On the F-111 the fuel dump nozzle is at the rear of the aircraft right between the two engines. The pilot dumps fuel, then hits full afterburner briefly, and ignites the trail of fuel.
Posted on 02/07/2010 11:29:14 PM PST by ErnstStavroBlofeld
Australia's air force said Saturday that one of its F-111 jets made an emergency landing earlier this week during an aerial display at the Singapore Airshow and will not participate in further performances.
The F-111's aircrew radioed a distress call after receiving an engine fire warning just two minutes into its seven-minute performance Thursday, said Royal Australian Air Force Flight Lieutenant Leon Izatt, who was part of a two-man team piloting the jet.
Its crew immediately terminated the flight and made an emergency landing on one of the plane's two engines.
The airshow was likely to have been the last for the jet as Australia's air force plans to retire its F-111 fleet in December.
Singapore's airshow, which has featured displays of mostly military jets and helicopters this week and ends Sunday, had already been marred by an earlier incident on the same day when a South Korean T-50 Golden Eagle jet was ordered by organizers to terminate its performance after it flew too close to spectators.
Wing Commander Micka Gray said there were no signs of a fire on the F-111. The plane remains grounded while maintenance crews investigate why the aircraft's fire warning went off.
(Excerpt) Read more at canadianbusiness.com ...
I worked on F-111s at McClellan in the 70’s. Both now defunct.
Its a civilian/military field is it?
I didnt know the Aussies were still flying them.
The aircraft is way to old. I read on one of the Aussie websites it takes 150 man-hours downtime for every sortie flown to keep them flying now.
Around 1967, my direct Manager left our company to become the Director of Quality on the F-111 at General Dynamics in Fort Worth. The F-111 was an expensive aircraft for that time period, but its design and quality have provided over 4 decades of service. .....About time to go, now.
On the F-111 the fuel dump nozzle is at the rear of the aircraft right between the two engines. The pilot dumps fuel, then hits full afterburner briefly, and ignites the trail of fuel.
It turned out to be a great airplane with enormous load and range capability.
I seem to recall reading a novel many years ago by Brown (?) that was “The Old Dog”. I think it was a book about the use of an F-111 in a non-government sanctioned operation, as I recall. ...Hmmm... Need to re-read that book as it was very good.
Beans
Hahaha waaaay more than 150 man hours is closer to 600
You could well be right. I was just going on something I read over Air Power Australia a few years go, I might have miss-remembered the correct figures.
In any event when I read about the exorbitant maintenance requirements for the bird I knew its useful life was over. The F-111 worked out recall well for the Aussies though.
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