On 4/5/04 12:19 PM, in article , "Tarver
Engineering" wrote:


"Doug "Woody" and Erin Beal" wrote in message
SNIP
Yes. Truly. It's in the NATOPS and everything. My confusion with your
statements is this occasional mention of a "break out" or "break out
force." There is nothing like that.

I know that information from having desiged the first accuratee F/A-18
simulator at Dryden. The reason for bringing up the break out force in the
first place was to demonstrate how much force a Flanker applying an
additional 33# of force directly into his crotch to do a cobra would be
risking. It is a completely different thread, but monkey wanted to branch
off into a demonstration is his huge penis and then immediately stepped on
same.


Flanker, whatever... It's not a Hornet, which was where I came into this
discussion. Okay? As long as you're agreeing that there's no break out
force in the Hornet, we're square. Based on the fact that you've moved onto
Flankers, it sounds like you are.

As I explained before. If while starting up the aircraft, if you simply
windmill the right engine (battery power only, no generators on line, RPM
sitting at about 26-32%), you can wipe out the stick and observe the stabs
move--differentially for roll and together for pitch. There is no binding
and the only force is that of the artificial feel system trying to return
the stick to the neutral position--the same as when the jet is in CAS
mode. They even have more pitch authority with the flap switch in HALF or
FULL. That's MECH in a nutshell.

There is no FCS in mech mode for the F/A-18ABCD, so the limits are disabled.

What you mean to say is that there are no FCC's (Flight Control Computers)
in MECH mode. MECH *IS* in fact, part of the FCS (or Flight Control System)
which includes three modes: CAS, DEL, and MECH.

There *IS* additional back-stick pitch authority provided with the flap
switch in HALF or FULL.

The mechanical control system, is of course interesting to the Flanker
discussion in that the F/A-18ABCD are cobra capable under a disabled FCS
system just as the Flanker is. the difference bring that the F/A-18ABCD has
the FCS over ride switches delected for production.


What in the world are you talking about? The only FCS override switch is
the paddle switch on the stick. That switch would have NOTHING to do with a
Cobra maneuver. And ALL Hornets (ABCDEF) are capable of doing a Cobra with
PROM 10.7 or later. You'll never see it at an air show though.

It is mechanically controlled and hydraulically actuated, so you must have
at least one engine windmilling to make it work.

The probabilistic viewpoint is that the system failure most likely is that
"prince of darkness" rotary inverter. It never lived up to it's MTBF
promises.


What rotary inverter? Where is it? How is it part of the FCS?

--Woody