely young lady called astewardess. His memory of thisdescr ipt ion was somewhatblurred by his obvious divisionof attention, but he did get intoa rather acceptable legs ex tended torso folded forwardonto the knees sort of position.

    For a fixed wing aircraft acdent, this really would not habeen very bad. However, in thparticular accident the aircrahappened to be a helicopter stling into trees with almost ttally vert ical forces beininvolved in the crash approimately zero ground speedimpact . Had these forces besevere this would have beprobably the most improper p

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    sition he could have assumed. Inthe second case the individualconcerned, riding in the rightfront seat of a UH-l, assumed asimilar position but further mod-ified it by placing his feet firmlyagainst the instrument panel.When the crash occurred, againprimarily involving verticalforces, his rapidly descendingfeet managed to wipe out thewhole instrument panel (fortunately with0ut injury to the indi-vidual . In both of theseaccidents the position assumedwas perhaps ideal for a fixedwing type accident with a lowangle of incidence, a relativelyflat trajectory and primarily in-volving horizontal decelerativeforces.In each of the above describedaccidents, the crewmen occupiedseats equipped with seat beltsonly. Thus, they had the optionto select a position which wouldoptimize the inherent structuralstrength of the human skeleton.This preparation is not normallyrequired of air crewmen occupying seats equipped with seatbelts nd shoulder harnesses.With the shoulder harnesslocked the body is adequatelystabilized to spread crash forcesover a larger, more tolerant areaof the body when horizontalforces are generated. With verti-cal forces the locked shoulderharness ensures a verticallyerect , stable and untwis tedspinal alignment as well. Thus,the discussion which followspertains only to those aircraftoccupants not provided with ashoulder harness.

    What then is the proper posi-tion for a rotary wing aircraftcrash? f we postulate a rotarywing accident in which the im-pact is near vertical with littleless than 1 percent) or no hori-zontal decelerative force (i.e.,zero ground speed), the aforementioned' 'fixed wing posi-APRIL 97

    tions could really contri ute tobodily injury since they placethe body in a position whichpermits shearing forces to bebrought into action between thecomponents of the s.pinal col-umn. Elsewhere in military avia-tion we have a situation in whichforces similar to those found inrotary wing crashes are plannedfor every day; this, of course, isthe ejection seat found in theArmy's OV-I Mohawk and avariety of Naval and Air Forceaircraft. t is well known thatthe proper position to be as-sumed upon initiating the ejection sequence is an upright one,with the head and shouldersplaced firmly against the back ofthe seat. This permits the impactto be absorbed by the spinalcolumn in the direction in whichit was designed to absorb im-pacts, i.e., through the verticalaxis. It would thus seem logicalto assume that in the event of anear vertical impact rotary wingaircraft accident, the ejectionseat position would be the mostlogical to mimic providing theimpact is at near zero groundspeed) .

    At this point some of you maybe eagerly and impatiently wait-ing to state) (retort) (rejoinder)reply) that all rotary wing acci-dents are not vertical . . . someare horizontal. Indeed, this ist rue-as a matter of fact themajority of rotary wing acci-dents, while generating mostlyvertical impact G forces, dohave a healthy representation offorces in the horizontal direc-tion. Very often then a signif-icant percentage of the forcesare directed horizontally. Underthese conditions a locked shoul-der harness is essential for themaintenance of the upright,erect upper torso position. Thisamount of forces in the horizontal direction can seldom be overcome by attempting to hold the

    erect position by muscle alonewithout the help of a lockedshoulder harness. Thus, in mostrotary wing accidents the for-ward folded position is best.This position is assumed seepicture next page) by bendingforward at the waist with feetplanted firmly on the floor. Thechest rests on the knees and theposition is held by enfolding andlocking the arms around andbehind the thighs with thehands. With this position toler-ance to the impact will mostprobably be increased the majority of the time, provided that theseat remains intact. Unfortunately, present aircraft jump andtroop seats are inadequate andfail at G forces below the levelof human tolerance.After dwelling on the abovediscussion, several recommendations become apparent. When jump seats or othercabin seats are to be used consistently by students or othercrew members of the aircraft,they should be equipped withshoulder harnesses and locks.Only with this type of restraintcan optimal survival be assuredat all crew positions. Jump seats and other crewseats must be designed to assurethat the inherent tolerance of thehuman body to impact deceleration can be fully realized. Crewmen must be trained toprepare themselves for an immi-nent crash. Teaching them toassume the appropriate protective positions will maximize theirlikelihood to tolerating impact Gforces.o the flight surgeon: The im-portance of your role in the

    continuing education and train-ing of your air crew memberscannot be overstressed. The twocases brought out by recent acci-dent investigations reflect thefact that little or no training hadbeen given to the two aviators

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    Starch nd omexSHIRT ARMY AVIATION REW MEMBERContract No. 9626OSA OPSC OIR OF MFG.Content 100polyamide

    INSTRUCTIONSSir:This might be worth publishing-to save a flight suit and a buck.This shirt is inherently flame resistant. Noother special flame resistant treatmentis required.1. Wear as outer garnt nt.

    2 Pockets are designed to accommodatepersonal effects and equipment duringground and inflight operations.3 Wear sleeves down with cuffs securedat all times.

    While flying in RVN (1968-69) I discovered that some pilots and crewmenwere throwing away new flame resistant , two-piece flight suits. A fewquick inquiries and I found the WHY. A cloth tag, sewed in the shirt andtrousers, states, among other thing: DO NOT STARCH- Starching will destroy the flame resistance. Pilots and crewmen, upon discovering that theirun-English reading maids had starched their flight suits, were throwingthem away believing (erroneously) that they were no longer fire resistant.What the cloth tag does not say is- if inadvertently starched, wash withsoap and water, garment will still be fire resistant.

    4 Wear bottom ofshirt tuck ed in trousers.5 Shirt may be hand laundered. Make surethat all soap is thoroughly rinsed out.

    LTC Charles W. SillsChief, Supply Div, 010USATCFE6. DO NOT STARCH - Starching will de-stroy the fl me resist nce

    The DIGEST obtained the following comment

    Ft. Eustis , Va. 23604

    from the Department of Aeromedical Education and Training,USAAVNS, Ft. Rucker, Ala.The comment made by LTC Sills is accurate and noteworthy. The fact is that starch in

    itself is a flammable hydrocarbon, thus it would reduce the effectiveness of the Nomexfiber. This particular fact was tested in the early design stages of this protective garment.It is extremely important that when soap and water is used to clean the garment, whetherit be for starch removal or perdiodic cleaning, that the soapy residues be completelyrinsed from the garment. Soap residues, particularly those formed in hard water, tend toleave fatty residues in the garment. Without thorough rinsing these soapy residues willreduce the effectiveness of the garment in much the same way as does starch. Thus,these Nomex garments, being specialized uniforms, must be treated with care. In thesame vein, every effort must be made to reduce unnecessary wear on the fabric. Thinningand fraying of the Nomex fabric will reduce its effectiveness as a fire retardant. Thus,these garments should not be used for extended periods as work uniforms unless theirwearer is associated with the risk of exposure to fire either on the ground or in flight.

    PRIL 97 3

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    C Jorlie ond DoonY s Write-InD

    EAR CHARLIE: Has thereever e e ~ any thoughtgiven to replacing TM 1500 1and the CLs with a publicationlike the one used by the Navy(NATOPS)? Its size and shapeallows it to be carried in theflight suit pocket or clipped on aknee board. The bold print ismuch easier to read and it is alsooil and water resistant. TM 15001 is a beautiful binder to keepyour Polaroid prints in, but itleaves a lot to be desired formaintaining a checklist.

    Mr. D. P. B.Charlie's answer: The present CLformat is the result of considerable staffing and research. t is theconcensus of most users that thepresent arrangement of materialmeets the requirements of Armyaviation. However, it is knownthat there are many disadvantages to the 1500-1, especiallywhen used in aircraft such as the0-1, OV-l and AH-IG. A newsoftback version, similar to thatused by the USAF, has beenstaffed by USAAVNS and submitted to USAAVSCOM as the recommended replacement for TM1500 1. This new binder is smaller, can be held on the pilot's lapwith hook and pile binder, canbe clipped on a knee board and isdesigned so that it can be flippedopen to the desired section. Plasticized paper to replace the present plastic envelope is also beingconsidered. The NATOPS bindersuggested has been consideredpreviously. Although the size ofthe Navy binder is larger than therecommended replacement, thiswas not a factor in its evaluation.Army regulations provide that theCL be maintained in the aircraftand not individually issued to thepilot. The size of print, within24

    certain parameters, is governedby DOD publication specificationsand are the same for the checklists produced by the differentservices. The NATOPS checklistis published on heavier stock, butit is not oil and water resistant assuggested.Dear Danny: I say the 20-minutewarning fuel light in the HueyCobra is valid, even if one ofthe fuel pumps is inoperative.My buddy claims the system isthe same as the UH-IB's. Whois right? lLT A. M. Q.Danny's answer: You, sir, arecorrect. TM 55-1520-221-10,change 9, page 2-22A, paragraph2-116A, states the warning light isvalid as long as one of the fuelpumps is operating. However,you may have more than 20 minutes i f the forward pump is inoperative and a nose low attitude.TM 55-1520-219-10, change 2,page 2-19, paragraph 2-101,NOTE, specifically states that ieither fuel pump is inoperative,you have approximately 5 minutes of light at cruise power.Dear Danny: In reading TM 551520 2i1 10 I attempted to findthe service ceiling of the HueyCobra. What is it and where isthis information located in themanual? CW2 R. A. S.Danny's answer: Presently thisinformation is not available.When the Cobra was initiallyprocured, all flight tests were notcompleted. At present the testagency at Edwards AFB, Calif.,is conducting additional flighttests on the Cobra. I hope theinformation on its service ceilingas well as other pertinent information will be available to you inthe very near future.

    Dear Danny: I recently receivechange 4 to TM 55 1520 227 1on the CH-47B/C. A questiohas been raised as to the incorporation of the cargo hook operational check in chapter 3. Thincorporation of this check in ipresent location causes difficultfor the flight engineer as hshould still be outside the aircraft at this point. He muscome into the aircraft, complethis portion of the check anthen go back outside to retrievthe chocks. As a suggestionwould seem more logical if thicheck could be moved fartheback in the ground operationaprocedures until the flight engneer is in the aircraft with thramp closed and the fuel valvand rossfeed caution lighchecked. LT T. L. DDanny's answer: An astute observation on your part and an obvious blunder on ours. The nexchange to the dash 10 and CLwill reflect the change as you recommended. Thank you for youtime and effort.Dear Charlie: Steps 1 and 2 othe general Before StartinEngines Check for the CH-4have raised the question as towhy a pilot, once seated in thcockpit, should wrench his bacto make these misplaced stepsResearch disclosed that stephas already been accomplishesix pages earlier in the CL. Whrecheck it after being seated? Iwould also seem logical that thtroop commander's seat shouldbe checked six pages earliewhile you are on your feet. Canthis be solved through a changto the dash 1 and CL?

    CPT S. N. OCharlie's answer: t can, and i

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    will A present proposal is to delete step 1 in the general BeforeStarting Engines Check and re locate step 2 to the area in theCargo Compartment Checkyou recommend. Thank you foryour recommendation.Dear Danny: The procedure forpropeller overs peed given in theoperator's manual of the U- 1Aassumes that the overs peed condition is due to a governor mal-function. A broken oil line orprop dome seal failure will giveAPRIL 1971

    DON T KEEP IT A SECRETIF YOU HAVE A RECOMMENDEDCHANGE TO EITHER A -10 OR

    PLEASE lET US KNOW. WE l l Al l BENEFIT

    the same indication and if thedash 1 procedures are followedthe result will be the exhaustionof the engine oil supply throughthe prop and eventual engineseizure. Would it not be best toplace the propeller lever in fulllow pitch instead of high pitchas recommended in the dash IO?

    CPT P. C. M.Danny's answer: During propovers peed i f the oil pressuredrops significantly and remainslow or if traces of oil appear on

    1M 55- ".-: ~ ' Jr 10

    o 8W I. PERATOR'S MANUAL

    DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY

    the cowl and windshield, a broken oil line or prop dome sealfailure may be reasonably suspected. Returning the prop leverto INCREASE (low pitch) andcontrolling the rpm with throttlewill prevent pumping engine oiloverboard. Based on your inquirya change to the procedure hasbeen submitted which will coverthis type of propeller failure andgive the pilot the option of controlling the flow of oil during oilline or dome seal failure.

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    ELP A strange beginningto a story on anew , exciting and different idea. However , based on past experience ,pilots (students and pros alikerarely admit the need for help.An admission before their peersabout some difficulty they arehaving would be incomprehensible. f you agree with this typeof thinking , read on pal.

    Aviators , especially the student variety , must assimilate anendless aray of technical infor- 6

    It The

    Learningenter

    Stop beating your head against a wall. Nowthere's a place designed for you. Feel em-barrassed when you forgot the proper start-ing procedure on your Huey? All you had todo was meander inside this new place forsome help your instructor need neverknow If that sounds a trifle bold for you,try disguising as your best friend, worstenemy or whatever but do somethingThat s what this article is all about

    l ieutenant John H. Zwarensteyn

    mation. Consider the relativelyshort time the U . S. Army Aviation School at Ft. Rucker , Ala.,and the student spend together. approximately 4 months.Four months to digest all thatdata No wonder some studentsare left groping for help on certain blo cks of instruction. Thathelpless feeling is a thing of thepast.

    Several months ago a studygroup concluded that the aviation school should provide flight

    students a place to develop weaareas and receive individual attention. The result is the learning center its mission ooffering additional and supplementary training is aimed primarily at the student pilot , botfixed and rotary wing .

    Identifying and isolating various training problems becamcritical. The more common onecould be dealt with initially , wita gradual move to the morcomplex ones. The program

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    that arose were new, but theyare constantly reviewed andimproved. Additional programsare being reviewed for futureuse.

    The learning center is dividedinto two main study sections:procedural training and audiovisual programs. The proceduraltraining section, the first of itstype in existence, features twoUH-l Huey cockpits. The student reacts to the instructor sinputs. He can simulate starting,running up and shutting off theaircraft. He could improve hispre-takeoff checks , instrumentreading and following established procedures. Of course, aninstructor is always ready to assist when needed.

    The audio-visual section features ul t ramodern teachingtechniques, many adaptable toc lassrooms of the future.There s the Mark IV cartridgeaudio-visual system featuring 12to 15 minute instrument trainingsound films with a super 8-mmprojector. The student simplyselects the program he wouldlike to review, then inserts thecartridge into the projector. Future plans call for additional tapeprograms to be implemented,and learning center personnelanticipate producing their ownprograms soon to augment thetraining syllabus.

    The sound on slide booths arevery popular and presently feature: 1) Introduction and General Information, UH-l; 2) TestFlight and Inspection Requirements; 3) Fuel and Oil Systems,UH-I; 4) Transmission , UH-l;and 5) Tactics. A wider selec-

    Pocedural tr iner the AviationSchool le rning center has twoUH-l helicopter cockpits for use str ining devices The tr iner teachescockpit procedures to students and isa good refresher for rated aviatorsAPRIL 1971

    tion of interest areas is underdevelopment and should beavailable shortly.

    The instrument cross-checksound-slide system utilizes arearview projection device, inconjunction with a speed readingconcept, to illustrate instrumentsin all types of situations. Thestudent performs the crosschecks at his own pace.

    Of course, there s alwayseducational television. Scheduled television lessons are currently presented on a limitedbasis Tuesday and Thursdayevenings.

    Each audio-visual teaching aidallows the student to work individually at his own speed. Timeis no problem. f he encountersa situation that requires ontside

    assistance, one of eight highlycompetent instructors is alwaysready to help. He even has hisown private study booth with noone disturbing him. It s a fantastic way to learn.

    The learning center operateson a voluntary basis. No oneforces attendance. The decisionto attend thus is an individualone. Suppose you have problemsconcerning the proper UH-lstarting procedure. You needsimply walk into the centerwhere you select the help youneed.

    Basic and advanced instrument training constitutes a significant port ion of l earningcenter material, but other problem areas are covered also. Thelesson plans are closely coord

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    nated with those in the aviationschool's regular courses of in-struction. But rather than duplicating them , the center's lessonsare designed to clarify particularly difficult sections.

    As expansion dominates thelearning center , other problemareas will be covered . Rated pi-lots , air traffi c control student s,fixed wing students and aircraftmaintenance students each havetheir own problem s . The centeris attempting to include materialfor each. Consider the pilot whois assigned to a nonflying jo b .He worries abou t rustiness"setting in. The procedural trainerserves to maintain his "feel ofthe cockpit" without actuallyflying. He can perform operations checks , starts and runups.f he desires to improve his in-

    strument techniques , he couldselect tapes , slides or televisionclasses and sit in the privacy ofhis own study booth .

    Popular with students is the newsound/slide booth This student isstudying a tactical problem with fixedwing observation aircraft Sound andsl ides are fu l ly synchronized8

    A recent learning center VISItor , a nonflying pilot , stated:"You better believe I'll spendtime here before I renew my in-strument ticket." That's a prettyfair testimonial for the center.

    f you 're a "cost bug , consider the expense of flying a ro-

    This student in the advanced instrment area of rotary wing traininfound the benefits of the new super mm projection system. It makes learing fun and results are excelle

    tary or fixed wing aircraft pehour. With everything operatinin the center, the only operational cost is the electricity consumed . You don't need a viviimagination to com prehend thpotential savings to the ArmyYou'll save time on the flighline also

    The center is always interested in new ideas. f you havany helpful suggestions, the stafwould enjoy hearing them. Youideas are always welcome.f you feel the need to delvdeeper into VOR (visual-omnrange) approach techniques, oto improve your UH-I Huecockpit procedures , the U. SArmy Aviation School learnincenter stands ready to help. Usit

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    CROSSWORD PUZZLEACROSS

    1 Pertaining to the sun6 Detects underwater objects

    11 Air navigation aid12 Smell: noun13 Capacity to be air portable14 Intersection of two orbits15 This fluid expands easily16 Pitches18 Official Army publication: abbr20 Holds together21 Low frequency: abbr23 Steep descent: past tense25 Elliptical27 Destruction28 Exclamation30 To seethe31 One uncivilized being: 2 wds33 Celestial body35 Amplitude modulation: abbr37 Exterior covering: pertains to

    flowers38 Aviation era: 2 wds41 What a chimney sweep expects: 2

    wds43 Neptunium: abbr44 Considerable amount: Scot45 Commanding officer: common

    term46 Test for tuberculosis: var47 Electronic reconnaissance: abbr

    OWN1 Radar searches target2 One of the 50 states3 Grease4 Ready to fight5 Combat radio operators: abbr6 Major SE Asia city7 Centra I Florida city8 Clamor9 Amount: abbr

    10 BeamsPRIL 97

    Answers on page 516 Surface configuration 29 Helium: abbr17 Radar scanning device: abbr 32 Area of operations: abbr18 Extinguishers 34 Opposite of erect19 Aircraft operations 35 Quick22 Birds do this 36 Distance measure23 Play 39 Asian country24 Surround 40 Rearward26 Governed by visibility 42 Aircraft commander: abbr

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    Capta in Arturo E. Grandinett iArmy of Argent ina

    INSTRUMENT ORNERQ. What is the air speed restriction on copter instrumentapproaches depicted in FLIP, Low Altitude Instrument Approach Procedures?

    A. Ninety knots lAS maximum. Reference DOD FLIP, sectionII, page 11 80.Q. What action should a pilot take i f for any reason he isunable to comply with any provision of an issued ATC clearance or restriction added thereto?A. He is expected to immediately advise ATC. A brief reasonsuch as unable account of load may be included. ReferenceDOD FLIP, section II, page 11 61.Q. Will a clearance from ATC provide separation between anIFR flight and all other traffic?A. During the time an IFR flight is operating in VFR weatherconditions, it is the direct responsibility of the pilot to avoidother aircraft. VFR flights may be operating in the same areawithout the knowledge of ATC. Reference DOD FLIP, sectionII, page 11 61. .Q. Change 1, AR 95-1 states that Army aircraft will not beflown into known or forecast s v r icing conditions. Whataccumulation constitutes severe icing?A. The airframe icing reporting table in DOD FLIP IFR-SUPPLEMENT describes severe icing as the rate of accumulationis such that de-icing/anti-icing equipment fails to reduce orcontrol the hazard. Immediate diversion is necessary. Reference DOD ~ l P IFR-SUPPLEMENT, page 436.

    30

    DOES YOUR INSTRUMENT rating assure yoproficiency in instrument flyinOf course we fully realize ththe instrument rating mentioneabove does not physically cotrol the aircraft. The instrumerated aviator is responsible fcontrol of the aircraft during istrument flight. Before a flight filed under actual instrumeconditions we as in s t rumeaviators should consider the folowing: Have I continued to practiinstrument flying since initial istrument training?

    How long has it been sincehave had any training under thhood?

    hat is my phys iccondition? What is my psychologiccondition?Neglect of any of the above mamake a nice beginning for safeofficer s precrash plan.

    Even if you hold a standainstrument rating or considyourself a genius in instrumeflight and you fail to continupracticing instrument flying aactual instrument flight coulresult in a catastrophe. Consquently to stack the deckyour favor you must continueincrease your education traininand confidence in your abilitiand actual instrument time wian experienced pilot. Don t reon your instrument rating.

    Of course your experience anproficiency in IFR flight condtions are very important anmust be considered however you do not maintain this profciency it will decrease rapidland in a very short time you wilose most of those learned skillf your proficiency is falling ofit will take a shorter time fo

    you to regain it than an initientry student but it will stitake a few hours of good training.

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    In this regard the synthetictrainer is a very good f r iendvisit it and use it to maximumadvantage. Many pilots have anadverse opinion of the littlemonster because of their tendency to fight the trainer and itsreaction, especially in the firstfew periods. But, it remains aninvaluable aid in maintaining instrument flight proficiency.

    Now consider our physicalcondition. The human body contains sensory perceptors thathelp us maintain orientation andequilibrium. These perceptorsare located in our eyes, innerear, muscles, joints, tendons,skin and abdominal organs.Under visual flight rule conditions we employ these sensors intheir normal roles, but whatabout abnormal conditions?

    Since man has taken to the airhe has acquired a new dimensionin motion, the third dimension.But man is not a bird and wasnot born with flight instincts.Therefore, he must acquire newhabits and maintain a proficiencyin these habits if he is going tolive to be an old aviator.

    The sense of balance is separate from the normal five (sight,smell, taste, hearing and touch).You must maintain balance onthe ground and of course inflight also. In order to maintainour balance we employ eyes,body sensations and the innerear.

    During visual flight conditionsthese three equilibrium elementsare used to maintain a properrelationship between the horizonand cockpit scan. This is fundamental f ly ing- 'flying by theseat of your pants. f you cansee a reference point you are ingood shape because your eyestell you where you are in relation to the horizon. You feelboth comfortable and normal.But, what wi happen when youcannot see a reference point

    APRIL 97

    outside the cockpit?Even the birds, born to fly on

    course with no instruments, refuse to take a chance if they runinto an IFR condition and cannot see. But many a man hasdied trying to prove that he wassmarter than a homing pigeon.

    When you get in the soupturn to your instruments. Onlythey can help you. Trying to flyIFR without the aid of instruments is insane and will rapidlyturn a well-planned, no-inc;identflight into the proverbial can ofworms.

    What happens between entering IFR condi t ions and thecrash? Nobody has yet returnedfrom St. Peter's initial orientation briefing to inform the crackpot pilots of the Red BaronSquadron. For those pilots visual flight rules were sufficient,but for the modern Army aviatorthis is not enough.

    Maintaining orientation andequilibrium requires interpretation of sensations from youreyes, now on the instruments,the vestibular apparatus in theinner ear and pressure readingsfrom the body senses. All of themessages traveling to the brainfrom these sensors need to beinterpreted and placed in theirproper perspective. The sensa-

    tions experienced in IFR flightcan be misleading because theinner ear cannot distinguish between gravity and centrifugalforce. You can have the sensation of turning when you areactually flying straight and level.

    The pilot's brain needs time tolearn to suppress faulty sensoryi11usions. The first step in successful instrument flying, therefore, is to ignore the sensationsof going up and down, slipping,skidding or turning and let yourflight instruments feed accurate,ungarbled information to yourbrain. This must be learned during flight training, not in an actual flight. Also wpen a pilotfinds himself in an IFR situationand knows that he lacks thenecessary experience, anxietiesstart to build. These anxietieslead to increased tension. In thecockpit during an IFR situationthis may develop into sheer panic, an extremely hazardous condition.

    Tra in ing and con t inuedpractice are the keys in maintaining instrument proficiency.Practice instil1s confidence inone's ski and this reduces accidents. Remember, it is better tospend a few extra hours in IFRpractice than to fly wingman forSt. Peter. . ..-I

    CONFIDENCEND S FETY3

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    Following the Malaysian flood rmyvi tors nd their ircr ft proved to beinvaluable to the sticken people

    alaysian civilians w it for relief supplies on high ground

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    RUM OR projected by alocal fortune teller inMalaysia predicted that by NewYear's Day 1971, it would rainfor 7 consecutive days. f thatstory was true the man's prediction was off. It rained for 1days and it was the heaviest rainon record in decades.

    The rain started on 26 December 1970, the beginning of thewinter monsoon. At KuantanRoyal Malaysian Air Base on theeast coast of Malaya , 4 feet ofrain fell in 1 days. Unofficialreports say that 80 inches fell insome inland regions. No onequite expected such a torrentand as rivers and streams beganchoking on the waters it becameapparent that Malaya would behit by major floods.

    The flooding that occurredwas the most severe for Malaysiasince 1926 and left 100,000 peoplehomeless, cold and cut off fromfood , fuel and water. M iraculously less than 70 deaths werereported. But the crisis hadreached a major disaster level.

    At the request of the Malay-APRIL 1971

    Specialist 4 Tony DeStafano

    sian government, the UnitedStates, British and Singaporegovernments mobilized flood relief missions. Task Force

    Golden Hawk , an amalgam ofhelicopters and Army personnelfrom U. S. Army , Vietnam wasrushed from Saigon.

    Packed into aU S. Air ForceC-124 , the first two UH-IH helicopters-one from the 118thAssault Helicopter Company andone from the 45th Medical Company (Air Ambulance)-arrivedat Kuantan Air Base on 7 January. Maintenance crews fromthe 34th General Support Grouphad the aircraft flight-ready bymidnight.

    On 8 January additional helicopters from the Ist AviationBrigade arrived at Kuantan,along with support personnelfrom the 269th Combat AviationBattalion. The additional aircraftcame from the 117th, 173d and187th Assault Helicopter Companies.

    Taking mission requests fromthe Malaysians the U. S. ArmyHueys, along with Royal Navy

    Wessex and Singapore Allouettehelicopters, fanned out over8,000 square miles of Malaysia.The ships shares in a giant operation that continuously taxed theMalaysian Air Force.

    The first missions flown byAmericans were food and fuelsupply runs. Proud Mary ofthe 118th Assault HelicopterCompany flew the first food mission to isolated points along theswollen Pahang River. t gavethe Americans their first closeuplook at the flood . The area wascovered with light brown wateras if a giant cup of coffee withcream had overturned. .

    Hungry Malaysians rushed outto greet the aircraft as the crewtossed out sacks of rice andcanned food. The people rushedto the sacks, tore them open ,smiled and managed a vigorouswave of thanks to the men. Insome areas people had gone for7 days without a decent meal.

    Medical operations are vital inflood relief and with the threatof typhoid and cholera alwaysuncomfortably close these opera-

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    tions became even more impor-tant.Don' t drink the water , shouted Malaysian radio, warning citizens about water pollutedby bloated animal carcasses androtting vegetation.

    U. S. Army helicopters madenumerous sorties to fly preciousinoculation teams throughout theflooded areas of Malaysia's Pa-hang State.A dramatic medical evacuationwas made by the 45th MedicalCompany at an isolated landingzone 30 miles from Kuantan AirBase. After leapfrogging arounddeserted sandbars, the crewlanded to pick up a dyingwoman who had just given birth.The landing zone was marked byyellow and orange towels.She was really bad off , saidChief Warrant Officer RalphConrad, and after giving birthshe began hemorrhaging.

    Once aloft a Malaysian doctorworked to save her by intra-venous treatment. The helicopterhastened to the hospital. Thedoctor wrestled with the uncoop-

    erative intravenous device. Glu-cose solution sprayed around thehelicopter .We didn't think we'd make itwith her , said Conrad later,

    but it really made you feel likeyou were doing something.By January the flood emergency in Malaysia had begun todiminish. Food was plentiful insome market places . Thousandsof people who had been forcedout of the jungles and lowlandsby flood waters started to returnhome. Receding water levelsopened many roads and life re-gained some normality.

    By the morning of 7 JanuaryTask Force Golden Hawk hadflown 209 hours and carried 53tons of food, fuel, blankets andmedical supplies to isolated andneedy Malaysians. The U. S.Army helicopters made over 400sorties in the relief operations.

    Besides a strong feeling ofaccomplishment , the Malaysianduty was a much welcomed relief for the aviators from thetension of Vietnam and combatflying no hosti le fire, no

    booby traps, no suspicion.You really felt a sense

    accomplishment , commentCW2 Paul Shumate , of the 17Assault Helicopter Compandoing something that seemworthwhile. The people wereally happy to see you.

    It was a groove , addedcrew chief , I mean we wereally building something up.During his first night in Malayan old woman approached S

    Ron Willey a medic with the 45Medical Company. He was weing a floppy bush hat and carriis bulbous flight helmet, veconspicuous on the Malaysi

    street. The woman asked hwhere he was from.

    Vietnam , said Willey.Are you here to help out

    the flood? the woman asked.Yes , we are, Willey a

    swered.Well, said the old woma

    smiling, thank you . Sturned and walked away.

    That, said Willey , beaminis what it's all about.

    alaysian soldiers c rry a sick woman to a rooftop for ev cu tion

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    JEWSROME DERS

    continued from page 1to the painted red band on the landinggear strut of the U-8 aircraft.

    As stated in the article, it has been apopular belief and possibly instructedthat the red band on the landing gearstrut was for the purpose of indicating

    bottoming out on hard landings. Thisarticle states that the purpose of theband is to prevent corrosion on the portion of the strut which is not chromeplated.

    It would appear that should the necessary care be taken in preflight, wiping

    the strut with hydraulic fluid , that thiswould prevent the corrosion on the unfinished surface. Additionally, it wouldappear that if paint was used for theprevention of corrosion, the color wouldbe immaterial.

    Request clarification of this matter andreference to support subject article.

    SFC James P. Banner1140th Transportation Co .(Aircraft Direct Support)

    Georgia Army National GuardWinder , Ga . 30680

    We have received several inquiriesregarding the source of our informationMaintenance Matters is put out by the

    combined efforts of the Department oMaintenance Training, U. S. Army A viation School, Ft. Rucker, Ala.; the L SArmy Aviation Systems Command, StLouis, Mo.; and the U. S. Army Transportation School, Ft. Eustis, Va. The particular information you requested wassubmitted to our office by DOMT, FtRucker, in accordance with a letter dated3 July 1964 from a Beech Aircraft Corporation technician. The pertinent paragraphs are repr in ted for yourinformation.

    Our engineering group statesthat the purpose of the band ofpaint around the landing gear strutis to prevent corrosion on the port ion of the s t rut which is notchrome plated.

    Due to normal manufacturingtolerances on the components in thestrut assembly, the painted areamayor may not be affected whenever the strut bottoms-out on ahard landing.

    Thank you for your inquiries; please keepthem coming

    ,r- ,r-7 8 9o N A R

    C H RO A3 RM

    CROSSWORDPUZZLE

    uS A NSWERSE T E

    R F TA N T L EN E E R uzzle on page 9

    APRIL 97 35

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    UNLESS YOU HAPPEN TO BE ONE OFTHOSE RARE LUCKY PEOPLE WHONEVER DIPPED BELOW STRAIGHT A's whenyou were in school, chances are that report isfairly high on the personal list of dirty words youhad just as soon never again hear uttered in yourpresence . f you are like most of us you havedistinct and unhappy memories of the receptionyou got after you trudged home with a report cardwhich put you in the sub-moron class as far asmath was concerned and assigned you a grade onconduct which even Bonnie and Clyde wouldhave been ashamed of. It's not the kind of experience you would want to wish off on any self-respecting dog.

    So it's a fair bet you have a built-in instinctivefeeling the world would be afar , far better placeif nobody had ever thought of reports, and theword itself could be struck out of all dictionariesby an act of Congress. The less said the better.No use crying over spilt milk right? What's doneis done. The thing to do is to t ryon some goodstrong positive thinking and look for things tostart coming up roses for a change.

    It 's another odds-on bet you feel the same wayabout investigation, a word which brings upunpleasant pictures of old-fashioned cops usingrubber hoses to pound the whey out of suspects

    Squeeze ut all the facts

    ccidentInvestigation ndReporting sense

    Major Chester Goolrick

    36

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    down in the basement of the station house , orsteely-eyed gumshoes in trench coats prying intosecrets you'd just as soon not have spread acrossthe front page of the evening newspaper. Afteryou have gone to a lot of trouble to bury something 6 feet deep and plant petunias on it youwant it to stay buried.There's nothing unhealthy about this. You don'thave to be a bank robber, a wife stealer or an axmurderer to have been involved in one or twoepisodes you don't even like to remember yourself . The town blabbermouth will never win anypopularity contests. The man who believes intending to his own business and letting other people mind theirs is generally hailed as a sterling cit-izen .It's entirely probable , though , you wouldn't bewhere you are today if it hadn't been for thosereport cards you brought home from school. freport cards had never been invented, few peoplewould graduate from high school and most of uswould never have made it through 01 Miss Maggie s sixth grade social studies class. t was afterPop found out from Miss Maggie that your studying had dropped off to the vanishing point , or youwere spending all your time mooning over the lit-tle redhaired girl who sat at the next desk that hewas able to take corrective action which got you

    Investigation, a wordwhich bringsup unpleasantpictures

    \ /

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    CCIDENT INVESTIG TION ND REPORTING S NSsafely through the blackboard jungle.

    f you were saved by a good report card whenyou were in the sixth grade, you can be savedagain as an Army airman by a top-flight reportwhich winds up the kind of painstaking, detailedinvestigation which ought to and should followevery aircraft accident.DIGGING DEEP

    Ought to? Should?Well, to state a simple truth as painful as agumboil, that's about the size of it. When itcomes to words , ought to and should are asweak as a slug of watered-down scotch in a thirdrate honkytonk. Not the kind you'd associate withstrong-minded, dedicated professionals who agreewith Robert E . Lee that strict attention to essentials is what separates men from boys.All in favor say aye. That doesn't alter theunhappy fact that even if there isn't a dissentingvote , aircraft accident investigations too oftendon't exactly pinpoint the cause of a crash , andthat the resulting reports in consequence can beas full of holes as an unmended fish net. A lot ofwork gone to waste , you can say. And say again.

    The reasons for this problem area-and bear inmind always, friends, that problem area is justa varnished-over way of saying deficiency take some looking into as a first giant step leadingto a solution.

    As a starter Army regulations specifically pro

    Dig deepl

    38

    vide that accident investigations are not to be usfor punitive or disciplinary action. They are aimesolely at (a) finding the cause of a particular craand (b) eliminating similar accidents in the future

    Nothing could be clearer. The trouble is , sompeopledon't always believe what they read. Thecan't clear themselves of the lurking suspiciothat once it's put down in black and white , a rport becomes a millstone which some poor soul going to have draped around his neck to the dathey give him a farewell retirement party at thofficers' club . So they approach an investigatiowith all the fine enthusiasm of a chap who hbeen commissioned to tell his best friend that(a) has bad breath like they say in the televisio

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    ads, and b) his wife has run off with a ladies lin-gerie salesman named Elmer.

    They ve not only got it all wrong, they ve got itbad. And that, as the line from the old song hasit, ain t good. Not for Army aviation , it ain t.

    You may be suffering from a touch of AccidentInvestigation Syndrome yourself. f you haveever been involved in an accident or have been onthe fringes of one-who hasn t?-you know thewhole investigative and reporting process isn t thekind of thing any sensible person approaches withthe same keen relish he looks forward to his annual vacation at the beach. Few people comerushing forward to volunteer their services whenan investigation is in the works. Given the choice,

    APRIL 97

    most of us would say thanks but no thanks.AND WHEN A TASK IS APPROACHEDWITH RELUCTANCE, OR THOSE IN

    VOLVED DON T FULLY APPRECIATE THEPURPOSE AND IMPORTANCE OF WHATTHEY ARE DOING , YOU CAN BE DEADCERTAIN IT ISN T GOING TO GET DONETHE WAY IT SHOULD BE.

    The wheels really begin to turn and take hold,though, when the accident investigating and reporting people come to terms with the basic ideathat the only person who can get hurt by theirfindings is the airman who has the n xt accidentbecause the board didn t catch the stitch in timethat saves nine. Or found the wrong thing.

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    CCIDENTINVESTIG TION ND R PORTING S NS

    Let s face it , a board s job is a tough one evenwhen it is not done properly , and a re a l ba ng-up ,A-One job is even harder work . On the otherhand, it can be a lot more productive a nd re sult infewer frazzled nerve ends if everybody concernedstarts out with a pretty sound idea of where hewants to go and how to get there.

    No groping in the dark , you might observe.And you d be right.BLINDMAN S BUFFNo one is likely to argue that every accidentboard doesn t 'approach its task with a real desireto get at the truth. The trouble is that most boardmembers aren t trained investigators to begin with(more about that later if you will just be patientfor a minute). They ve a few other things on theirminds and worries of their own , and they re likelyto adopt the view that the sooner the job is finished the better for all concerned. They havenever had driven home to them the need for relentless detective work of the kind which wouldhave earned them a well-deserved pat on the backfrom Sherlock Holmes.

    So what happens? They come up with an answer which is at best a half truth. As an important example , it s not enough in most cases to laythe cause of the accident at the door of that oldbugaboo, p i l o t error , and let it go at that. Sure ,almost all accidents re caused by men , pilots orotherwise. Machines sometimes let you down ifthey are misused or given improper care , but they4

    We save lots ofaviators withthese reportsl

    Human beingshave been makingmistakes eversince Evebit into the apple

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    seldom make mistakes. On the other hand, humanbeings have been making mistakes ever since Evebit into the apple.

    The ible tells us why Eve took a chunk out ofthe apple. In the Army, accident investigationreports aren t always as good about digging intothe usually complex factors which brought on thecrash. Human error, to be sure. But the name ofthe game when it comes to accidents is to pin-point the pre ise starting point in the chain ofevents which led to the crash. f the investigationfalls short of the mark, the final question remainsunanswered. Or is answered the wrong way. Ineither case, a lot of valuable time and energy isbeing wasted. Everybody concerned would have

    APRIL 97

    The ha I f-a nswerreport doesn'tsave anyone

    4

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    CCIDENT INVESTIG TION ND R PORTING S NSbeen just as well off sitting on the banks of theChattahoochee trying for a mess of catfish.

    Let s take a simple example. Here s a compe -tent experienced pilot who is snagged by a pothole on the runway during takeoff rips off hisundercarriage and piles up his airplane. You couldcall it pilot error because after all he was at the

    42

    PknfoVdpree ion f

    controls when his airplane struck the hole. Ycould but you d be stopping considerably shof the goal line. What needs to be brought outthe open is how come the pothole was therebegin with and why it was not filled in. Maythere is a supervisory angle involved. One thinfor certain-the chain of events which set upcrash didn t start the moment the airplane begrolling down the runway not by a long shot.

    The fact generally is that the causes whichbehind a mature competent man failing tosomething, or doing it improperly are aboutcomplex as an IBM 360 computer. Sometimesman who commits an error hasn t any businbeing allowed in the cockpit or holding a torqwrench in the first place. Consider for a momethe whole sticky business of flight fatigue, antoo-common ailment. f an airman is not givadequate rest time, if he is allowed to fly or woon maintenance until his reflexes are slower than Alaskan glacier and his eyes are burning hoin his head like a pair of brandied cherries, aaccident board worth its salt is going to take

    The nome of the gamewhen it comes toaccidents s to pinpointthe p recise startingpoint in the chainof events wh ichled to the crash

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    CCIDENT INVESTIG TION ND REPORTING S NSis preventive medicine. Nobody s on trial. Accidents are looked into for exactly the same reasonthe public health people swing into action when arare disease puts in an appearance, or too manypeople start coming down with hog cholera. Theidea is to stamp it out before things get out ofhand.f you have any boots lying around handy, youcan safely bet them that when a doctor bumpsinto some strange and particularly nasty ailmenthe doesn t keep it a secret. Instead he spreads thealarm with all the enthusiasm of a Paul Reverealerting the folks that the dadburned redcoats areon the march. What follows is an all out medicalmobilization which brings the crisis to an endbefore it has a chance to develop into an epidemic.

    Aircraft accidents in various categories canreach epidemic proportions themselves unlessalert and accurate investigations and reports pin

    point exact causes and help bring about saflying practices. That comes close to summingup i f reports aren t accurate and thorough, ifrecommendations regarding corrective action amade, they aren t worth two hoots in a rain brel.

    Suppose a unit has a series of related accidenand the investigations add up to some fairly siple corrective procedures which help eliminothers of the same stripe in the future. Thisgreat, but only so far as it goes. Let s also say,go a step further, that well-executed reports tricling into USABAAR at Ft. Rucker, Ala., poto an ominous rise in wire strikes or foreign oject damage, and that the recommendations fwarded by alert boards all over the world pointa set of solutions which can apply the brakes topotentially runaway situation. Alarm bells sounThe word goes out to the units in the field-those who have had a rash of wire strikes or FO

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    Accurate investigationsand reportspinpoint exact causes

    ; I4 L /

    Wire strikes should be nearlyas extinct as the passenger pigeon

    and to those who haven't yet had any but whichjust as easily could. Once they get the picture,safety officers and the COs running the aviationmanagement program are able to take informesteps based on informe recommendations. Wirestrikes and FOD go back to where they shouldbe-nearly as extinct as the passenger pigeon.

    Recommendations-or the lack of them-makeup a good part of the story. Consider, for a moment, another top-priority problem, the matter ofmidair c ollisions. What with skies practicallyblacked out with helicopters from time to timelike Canada geese in the migrating season, itwould be too much to hope that collisions willAPRIL 97

    ever be entirely a thing of the past. It is fair tosay, all the same, they could be whittled down tosize if all hands gave them the thoughtful consideration they deserve.

    Yet, when an analysis of accident reports on 56midair collisions was run through the mill recently, it turned up the fact that, despite apparentmultiple cause factors, the burden was almostalways laid at the door of the hapless pilots in-volved. The ull extent of the causes isn't knownbecause many of the boards were willing to accept that old workhorse, pilot error, withoutdigging deep to see what lay at, or even beneath,the grass roots.

    So far, so bad. What was worse was that only27 positive recommendations were made when around 100 would have been barely sufficient. Ontop of that, of the 27 recommendations, fi