Nalls Aviation Harrier Updates

Update 19

Fri, 25 Apr 2008 13:17:17 GMT

UPDATE19

A blind man could have seen this coming. After two months of waiting for our hydraulic lines to be repaired in Washington State, they finally returned. The mechanics tore open the boxes and eagerly inspected them. Then, immediately declared the lines unserviceable. The welds were clearly unacceptable for aviation applications, based upon the visual inspection alone. What a disappointment. However, we needed a second opinion.

We consulted with an expert from Pax River, familiar with welds of this type and high-pressure lines for aircraft-grade usage. He instantly concurred with the mechanic�s recommendation but went further. He guaranteed the welds would fail and the lines are not salvageable. They are trash. They may be usable as a template, but not to install on the airframe. In short, we�ve wasted two months.

So we were back to square one. We were able to locate spares in the UK and as soon as they arrived, had them installed in the airframe. The old, worn, out, cracked hydraulic line - - - the source of all our woes - - - was dated 1979. It couldn�t have possibly lasted much longer. So we replaced them with brand-new, fresh, original equipment lines - - - dated 1980. When dealing with this vintage of Harriers, �new� is a relative term.

These past several weekends were a tremendous success. We serviced the hydraulic system and cycled the landing gear manually with a hand pump to check for connectivity and leaks. Then we applied our hydraulic generator to further exercise the system. We also completed installation of our landing gear emergency extension system. We replaced the Explosive Start Valve, which we were unable to obtain, with an electrical solenoid valve. Despite having some minor difficulties fabricating the tight tolerance lines, the valve was installed and ready for testing. Our �new� system is similar in design to the AV-8B and other modern aircraft.

After numerous cycles of our landing gear under manual and powered hydraulic power, we were ready for the first test of our emergency extension system. Corry Duffield, one of our mechanics from Cherry Point, had the honor to actually pull the handle and try the system for the very first time. The rest of the crew elected to watch from a SAFE distance, since we really didn�t know what would happen. Even when we DO know what to expect, the results are often colorful. This time could be VERY colorful�

As soon as he actuated the system, the gear came down and locked in a matter of seconds! Boom, boom, boom, boom - all four down and locked! One small note: when the Harrier landing gear are extended by emergency means, the aircraft �spits� a small amount of hydraulic fluid overboard, out a side vent. We were well aware of this, although it could be a shock to the uninitiated. It�s a mess we are happy to clean. You can see in one photo that the Sea Harrier has marked its territory on the hangar floor in bright red. We know exactly where to ask any curious on-lookers to stand for the next exercise of the system.

After extending the landing gear by the emergency system, we need to completely bleed all the air from the hydraulic system. This is a LOT of work. Each actuator has two sides - - an up and a down side. Both sides must be completely free of air, and we just introduced 3,000 psi of dry nitrogen into a closed system. It�s messy and tedious, but part of the maintenance. Plus, we�ll need to repeat this entire evolution (blow the gear down, bleed the system, service the system, and repeat) several times to ensure that we�ve got the system absolutely perfect. All of our landing gear actuators will probably be ready for overhaul when we�re ready to fly, but we�ll know they work.

The sheet metal work on the SHAR is progressing. Lots of rivets need to be drilled, metal straightened, parts realigned, pulled and prodded back into the correct shape, and then re-riveted. That all takes time and there are LOTS of rivets. The landing gear doors are new, the radome is new, and the pitot probe is new. But this is a hand-built aircraft and everything requires careful fitting. Although I plan to make mostly left-hand turns, the airplane still needs to be perfectly straight, before we fly.

We�ve taken this down time to remove the Head Up Display (HUD). We were missing a few of the weapons-related boxes that feed into the HUD and the HUD did not work for either of the first flights, except in the Standby Mode. The HUD alone weighs about 15 pounds and is basically a 1970�s computer (think Commodore 64). It is heavy and nearly useless for civilian flying. Instead, we�ve now installed a civilian Electronic Flight Instrument System (EFIS), which can do what the HUD did, plus more, and weighs little more than a cell phone. We�ll also clean up some of the other outstanding discrepancies and fix a few minor things.

We also have a plan to augment our spares support program. Our original program was simple: (1) panic, (2) find something that would work, and (3) hope they�d take a check. Not the most effective means of supporting a Harrier, although it�s what the Marines have been doing for years.

The answer is equally simple: acquire a spare airplane. Exactly what every Harrier owner needs, is a spare Harrier. I now have the pleasure to announce that we have acquired a complete, spare aircraft, plus two engines from a museum in Seattle. They had two Harriers and wanted to open up some floor space. It was our good fortune to be in the right place at the right time.

The NEW airplane is a GR-3, ground attack version, built for the Royal Air Force and similar vintage of the Sea Harrier. It appears complete, plus some. Even though these airplanes are different models (there were over 45 different Harrier variants) they are 95% common. We now have a source of spares for just about anything that could go wrong on the SHAR, maybe even a spare engine. I�m quite sure that our next requirement will be for one of the 5% parts, unique only to the Sea Harrier and we won�t have it. But for now, we have some comfort of a good source of spares. Just the source for fasteners alone is worth it to us.

The GR may also have the potential to be another flying airplane. It�s complete and as far as we�ve inspected, in great shape. However, we�ve got our hands full with one Harrier, so the GR will have to be a static display or parts donor for now. The cockpit and ejection seat have been verified completely inert. We�ve positioned a step ladder adjacent to the GR�s cockpit, in case visitors would like the opportunity to climb aboard. After all, it isn�t every day that the one can climb in a Harrier, and with the LIVE ejection seat in the Sea Harrier, we cannot permit open entry.

The GR will be restored, bit-by-bit, as an AV-8A, which is exactly the airplane I flew in the Marine Corps. Eventually, this airplane will be painted in the squadron colors of VMA-231, the �Ace of Spades� squadron, which was my first Harrier operational squadron. Incidentally, VMA-231 is known as �the Oldest Squadron in the Marine Corps� and can trace its roots back to Marine Aviators of WWI known as the Northern Bombing Group. It has a long and proud heritage and is still flying Harriers, albeit the AV-8B. The Ace of Spades squadron emblem is already on the new Harrier.

The cockpit of the GR had been sealed and unopened since the museum acquired it, several years ago and who knows how long prior to that. The museum apparently hadn�t opened the canopy until we arrived to inspect it at purchase. After many, many years, the canopy was opened and I climbed aboard. The cockpit smelled the same as the last AV-8A I flew. They seem to have a unique �jet smell,� perhaps due to the upholstery or electronics. The old joke of �to a midget, all elevators smell the same�.� may also apply.

With a little luck, we could be back in the air by the end of the month.

As always, if you wish to be removed from this list, please send an email to artnalls@earthlink.net, with the subject header "Unsubscribe"

Art Nalls

Update 18

Thu, 13 Mar 2008 11:31:05 GMT

Well, as with the entire program, two weeks turned into two months. Let�s hope it doesn�t turn into much more than that. The �two weeks� comment has been a running joke since the beginning of the project and many of you caught it, but some actually expected us to be in the air in two weeks. It probably will be two weeks, but a day here and day there, spread out over several months. Note the banner after our first flight and please excuse the spelling. The spray can didn�t have spell-check.

The airplane is back in the hangar and we�ve completed a detailed inspection. The damage is very minor on the outside and not much worse on the inside. The front reaction control, called a �puffer duct� by true Harrier people, concerned me the most. It�s an extremely critical flight control, controls tons of very hot, high-velocity air and built to exacting specifications. I also don�t know if any spares are available. Plus the airplane did actually contact the ground near this critical part. But once we cleared away the wrinkled sheet metal and actually removed the ducting, the nose reaction control is fine and not damaged. The engine also appears not damaged, through the first 3 stages, but we�re still waiting for a full bore scope inspection and ground runs to declare it safe for flight.

As we anticipated, the cause of the hydraulic failure surfaced immediately as we applied our hydraulic generator and 3,000 pounds of pressure. Bright, red fluid was vaporizing in the engine bay, from a split hydraulic line on the port side. The failure appears to be due to a previous modification, possibly for flight test. Those who are familiar with this airplane are aware that it was used as a flight test asset for British Aerospace. There was a �tee� welded into the line, then capped and no longer in use. That�s where the crack propagated, causing the leak. A new line should solve that problem.

Fortunately, we could access that line without removing the engine. All we needed was six-foot arms the size of pencils, twelve fingers, and eyes that can see around corners. This would be an easy job for a space-alien, slightly more difficult for normal people, but clearly not impossible. Engine removal would have been a MAJOR delay in the program. We were lucky.

That particular line, along with several other lines � all dated 1970 - and the hydraulic pump, were shipped to a company in Washington State for evaluation. They claimed to be able to �make anything.� However, once they received the hydraulic lines, they said, �we can make anything - except these�.�

The hyd lines have special ends and fittings that are attached to the tubing and are unique; at least we�ve never seen them. Like everything, they are Harrier-specific, there are no substitutes, and there�s not much room for adapters or workarounds. Eventually, we will develop the capability to manufacture new lines in-house, so we�ll need to locate a source for these ends and the couplings. From our experience, nothing has been simple, easy, or inexpensive and we don�t anticipate these will be either, but it also is not rocket science.

The hydraulic pump was a surprise. Since it uses hydraulic fluid as a lubricant and coolant, and it ran for some time absolutely bone dry, we expected it to be toast. However, upon teardown inspection it was reported pristine. No visible damage at all. We�re waiting for a full bench check and certification and I have absolutely no doubt that will be fine as well, since I just procured two expensive spares. If I couldn�t have located any spares, I�m sure the original pump would have been ruined, but since I�ve now got some extras � and paid dearly for them � I probably won�t need them. That�s also been part of the program. The spares will no doubt remain on the shelf indefinitely.

Immediately after the flight, we took some time to do a self-evaluation. What did we do wrong? We analyzed everyone�s performance from the top down, and have a list of improvements that we�ll implement before we take to the sky the next time. We�ve modified our briefing procedure, our emergency procedures, our ejection seat procedures and a whole lot of things that will help us do this better and safer. In only two flights, we demonstrated that our center of gravity is acceptable for handling from zero airspeed to 350 knots and up to 4 G�s, the reaction control system is fine, and all aircraft systems are operating just fine, except for a nearly catastrophic hydraulic leak. We also demonstrated that we could operate from our civilian airfield. Except for emergencies requiring a crash crew or pure vertical landings, which this emergency certainly did, we won�t be using NAS Pax River. Eventually, we will build our own vertical landing pad at St. Mary�s and are beginning the application process for that.

I hope you have seen the video posted of the emergency vertical landing. It�s available on our website. I am very proud of that landing, considering that I hadn�t actually hovered a Harrier in 16 years. Although we were required to hover much earlier in the program that we had planned, we had planned for contingencies, such as this. I�m very proud of the entire Sea Harrier TEAM�s performance under extreme pressure. This was no �simple� emergency, if there is such a thing, and in �conventional� aircraft the outcome could have been quite different. In a Harrier, it was relatively minor.

No one panicked. There were no un-controlled bowel movements or decapitated-chicken dances. None. (Quite a change from the exploding GTS and subsequent fire, which I think had one of each.) Everyone did exactly as briefed and pulled together with fuel and options decreasing rapidly. That teamwork convinced me, more than ever, that this is an achievable objective. We may not have all the best tools, the best facilities, nor the supplies and spares that we could want. We certainly aren�t the �Big Boys,� and don�t have unlimited pocket books, but we DO have dedicated professionals who want to be here and be involved, and that�s enough for now.

Many have asked, why we didn�t use the emergency blow down system? There is a very simple explanation - - - because we didn�t have one. That system requires an explosive-actuated valve that is not available to us. There aren�t any available, so we made a calculated gamble to fly without it. We mis-calculated, obviously. But in some circumstances, the blow down system does not guarantee safe gear extension, and it may not in this one as well. Still, it would have been better to have it as an option. To that end, we�ve re-designed the system to incorporate an electrical solenoid valve that will allow us to extend the landing gear. That will be part of our next series of ground tests.

The hydraulic parts will begin arriving this week and we�ll start reassembling the SHAR. After that, we�ll service and test the hydraulic system, test the landing gear and the new emergency system. We�ll also take this time to modify the cockpit for a better camera installation and flight displays. Hopefully, none of this will delay getting back into the air, but while we�re waiting, we might as well continue to make improvements.

I don�t have an estimate for returning to flight status, but as soon as I do, I�ll post it in another UPDATE.

Update 17

Sat, 22 Mar 2008 20:49:26 GMT

Notice the new, newspaper format. We�ll try to keep the information flowing as the project continues, keep pictures coming, adding video to the website, and keeping everyone in the loop. As always, if you�re not interested in receiving these updates, please let me know and I�ll delete you from the list. You�re always free to access the website on your own.

Obtaining a permit to tow the airplane from the base back to the airport has been one of the most frustrating experiences of this entire project. First, I needed a BOND to guarantee the State of Maryland that I would not damage the road system. Apparently the reputation of the Harrier precedes us. This seems simple enough, but my aviation insurance agent, Cannon Aviation Insurance, had to act on my behalf to procure this from a bonding company. The paperwork was enormous although the amount of the bond was relatively small, compared to the costs of the plane, etc. It has literally taken hours and hours, notarized signatures, financial statements, resumes, and background checks in order to become bonded. They even needed to know when I graduated High School! I�ve had security clearance background checks that were not this thorough. To further complicate matters, we were dealing across 3 time zones and the government workers on the east coast leave for the day promptly at 4:30 pm. In practice, I only had a few useful hours per day to get any work complete, plus the Thanksgiving Holiday to boot. Now that I am bonded, I could apply for the permit.

HarrierSecond, the permit itself was actually straightforward, although no one in the entire State of Maryland has ever done this. Another aviation �first� sort of. Airplanes have been moved on roads, but as we were going through the permit process, most of the blocks were N/A or defied explanation. Imagine putting �towing a fighter jet down the road� into a small box. The agent was actually very patient and sincerely wanted to make this happen, which helps tremendously. The airplane was actually classified as a SUPER LOAD, but since houses have been moved on roads, an airplane should be relatively simple. Should be�

The permit required me to have 2 escorts. This was the easy part. Fortunately, the phone book has a section full of escort services and for once, they all happen to be very good looking. Plus they don�t mind working at night. I don�t understand what they know about towing aircraft, since most of them were named �Peaches� or �Bambi,� but a law is a law. Some of them were so attractive the airplane might have followed them on its own. Maybe that�s why they were required. So if two were required, 3 or 4 should have been better, but my wife intervened with a different definition of �escort.� Darn. Could have had some fun with the remaining 50% of my estate.

SantaThe actual move took place just before midnight on Wednesday the 28 of November. Our permit granted us access to the state roads beginning at 12:01 am on Thursday. Everyone on the Navy Team couldn�t have been better. Everyone who helped from the moment I declared an emergency -- from the crash crew, to the base police, to the line workers, to the gate guards - - everyone was absolutely spectacular. They are to be commended for a job well done under very unusual circumstances. Thank you for all your work!

The move actually went off without any significant hitches. We decided to have some fun with this, so Santa Claus rode in the cockpit. After all, he has significant experience with night flying. Just for information, most Harrier pilots log their night time before it gets dark or while they are on the ground, so Santa was much better qualified for the actual move.

As the mini-parade left the Naval Base and moved toward the airport as a jaunty clip, we passed a bar. No kidding � I saw, I mean Santa saw, a patron leave the bar just as the parade was passing. He paused, looked directly at me in the cockpit. I waved and said, �Ho, Ho, Ho!� He promptly turned around and went back inside. No doubt his story to the other patrons was met with disbelief. He had either had too much, or not enough!

Art and JoeThere is a very narrow stretch of road, just outside the airport, but our EXPERT ground crew navigated that stretch with apparent ease. I am extremely impressed, as were the other onlookers. They actually made it look easy, although at points we were moving at a snail�s pace with wing walkers and flashlights checking the outriggers against the concrete curbs or the road�s edge. The clearances were tight, but we demonstrated it could be done. 34 minutes from gate to gate with no scratches, dents, or dings!

To finalize, the airplane is back on its home turf now and we can properly assess the actual damage, the cause of the original hydraulic failure, and the best way forward. We have a whole list of �lessons learned� that we aim to implement to improve our process and enhance safety. As with most everything, we continue to improve with each little �setback.�

As soon as we can predict when we should make it back in the air, I�ll let you know. But at this point, it looks like just about�..

2 weeks.

Happy Holidays!

Update 16

Sat, 22 Mar 2008 20:52:24 GMT

You may have noticed that the video of the emergency landing and the photos of the prone Sea Harrier have been removed. I�ve been a bad, bad puddy tat. In the hast of getting the video and photos to the web, I neglected the huge, 4 foot by 8 foot sign at the entrance to the naval base stating �Photography Prohibited aboard this Installation.� I didn�t think they meant me.

It was an honest mistake, so we removed all the video and stills and have submitted them to the appropriate authorities for release approval. I hope to have an answer within the next few days. I don�t believe any harm was done beyond. I just couldn�t read the sign traveling at 350 knots, with a HYD 1 light flashing in my eyes.

We�ve taken the past couple of days to recount the events, document our lessons learned, and determine the way forward. Obviously, we need to recover the aircraft to the hangar and fully assess the damage, but it does not appear serious. Parts are on order from the UK and most of them will be bolt-off / bolt-on. A few minor metal pieces will be repaired and we�ll start our ground testing anew to insure that we haven�t damaged the engine or any other systems. The single most time-consuming element may be the export approval process from the UK for the components so we�re starting that immediately.

Our plan is to tow the airplane, intact, from NAS Patuxent River to St. Mary�s airport, 8 miles away. The road is certainly wide enough, there are no obstacles and the permit process is in work. Much larger loads have been moved over these same roads. We will provide pictures of that trek and maybe a few surprises. Our little minds have been working overtime during this, and humor seems to be an outlet for the financial pain sure to come.

I�m attaching comments from the other team member�s perspective for these first flights. The first is from Joe Anderson as the Landing Signal Officer (LSO), who is the ground observer for all takeoffs and landings. LSO�s are used aboard ship and we determined early in our process that an LSO was absolutely essential to flight safety for our operation, at least in the early stages of flight test.

Joe, is a retired Marine Corps Major General (2-stars for those who go by stars), a former Harrier Test Pilot, and a helluva good pilot. He is recently type-rated in the L-39 jet aircraft and will be the second to fly the Sea Harrier. He and I have known each other for nearly 30 years and I�m extremely fortunate to have him join the team. I could think of no one more qualified to act as LSO.

Anyway, here are his comments:

Saturday�s brief was thorough and professional. We collectively came to the conclusion to stay gear down and minimize workload. We also wanted to minimize distractions and it was determined that Chase would make the radio broadcasts and assist in the lookout tasks. This was very useful as the SHAR experienced what sounded to the LSO to be stuck mike on transmit. The appropriate decision to make one full stop roll on landing relying primarily on aerodynamic flight controls worked well. On both flights, we agreed that any serious emergency was best handled with a divert to NAS Patuxent River with its longer multiple runways, VSTOL pad and 24/7 crash crew. On the Sunday flight, Art personally interacted with the Hollywood Volunteer Fire Department and actually postponed launch until they arrived. Shortly after takeoff, I heard chatter about Hydraulic fluctuations on the HYD 1 system. I pulled out my checklist to the same page as the chase observer and listened to the challenges and responses. I then grabbed the 2 maintenance personnel and headed to the base. My fear was that we would be delayed at the gate but we were fortunate. We arrived at the base of the tower and I saw plenty of good concrete and wanted to land the aircraft right next to the crash crew. The tower preferred the newly built Joint Strike Fighter pad (with its fluted grating). This turned out to be ideal and the SHAR started to decell to the pad. I stayed in the truck in order to remain capable of calling out corrections to the pilot who was clearly going to be required to hover well before we planned it. It was unnecessary as the pilot performed a steady and flawless deceleration to a hover over the pad. I got out and checked him out and he appeared to have all his landing gear down and locked. His landing light was on which we had all been misinformed for years as an indication of gear down and locked. After a very smooth and gentle touchdown, the starboard outrigger and nosegear abruptly collapsed and Art immediately shut the aircraft down, safetied his ejection seat and exited the aircraft. In my opinion, his superior aviation skill and calm demeanor probably kept the cockpit intact and prevented serious injury.