Posted on 11/17/2009 9:37:55 AM PST by Fractal Trader
t's now official. The new generation of high-tech hovering aircraft - namely the famous V-22 "Osprey" tiltrotor and the upcoming F-35B supersonic stealth jump-jet - have an unforeseen flaw. Their exhaust downwash is so hot as to melt the flight decks of US warships, leading Pentagon boffins to look into refrigerated landing pads.g
Stories of buckled flight decks caused by Osprey exhaust have been circulating for a while, but confirmation that the issue is seen as serious comes with the issue of a military request for proposals yesterday for "thermal management systems (TMS) for aircraft landing decks".
The proposal makes it clear that the Osprey - which is now in active combat service with the US Marines following a painful twenty-year gestation - has already been fingered as a deck-damaging craft. The F-35B stealth jumpjet, which has just commenced hover flight testing, is also expected to be fielded soon by the Marines, and could be an even worse pad-melter.
According to the request:
The deployment of the MV-22 Osprey has resulted in ship flight deck buckling that has been attributed to the excessive heat impact from engine exhaust plumes. Navy studies have indicated that repeated deck buckling will likely cause deck failure before planned ship life. With the upcoming deployment of the F-35B Short Take Off and Vertical Landing (STOVL) Joint Strike Fighter (JSF), it is anticipated that the engine exhaust plumes may have a more severe thermo-mechanical impact on the non-skid surface and flight deck structure of ships. Currently, there are no available strategies to mitigate deck buckling and thermal-mechanical deck failure other than heavy structural modifications.
(Excerpt) Read more at theregister.co.uk ...
I'm so glad that they thought about this in advance.
/sarc
” Their exhaust downwash is so hot as to melt the flight decks of US warships, leading Pentagon boffins to look into refrigerated landing pads.g “
What mental midgets missed this one?
They’ve been operating Harriers for decades. Didn’t they learn anything from them?
er, the v-22 osprey has a heat exhaust downwards? Its a rotary system, like a helicopter
Ceramics?
“....fryin’ chickens in the barn yard...” —Gen. Turgidson.
Turbo prop, the turbine exhaust is plenty hot.
Turbo-prop.
I’m no engineer, but wouldn’t ceramic tiles - with mechanical fasteners rather than adhesive - be MUCH cheaper than some kind of refrigeration? It seems to me that you could replace a whole lot of tiles and still not reach the expense of installing and maintaining some complicated refrigeration system.
The same kind of egg heads who want to run our health care system....
Harriers don’t put out the same amount of heat as an F-35. They are already aware of the F-35 exhaust situation as it also has an effect on concrete runway surfaces also.
First thing I thought too. Like Space Shuttle tiles.
I forgot. Aerospace projects aren't run by the engineers. They're run by Congress.
Excellent idea, but are ceramics too fragile? The Shuttle tiles have a tough time with small impacts, even at relatively low speeds.
The V22 is a damn helicopter
When you look at the Osprey, it certainly doesn't seem like the flight deck should be in any danger. I wonder if the author has all of his facts correct. It just doesn't seem possible that this engine, 4'9" above a flight deck would generate enough heat to melt the deck.
Another, “Doh!” moment. “I say, this IS rather embarassing,” said with my best impression of Terry Thomas.
Titanium landing pads.
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