|
review
One of the A-7Ds in my squadron had an aileron
flutter problem - found a bearing for the aileron was loose in its mounting to
the wing (was "unstaked", not secured properly). When climbing at 400 KIAS
passing between 15,000 and 17,000, the mach number was coming up to about .80
and the flutter would self-excite with no manuevering - no damage, just
scared the pilot (yanked throttle to idle and pulled up to slow down and it
would stop, then returned to land declaring an emergency - thought it was an
engine vibration such as would be caused by losing a turbine blade in aft end of
engine. Engine was checked OK - flutter (never saw what was fluttering,
just felt an awful shaking of everything in the cockpit) was repeatable on
3 different test flights. As this was a speed-altitude condition no one
ever flew at we kept flying the plane on regular missions. Took
several months before Vought led us to the cause - the loose aileron
bearing.
David
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Saturday, March 11, 2006 4:17
PM
Subject: [FlyRotary] flutter
encounter....AOPA article
>NEVER
AGAIN ONLINE: FLUTTERING WITH DISASTER Flutter and wing oscillations rendered
the aircraft uncontrollable with imminent structural failure as a probable
ending: a harrowing event with a remarkable outcome. The pilot's swift action
and a good dose of luck helped him and his passengers survive the ordeal. Read
( http://www.aopa.org/epilot/redir.cfm?adid=8497
) how this pilot handled an extreme emergency--a lesson he would not wish to
repeat.<
|