GVS Posted January 25, 2013 Share Posted January 25, 2013 Just wondering : is the nacell preheat system still being installed and if so are the switches still guarded/breakers pulled? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lkuest Posted January 26, 2013 Share Posted January 26, 2013 I believe only the LC-130's require nacelle preheat, although I've heard Wyoming may have Mod'd their engines with the system. The 70GS lists a handful of MDS's with the modification, but I think it is wrong. The 16W only lists the LC's as having the preheat requirement. All Air Force C-130's have wiring for the system throughout the aircraft. I wouldn't think the system would need to be deactivated as the system, when equipped, only functions when the condition lever is aft of the RUN position AND the aircraft is on the ground, but I guess sometimes you can never be too safe for some people. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ronc Posted February 7, 2013 Share Posted February 7, 2013 To the best of my knowledge, the QECs (engines) at Hurlburt no longer have the valve installed. Ron Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SEFEGeorge Posted February 8, 2013 Share Posted February 8, 2013 Never had to use the system, even in Alaska. Thought about it once at a radar site WAY up north. Flew in to drop off supplies, wind chill -90 degrees F. For some reason we needed fuel. Don't remember why, maybe we had to hold for a while before landing. CRS you know. Anyway, tried to put fuel in and the hose from the fuel pit was leaking like a sieve. Stopped refueling, that cold, that dry, fuel on the ground - disaster waiting to happen. Had to get permission from ALCC to fly to Eilson to refuel, since we were cutting the fuel really close to minimums. Plus brake lines were seeping. Because of the extreme cold the GTC was kept running just in case. Thought about using the nacelle preheat but didn't. Except for Arctic Survival School, it was the only time I had to dig into my cold weather bag that we had to carry during the winter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GVS Posted February 9, 2013 Author Share Posted February 9, 2013 The reason I asked is because it was quite cold here that day and I was thinking I'd hate to be stuck in Rhine Main,Kef., or any one of many cold weather places that all of us have been and sweating an engine start.I only used preheat once and that was at Evreux.It never got really cold there but was damp. I was on nights and left over from day shift was a no start/no rotation write up. A starter had been ordered but no trouble shooting had been done.Flt.chief sent another guy and me out to have a look.Rolled a stand out, Opened the cowl and got ready to try a start.GTC runing,ATM runing,start button pushed------and no air at the starter! Can feel the duct going to the starter control valve flex just a bit. Must be the valve,lets put one O/O,no wait ,maybe it's frozen-lets try some preheat-geez no we'll be in big trouble if we do that-lets do it anyway and not tell anybody-OK. It took longer to unguard the switches than it did to hit preheat for 10 sec.and get a sucessful start.A couple more starts(observing the duty cycle of course),sign off, button up and done.Kept that fix under our hats for a long time. There was nothing but horror storys told about useing nacell preheat and maint.was not to touch those switches! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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