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Post by Diamondback on Jul 4, 2014 10:08:32 GMT 9
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Jim Scanlon (deceased)
Senior Staff
FORUM CHAPLAIN
Commander South Texas outpost of the County Sligo Squadron
Currently: Offline
Posts: 5,075
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Joined: July 2007
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Post by Jim Scanlon (deceased) on Jul 4, 2014 11:14:00 GMT 9
The RAT was a pain in the head, shoulders and back, as when it was down, it was easy to run in to it during preflight or maintenance.
I don't recall it being an "auto-drop", but a cockpit release.
As I recall, most of the time the bird was on the ground, the RAT was down.
Somewhere in one of my footlockers, I have a RAT Hook.
There is a small eyelt on the RAT Door, and after you push the door up on the pilots preflight, you put the RAT Hook in the eyelet and pull on it to make sure it is closed.
It could not be raised from the cockpit, as there is no actuator on it.
So, if it come open in flight, the pilot will have to fly slow and land soon.
I don't remember the max speed for the RAT to be down, but it isn't Mach 2.
Jim Too
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Post by Jim on Jul 4, 2014 13:29:06 GMT 9
Remember what the RAT powered and that should give you some idea of the max operating speed.. If the gear are still up and locked and the pilot and canopy are gone, the RAT is probably extended .... Would you want to be flying much faster than approach speed when the only hydraulic pressure you had came from the RAT. Typically, the reason for the RAT to be extended is for post and preflight inspections, and, as Pastor says " to ensure that ground people get their share of wounds".
51 years is a long time ago, but, it was released by the pilot pulling on a handle in the cockpit unlatching the door and gravity took care of getting it down into the slip stream
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Post by Mark O on Jul 4, 2014 15:31:21 GMT 9
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Post by Mark O on Jul 4, 2014 15:46:24 GMT 9
This is what I found in Section 3 (Emergency Procedures) of the same Dash 1. This is on page 3-35. Still looking for the specific max speed for deploing the RAT, but I would say 350 KCAS based on this entry. Having been well versed in the C-130 Dash 1, I know the limitations are often listed just as this, and could be a pain to actually find. Again, I'm still looking though! (Page 3-36, Change 1.) Note the "Warning."
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Post by Jim on Jul 5, 2014 2:37:16 GMT 9
Thanks Mark for the update, 51 years is a long time ago..... The 174KIAS is the minimum to be sure that there is adequate pressure AND volume to operate fairly large cylinders that need a large volume of fluid at high pressure, that is why the Warning addresses minimum control movement. The RAT powers not only the elvevons, but the rudder as well.... This why that hyd system is called the primary hydraulic system....Secondary system was for normal operation of the landing gear and speed brakes. With a complete hydraulic system failure, the landing gear are blown down (to later cause a big hyd fluid spill when bleeding the air out of the system using full mule pressure) and the speed brakes don't work........
For the snake: If you are going to display the model in a climbing turn, then the RAT had better be retracted, if otherwise, leave the canopy off and the pilot out because he is about to fall out of the sky...... Don't forget, pictures are required
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Post by Diamondback on Jul 6, 2014 6:50:11 GMT 9
Thanks, guys! Should be all the gent over at ARC wanted to know and then some...
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