The pronounced effect of an inlet system that fails to
articulate is quite amazing. While I have never had an inlet system fail
during functional check flights in the F-111, a couple of my colleagues have.

In one case, the central air data computer Mach signal failed to reach both
inlets. Their F-111F barely attained Mach 1.7 in Maximum Afterburner. The F
model had the largest engines in the fleet, and could attain Mach 1.1 in
Military power on the deck, and Mach 2.5 in less than Maximum Afterburner at
altitude. They brought the jet back, maintenance repaired the problem, and
they flew it again the next day. They hit Mach 2.5 without breaking a sweet.

I haven't heard only one inlet not articulating, however, I would imagine
that
the first clue would be the pilot adding rudder into the "good" engine as the
Mach increased.

The other factors, such as flow smoothing and resistance to angle of attack
excusions, do not require a variable geometry configuration. A well designed
fixed geometry inlet can accomplish these objectives.





Kurt Todoroff


Once in a while the variable inlet bellmouth rings on the F-4 at the
engine/inlet duct interface would fail to move at M 2.0+. The rings rotated
about 90 degrees or so as the ramps closed down to dump excess air at high
speed but didn't get that much use. Corrosion would cause the cable and pulley
system to corrode and not move freely.. When that happened the engine was very
stall susceptible. I had one happen when flying a Funcfional Check Flight.
Interesting experoence to compressor stall at M 2.3. Even with the centerline
thrust F-4 the bang and yaw pretty violent.

During early flight testingof the the F-16 with the F-110 engine in 85, we
had a test bird with the large inlet, IIRC, that the pilots called Thumper
because of banging in the inlet due to airflow. The engine was pretty stall
resistant with the electonic control but the pilots said the banging was enough
to bounce their feet off the rudder pedals.Apparently at some speeds and
configurations in this particilar aircraft, the shockwave would draw back into
the inlet. The banging was due to oilcanning of the sheetmetal from the
pressure drop across the shockwave as shown by additional instrumentation and
high speed photography.