Posted on 10/15/2018 7:10:41 AM PDT by sukhoi-30mki
A British test pilot has made history by performing a ‘rolling landing’ with an F-35 stealth fighter onto the deck of an aircraft carrier
Peter 'Wizzer Wilson', a BAE Systems test pilot, put the £120m aircraft down on HMS Queen Elizabeth without using its vertical landing system or a ‘tailhook’.
Despite blustery conditions, he performed a more conventional short landing in a world first.
The new landing technique means that the cutting-edge jet will now not have to jettison fuel or expensive weapons into the sea before it touches down on the aircraft carrier after a mission.
The Royal Navy describe the manoeuvre as 'a method which looks like a conventional aircraft landing but requires even more intense skill and precision.'
HMS Queen Elizabeth's official account tweeted their joy afterwards.
(Excerpt) Read more at dailymail.co.uk ...
Misnomer. He did not use his tailhook, but he did indeed use the vertical landing system, it just was not used to hover prior to landing.
Just watched a ‘stunt’ pilot crash here in Culpeper Va on Friday night. He didn’t survive. He had been doing night time acrobatics for 30 years. Very tragic.
I thought these bad boys were grounded, They back in service already?
Any idea what aircraft was he flying?
but he did indeed use the vertical landing system, it just was not used to hover prior to landing.
...
Correct. It was used to execute a very low speed landing.
Exactly so, which is a technique we Marines have been using for decades, just not aboard ship. The Brits, since they invented the Harrier, have also been using this technique. So this ain't in no wise, new.
The F-35B has a maximum gross weight for vertical landing. Above that weight the aircraft needs some forward velocity. The challenge here is controlling the vertical rate of descent vs forward velocity.
I am sure this procedure was tested many times on a runway prior to attempting on the ship.
A long long time ago when carrier qua;s where done in F14 I was in a mixed squadron of both Navy and Marines pilots The Marine contingent was much smaller but you could tell they were in the top 20% during the quals. Sp,e near perfect. Nailing the #3 wire consistently, fewer bolters and skipping tailhooks.
They estimated it would take two days to go through all the aircraft and replace the faulty part.
Does this technique increase the speed at which a squadron can land and turnaround time ?
A friend of mine caught the #2 wire with his nose gear (Prowler). It was the first trap for the guy in the back seat and he wondered if he could continue to do carriers when landings like that were so violent. The jet took very little damage and the nose gear was completely intact. Grumman Iron Works at its finest.
Musta been on the exterior of the engine.
Fuel Tube, is what I heard.
Pretty vague description IMO. That could be almost anything
“Exactly so, which is a technique we Marines have been using for decades, just not aboard ship. The Brits, since they invented the Harrier, have also been using this technique. So this ain’t in no wise, new.”
First time I saw a Harrier at Oshkosh they were doing this. That was 30+years ago.
I’m surprised the Brits feel the need to own fighter jets and aircraft carriers. Haven’t they basically followed in their French channel-mates footsteps and surrendered to EVERYBODY?
Looks like a Harrier to me...
Well, no.
They place very high value on the fighting and winning in the Falklands.
They have a high profie on being part of the Afghan effort.
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