A97Stallion

the first movement with #1 selected on the manual selector is for the ramp to move up, to unload the locks, until there is a buildup of pressure (500psi i think), then the locks will retrack and you select #2 to pump it down. with the ramp down and locks extended, you can either use the aux pump (which you don't have) and select down, lock will come in, or have some guys standing / pushing on the ramp to provide resistance and the locks will retract with #1 selected. alternatly you can remove the lock actuator panel and manually retrack the locks using the push rods

I live in NZ, hold a NZCAA part 66 licence and work for a part 145 maintenance organisation. The requirement before being able to certify work is to have acheived a licence, about 11 exams for Airframe and Turbine Powerplant with limited Avionics plus an oral exam conducted by someone from the CAA, I think exams are pushing $300 each minimum, 70% pass mark take on average 1 to 3 years to complete, (a mixer of the EASA & FAA systems) that is the start. Then you must complete a Type approval / Rating course for the applicable aircraft (6 - 10 weeks depending on the type, C-130, A320, B737NG etc.) generally one or two exams a week, pass mark now 75% plus the Tech Oral conducted after your experience log for the type has been accepted by the QA department. You are now ready to certify / Release to Service to applicaple aircraft type so long as you maintain currency on type Welcome to the world of the NZ LAME, (Licence Aircraft Maintenance Engineer) it sounds like a tedius process but I think it delivers the right mix. I'm lucky, I have the best of both worlds, licenced and working on the mighty Herc while also covering Boeings and Buses, really enjoy the variety of work on each different aircraft type.

I would normally talk to the customer rep, giving them the choice to make the call, but only after I'm satisfied that this will not compromise the safety of the aircraft which may have required contact with our tech department, if it needs to be replaced then lay all the info out to the customer and, well, that's the cost of operating an aircraft, much cheaper than loosing it!!

Aussie H's ('78 models) had them but nothing like the JATO attachment points on the LC's

Awesome bunch of photos, proud to have worked on a few them shown cheers :)

Following some on going discussions, can someone please clarify what is the purpose of the spin brake on the LC130 MLG and why is it only installed on the aft wheel assy's

An engineer who was killed when he was sucked into a Hercules plane engine at Woodbourne Airport near Blenheim this morning has been named by police. Miles Hunter, 51, from Renwick was killed during a "routine maintenance operation" at the airfield's engine testing area about 8.15am. Tasman police acting district commander Inspector Steve Caldwell said emergency services performed CPR on Hunter, but he was pronounced dead at the scene. He was employed by Safe Air, a subsidiary of Air New Zealand. Caldwell said police were assisting with a Department of Labour investigation. A source said Occupational Safety and Health were on site and the C-130 Hercules engine had since been taken into the RNZAF hangar. He said Hunter had been working on a contract to maintain the C-130. A former employee said the engine wasn't fitted to an aircraft when he was killed. He said Safe Air tested Hercules engines on a frame in a remote corner of the airport once they had been serviced. Hunter had reportedly entered the testing enclosure while the engine was running. Safe Air confirmed that Hunter died during what it called a "routine maintenance operation" at its Blenheim base. An Air New Zealand spokesman said the engine was being tested without its propellers.

Hi Don, you're right on the money, well at least a couple of ATR's. Unlike the J model's blades these one are a nice looking blade, similar to the ATR, but a lot bigger and much larger than the standard four blader. Maybe Skier130 shed some light on how 492 performed during the last summer season in NZ. Kev

Hi here are a couple of photo's I have of 492 showing the size of the spinners. cheers Kev

Oh how i can tick so many then.... Here are some more that I'm sure many can also relate to You've ever slept on the concrete under a wing (or on the wing itself). You've ever used a black chinagraph pencil to fix an overworn tire. You have a better benchstock in the pockets of your overalls than the supply system. You've ever used a piece of lockwire as a toothpick. (should make em Mint Flavoured) You refer to a pilot as a "control-stick actuator" or "seat/stick interface", etc etc. You've ever been told to "pump up the windsock, a left-handed screw driver, a North bearing, a bottle of K-9P or a can of striped paint, a tapered Drill, a Long weight, go find a 12†populating tool" You've ever worked a 14-hour shift on an aircraft that isn't flying the next day. You talk to the aircraft (often in a not-so-nice way). You've ever said, "That nav light burned out after launch." You've ever used a chock as a hammer. You relieve yourself more often outdoors than indoors. You've used lockwire to clean your fingernails. You've worn someone else's hat to the mess. Cheers Kev

just came across this online sad, sad, sad. "Hercules plane carrying 100 crashes From correspondents in Jakarta, Indonesia | May 20, 2009 AN Indonesian military transport plane carrying 13 crew and about 96 passengers has crashed in Madiun in East Java. The number of casualties was unclear, said air force spokesman Bambang Soelistyo, but a local official told Metro TV the plane had crashed into several houses and at least two people on the ground had died. "It's completely destroyed; only the tail was left," subdistrict head Wardi told Metro TV. Mr Soelistyo said the Hercules transport plane had been flying from Jakarta to the eastern part of Java island." Indonesian military plane crashes; at least 3 dead 24 minutes ago JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) — At least three people are dead following the crash of a military plane carrying more than 100 people on the Indonesian island of Java. Many more are feared dead following Wednesday morning's crash. Indonesian television showed video footage of burning jungle where the plane crashed. Soldiers were seen carrying bodies through a rice paddy on stretchers. Air force spokesman Bambang Sulistyo said the C-130 Hercules was on a routine training mission when it crashed near an air force base in East Java province. He said the plane was carrying 112 passengers and crew. It smashed into four houses in Gaplak village before skidding into a field.

Hi Sam I spent 12 yrs in the RAAF working on C130's before moving to Christchurch where I have been working for the last 10 yrs or so out at the airport, although I get to work on a wide varitiy of commercial aircraft the Herc has always held a special spot due to the remarkable versitility

Is this just an initial trail to assess the viablity and gather performance data on the ski birds or will the NP2000 remain installed for the up coming summer season in NZ. Are there any plans to roll this out to the rest of the LC130\'s

Saw this on the Australian news this morning. All RAAF Hercules aircraft grounded Updated: 06:09, Wednesday September 17, 2008 The Defence Force has grounded its fleet of Hercules aircraft after an unusual fault prompted an emergency landing. A Defence spokeswoman has told Fairfax newspapers the fault was detected on Monday night during a training flight near Richmond, north-west of Sydney. She says a plane declared an emergency after its crew detected a fault with the nose-wheel. The crew called a mayday but landed safely at the Richmond Base 20 minutes later. Following the incident, all 24 of the RAAF\'s Hercules transport planes were grounded for all non-essential flights until the cause had been detected. Anyone hear any thing about this???? As the RAAF operates H\'s and J\'s and given the age difference, one could assume that it maybe a local issue.

thanks for your help guys I will confirm the part number (Calco type), but where is that figure from (manual reference) and is this set at the repair center, therefore all ready set up when the item is installed on the aircraft, or can you/do you set this dimension as required?

Hi all, is there anyone who could lead me in the right direction, I\'m looking for the dimension for the Ski Extension Stop (Ballscrew Upper Bumper Stop)when installed on an LC130, and where it is located in the maintenance manuals. cheers :(

I have had lots of discussions with FE\'s about the vent line filter. I have had guys tell me that they can tell the moment that the filter has become contaminated with hyd oil, because during peak flow requirements the low pressure light (suction boost pump) will flicker due pump cavitation. Conversly I know lots of guys who would just clean out the drip tray and send her on her way, huge discussion points between aircrew and maintenance. Regarding the oil level at altitude - cant say it\'s one that i have come across.

Hi I have had this before, more often in the booster system (which is easily tap to help seat when out in the field), but i beleive that you are looking at the primary check valve failing to seat correctly when the EDP\'s and suction boost pump are off allowing the hyd oil to drain back into the reservoir. From memory along the rear spar, fwd of the life raft bins, not so easy to tap. Cheers Kevin B)

thanks for the info, anytime frame on the compleation of the \"apples for apples\" testing and wheather or not the NP2000 props are still being looked at for the LC130 Skl birds. is there much involed demod\'ing the aircraft, is it a case of once the aircraft has been mod\'d for the NP2000 prop it is relatitivly easy to swap between the 4 and the 8 bladed props cheers kevin

was the aircraft de-mod\'d, how much was involved in this and is the testing still continuing to evalute the use of these prop\'s

having spent 10 years on Aussie herks and having various nations passing thru / visiting, there were many chances to interact and discuss different techniques and styles of training. i would have to say that regardless of how the trades were split (engine/airfame and avionics in the RAAF)the standards were very high, although i was always amazed by the US system of specialist trades, making the assumption that this was a numbers game, our lack there of. i have now spent the last 10 years in NZ working for a commercial airline where we have engeineers from all over the world and all walks of life, but the one thing remains the same, the high standards. there are guys here who have maintained herks all over the world, sure we all use diffent lingo and gargon, but it is oh so easy to to have technical discussions on our previous lives with great fondness. cheers kevin:silly:

In my 10 years on herks it was very rare to have a tyre blow out due to dirt ops, one that i do remember was when the center tread seperated on a recapped tyre, it ended up with about 3 feet flailing around before getting caught under the aft wheel assy causing this one to fail as well. i seem to remember having more issues with tyres deflating in flight and when the anti-skid system was selected off. kevin

Dirt Ops in Aussie we had a standard tyre pressure of 65psi (+/-5) standard every day Ops was 85psi (+/-5) longer overseas tasking up to 120psi cheers kevin:)