SEFEGeorge

Sounds like a top-notch CC to me herkfixer.

Ditto.

I've always been curious about the Delta drag index with the mods, the LAIRCMs, etc. Back in '85 I asked a gunship FE once what the drag index was and he said 100. At least that's what this old, meager memory recalls.

Must be the CC version of the Vulcan Mind Meld.

I'm picturing in my mind that the CC is going "there, there girl, that mean old flight crew will be here shortly and we just have to live with that."

Since you did an engine and prop change, checked blade angle and tested TD system, I'm pretty much out of ideas. Since I've never worked in Herc maintenance I'm going to take a WAG here (that's wild a$$ guess), and mention the synchrophaser. It's been known to present some crazy problems. I assume that when the engine and prop were changed that all associated parts were changed as well. Were any of the original components put back on? If they were I'd think about replacing them. What might help is a 4 engine run and recording all the numbers for all 4 engines; RPM 1 2 3 4 TIT 1 2 3 4 etc., for each power setting. It might help determining just what's going on. But like I said, i'm not a Herc maintenance guy, just a FE. Recips didn't have all those new-fangled gadgets.

Hey Bill, I'm with you. Engine or prop change recently? If not, then I'd go with Lkuest. Do a TD check with a test box. Even with a eng/prop change, I'd probably check the TD system on both engines just to be sure and eliminate that. Not being an engine or prop guy, have you given any consideration to the fuel control or prop governor? Maybe blade angle on the prop? I'd be curious as to what all 4 are doing. Compare 2 & 3 to 1 & 4 with them all running. At NGI it appears that #2 is higher than #3 so I might think fuel control at first. Not bad for an OLD 32nd guy huh Bill?

Knucklebuster's Lounge. Busted many a knuckle working on recips.

Working at Wal-Mart must be it's own kind of battlefield hell. Especially when welfare checks come in.

Have a super turkey day all.

When they sent some Herc FE instructors though Altus back in '79, me being one of them, you should have seen 34-odd IFE's, most above 30 yrs old, trying to learn the slide rule. No wonder so much liquid brain lubrication was consumed during that 8 week period.

I always thought it would be pretty neat to have a couple stingers, etc., hanging on rails. Maybe a few .50 cals sticking out for defense - upper turrent and tail turrent! During Red Flag we got credit for flaming a F-15 by the LM on the day we were flying as OPFOR. He had taped 2 rescue stobes together and when we did an airdrop of Form AF1 he got the F-15 that was on our tail. Course the gun cameras from the fighters after that showed a long sting of tracers going straight through the cargo compartment and center wing section. Yeah, we were toast.

Would have been nice to have a place like this when I was flying, but back them we were still using the abacus for calculations.

Yeah they got the 17th and the 17th became the 517th. So much for squadron history.

Not sure if anyone here has an affected model but came across this today. http://news.yahoo.com/chrysler-recalls-745-000-jeep-suvs-u-airbag-124659754--sector.html

Red for the 50th (Red Devils) and green (Green Hornets) for the 61st makes sense. Not sure about the 41st and 53rd though. Guess the 16th and 62nd are history huh? The squadrons I was assigned to no longer exist or have different designations now - 32nd TAS, 6594th TG, 16th TATS, and 17th TAS. Such a shame.

Not sure if the same Kitchens or not, but back in 80ish time frame was flying a evening PP out LRF while in the 16th TATS. I had an IFE upgrade and a student FE in the seat. Heading up north to Blytheville AFB for the PP. Got a call from the LM that there was fluid streaming from the #3 engine. Went back and looked and it was a sheet of liquid streaming from the cowling seams. Checked the fuel gages and #3 tank was much lower than #2. They were pretty well balanced after TO. Advised caging #3 and heading back home. Maintenance did a CND troubleshooting and tried to hand it back to us. Major K asked for my opinion and I told him that I don't advise it considering the circumstances and that they did nothing more than pressurize the fuel system and the T-handle was still pulled. Ended up refusing the aircraft and cancelling. Got our asses chewed the next day by the squadron CC, a LC. We explained what happened and the whys. CC still didn't like it, "maintenance said it was ok to go." CC was a real d***. Maybe that's why we were on his shit list from then on. Anyway, Major Kitchens gained a lot of respect from me after that. A real stand up guy.

Search and rescue needs it own command like before, the 23rd. That is if they still do have the numbered AF. AFSOC may do SAR missions, but aren't they more in tune with combat ops and not standard SAR missions? Would hate to think that the SAR squadron here would be under AFSOC and then be sent away by AFSOC and then hinder the SAR missions around Alaska.

And people wonder why the unemployment rolls are increasing! :rolleyes:

In my time they were. Here's a pic from my gallery that I took during Red Flag: http://www.c-130hercules.net/gallery/showimage.php?i=100276&c=176&userid=84

I just wonder what the engine indicators would look like as a headstone? Could be pretty cool for an FE's final resting place. All set to max cont cruise.

We know that, being FEs and all, I think he was wondering why they weren't painted like they typically are.

Yep, I have quite a bit of Herc experience but not on the 74 models and later. The 73 H models had GTCs. I figured it was titanium or SS because of heat but just wasn't sure. Don't the commercial Hercs have the same APU? If so it would seem like the APUs would be certified for inflight use.

I can see the argument on both sides of the issue. Extra weight and drag with them on, less mission flexibility with them off. Hard to have a rapid deployable bird without the extenals. But I guess that's one of the reasons to remove some of the externals, but not all of them. Sure don't need them for PPs, low levels, and continental-US missions (except for trips from AK to some places in the lower 48 and HI). Flying B models from CONUS to HI could be a challenge at times.

One thing I've always been curious about but never asked. On the H models why is the left side skin above the wheel well not painted? Is is because of a heat problem with the APUs and using a different type of metal there?