EARLY YEARS IN THE HORNET’S NEST

F-18 GROWING PAINS

JACK ABERCROMBIE—DECEMBER 2016

 SCOPE & PURPOSE OF PRESENTATION

PROGRAM BACKGROUND TO SET STAGE FOR REST OF PITCH.

MAJOR DESIGN CHALLENGES (EXCLUSIVE OF FIRE CONTROL,

COCKPIT DISPLAYS, AVIONICS, the “ILLITIES,” the F-18L
VERSION, or LEGAL ISSUES).

ONLY LIMITED INFO ON PERFORMANCE, PROPULSION, AND

STORE SEPARATION. MOSTLY ON FLYING QUALITIES / SAFETY
OF FLIGHT ISSUES.
 USAF LIGHT WEIGHT FIGHTER (LWF) aka AIR
COMBAT FIGHTER (ACF) COMPETITION
“SHOW & TELL” DEMONSTRATORS

GENERAL DYNAMICS YF-16 NORTHROP YF-17

1st FLY 20 JAN 1974 (UNPLANNED 6 1st FLY 9 JUN 1974
MINUTE FLIGHT)
CONGRESS AUG 1974 DEMAND: NAVY ADAPT ONE OF THE AIRPLANES.
(WINNER OF USAF “SHOW & TELL”—GD—JAN 1975).
 NORTHROP / McDONNELL TEAM
MCAIR LARGE ADVANCED DESIGN VFAX ORGANIZATION CHANGED TO
NACF—OCT 1974 (BEFORE END OF ACF COMPETION).
McDONNELL / NORTHROP WON NAVY COMPETITION (COMPETING
AGAINST GD / LTV TEAM) FOR NACF WITH McDONNELL AS PRIME—MAY
1975.

NORTHROP

NOTE—CONFIG DESIGN SHOWN IS FOR AFTER OCT 1979.

 F-18 CONFIGURATION--1976

•SCALED UP YF-17 LEX

•THREE LEX SLOTS
•SNAG WING LEADING EDGE
•AILERONS OUTB’D EDGES WELL
INB’D OF TIP
•NO-SNAG STABILATOR
•NOSE STRAKES ON SIDES OF
RADOME
NOTE: DESIGNATION “F-18” AND “A-18”
OFFICIALLY CHANGED TO “F/A-18” ON 1 APR 1984.
F/A-18A AND B FOR ONE- AND TWO-PLACE TF-18
VERSIONS, (Cs AND Ds LATER).
“HORNET” NAME ADOPTED 1 MAR 1977

(AVIATION WEEK ADVERTISEMENT--19 APRIL 1976)

 MAJOR DESIGN CHANGES FROM YF-17
F-18 1ST FLIGHT CONFIGURATION—NOV 1978

F-18

F-18

(GEAR FARTHER AFT)

NOTE ADDITION OF:

YF-17 WING FOLD (2 ITERATIONS) F-18 (1ST FLIGHT)
S=350 ft2 SNAG WING LE (3 ITERATIONS) S=400 ft2
b=35 ft SNAG STABILATOR LE b=37.5 ft
DUAL NOSE GEAR WITH TOW
T=14,400# x2* LARGER RADOME
T=16,000# x2*

TOGW=23,000#* SLOTTED TE FLAPS / AILERONS TOGW=34,700#*(+4280

LONGER LEX fuel)
*MAY BE APPLES
TO ORANGES
 MAJOR ENGINEERING PROBLEMS
ANALYSES & SOLUTIONS
--HIGH LIFT SYSTEM.
--ELECTRONIC FLIGHT CONTROLS.
--NOSEWHEEL LIFTOFF SPEED.
--SUBSONIC DRAG. NOT PRESENTED IN
--ROLL PERFORMANCE. CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER
NOR RELATIVE
--ACCIDENTS IMPORTANCE. EVENT
--LIMIT CYCLE OSCILLATIONS. TIME PERIODS OVERLAP
CONSIDERABLY.
--VERTICAL TAIL FATIGUE.
--TWO-PLACE CANOPY EFFECTS.
--LOADS.
 HIGH LIFT CHALLENGES
THIN WING. WING FOLD. SLOTTED FLAP/AILERON. SNAG. LONG LEX.
LSWT TESTS—417 HOURS BEFORE 1ST FLIGHT.

TESTS AFTER 1ST FLIGHT

LOW SPEED WIND TUNNEL—782 HR.
FLIGHT TESTS—28 FLIGHTS:
-OCT ’80—SEP ’82-

CHALLENGES MET !
 ELECTRONIC FLIGHT CONTROLS (1)

FIRST ALL-DIGITAL, FLY-BY-WIRE CONTROL SYSTEM FOR A

PRODUCTION AIRPLANE. (F-16—ANALOG INITIALLY, F-4 PACT—ANALOG)

QUADRUPLY REDUNDANT CHANNELS.

CONTROL STICK-GRIP FORCE TRANSDUCERS.

BACKUP SYSTEMS--DIRECT ELECTRICAL LINKS (DEL)-ONE DIGITAL,

THE OTHER ANALOG.
DIGITAL DEL FOR PITCH, ROLL, YAW.
ANALOG DEL FOR ONLY ROLL, YAW.

REVERSION MODE TO MECHANICAL CONTROL OF STABILATOR FOR

PITCH AND ROLL CONTROL.
 ELECTRONIC FLIGHT CONTROLS (2)
NAVY EVALUATION OF FLIGHT CONTROLS DESIGN
“FLYING QUALITIES DEFICIENT.
POOR MANAGEMENT ATTITUDE.
COUNTERPRODUCTIVE COMPLEXITY.
SIMULATION WITHOUT ANALYSIS.
NEED MORE AERO INVOLVEMENT.”

AND THIS WAS FOR JUST THE

CARRIER LANDING OPERATIONS!!
 ELECTRONIC FLIGHT CONTROLS (3)
PROBLEMS WITH INITIAL DESIGN PHILOSOPHY
INEXPERIENCE WITH DIGITAL CONTROL (THROUGHOUT INDUSTRY).
ONLY LIMITED USE OF AIR DATA & AOA.
MASKING OF AERODYNAMIC NON-LINEARITIES.
TOO MANY FILTERS & INTEGRATORS—STICK FORCE INPUT, STRUCTURAL
MODES, COMMANDING MORE ROLL RATE THAN AVAILABLE.
STICK TORQUE—HARD-OVER STICK BUT NO ROLL RATE COMMAND.
--TOO MUCH TIME SPENT CALCULATING.--
RESULT—EXCESSIVE TIME DELAY SOLUTION—SPECIAL DESIGN
(150-200 MILLISECONDS)—PILOT- TEAM FORMED APR ’79 FOR
INDUCED OSCILLATION—(PIO) “MAJOR SURGERY”
 NOSEWHEEL LIFTOFF SPEED
AIRSPEED TOO HIGH (~150 kt)-OVER-ROTATION AFTER TAKEOFF.
PROBLEM FLAGGED MONTHS BEFORE 1st FLIGHT.
SPANWISE BLOWING BLC UNDER TAIL VERY EFFECTIVE ~30 kt.
BETTER SOLUTION—UN-SNAG STABILATOR, SCHEDULE RUDDER
TOE-IN / FLARE AND LE FLAP DEFLECTION WITH AOA ~35 kt
IMPROVEMENT. (MCAIR APPROVED JULY 1979).
NOSE UP MOMENT NOSE DOWN
DUE TO RUDDER DUE TO
TOE-IN RUDDER FLARE

STALL

LARGE WEIGHT MOMENT NEW CHALLENGE—SELL INNOVATIVE

SOLUTION TO NAVAIR CUSTOMER.
 SUBSONIC DRAG
EARLY FLIGHT TEST RESULTS--HIGH CRUISE DRAG.
SOLUTION—OCT ’79-JAN ‘80—PLUG TWO FORWARD LEX
SLOTS.
STREAMLINE HEAT EXCHANGER EXIT COVER.
INCREASE WING LEADING EDGE RADIUS TO ~1/4 INCH.

LEX SLOT CLOSURE—

SIGNIFICANT
REDUCTION IN DRAG.
INCREASED LE
RADIUS—”BODACIOUS”
IMPROVEMENT.
(LEX SLOT CLOSURE—
STAY TUNED FOR BAD
EFFECTS).
 DANGEROUSLY LOW ROLL RESPONSE
LOW ALTITUDE, HIGH SPEED (1)

PLACARD—LATE 1979: NO ROLLS >3600 at < 10K, > 0.8 MACH.

INCREASED SPAN AILERON, DIFFERENTIAL TE FLAP—NO HELP. MCAIR PILOT

NOTES WING FLEX DURING ROLL.

MODEST WING STIFFNESS INCREASE (ADDED PLIES)—NO HELP.

DISCUSSIONS—JAN ‘80—DIFFERENTIAL LE FLAP—TWIST WING FOR ROLL.

TOP NAVY/MCAIR MGT DISCUSSIONS-WING PROBLEMS—18 MAR ’80.

UPPER LEVEL MCAIR ATTENTION—4 APR ‘80--6 MAY ’81--26 MEETINGS

ENGINEERING MANAGEMENT, MANY IDEAS.

MANAGEMENT REVIEW MOVIES OF WING TWIST DURING ROLLS--21 MAY ’80

 DANGEROUSLY LOW ROLL RESPONSE
LOW ALTITUDE, HIGH SPEED (2)
SOLUTION
DIFFERENTIAL LEADING EDGE FLAPS / WING TWIST FOR ROLL
CONTROL—FLIGHT TEST APR ’81--v4.3.2 PROMs & NOV ’81--v6.0
PROMs.
WING WARPING CAN BE BENEFICIAL !
 ACCIDENTS and NEAR ACCIDENTS
APR 1980—JUN 1987

MAIN GEAR AXLE BROKE—STILL LOOKING FOR WHEEL NEXT DAY.

TF-18 LOSS—AFTER FARNBOROUGH—ENGINE TURBINE DISK
FAILURE. MCAIR PAID FOR LOSS--$38M.
LOSS—SLOW RECOVERING “FALLING LEAF.” (MORE INFO FOLLOWS)
SPARROW MISSILE HANG FIRE-14 SEC BURN. SCARY.
AIR-TO-AIR BOMBING VICTORY—A4 CHASE (LOSS) MK-82/VER DROP.
LOSS—LH LE FLAP FAIL FULL UP.
LOSS AT EL TORO.
LOSS NEAR SAN CLEMENTE.
LOSS WITH PILOT AT MIRAMAR—MAIN GEAR PLANING LINK FAIL.
BLUE ANGELS LOSS—FLEW INTO WATER TESTING “SCREEN DOOR
SPRING” FEEL SYSTEM.
BLUE ANGELS LOSS—INVERTED, DUAL FLAMEOUT AT EL CENTRO.
LOSS—ENGINE COMPRESSOR BLADES FAILURE.
 FALLING LEAF
14 NOV 1980—Lt TRAVIS BRANNON, F-18 #12 WITH LEX SLOT CLOSURE MOD—
ACM @ 23K— “FALLING LEAF” SERIES OF DEPARTURES. RECOVERY CONTROLS
AT 14K NOT EFFECTIVE. EJECTED ~6 or 7K. NOT A SPIN (SPINS THOROUGHLY
INVESTIGATED BY MCAIR TEST PILOT).

PARTIAL SOLUTION
v10.7 PROMs, 2003
WITH BETA & BETA
RATE FEEDBACK
USING INS INFO, etc.

PILOT HANDBOOK:
RELEASE
CONTROLS AND
WAIT!
 LIMIT CYCLE OSCILLATION—5.6 Hz LATERAL ACCEL
AT PILOT—1 g PEAK-TO-PEAK

1st OCCURRENCE 4 JUN ’81—OUTB’D BOMB and AIM-9 MISSILE--0.97M, 10K.

MANY “SOLUTIONS” IN NEXT 5 YEARS—ALL TURNED OUT TO BE ONLY
“IMPROVEMENTS.”
USN-JAN ’82—DECLARED 5.6 Hz OSCILLATION “SAFETY OF FLIGHT” ISSUE.
MCAIR PILOT --FEB ’82--ALMOST EMERGENCY JETTISON OUTB’D BOMBS.
USN--SEP ’82--”OPERATIONALY UNSUITABLE.”

ANOTHER “FINAL” FLIGHT CONTROL SOFTWARE CHANGE ~1986—ACTIVE

OSCILLATION CONTROL (AOC) OF AILERONS APPARENTLY REDUCED
PROBLEM TO “NUISANCE” CATEGORY INSTEAD OF “SAFETY OF FLIGHT.”
VICTORY DECLARED AGAIN !
VERTICAL TAIL FATIGUE
LEX VORTICES, SPEEDBRAKE--HOSTILE ENVIRONMENT.
1981—CRACKED LUG IN ALL AIRCRAFT—DOUBLER ADDED.
1984—MORE CRACKS IN ALL AIRCRAFT—NAVY GROUNDS
FLEET--“TIGER TEAM” FORMED. “ANGLE IRONS” ADDED.
PROBLEM CONTINUED.
1985—WIND TUNNEL TESTS: LEX SLOTS OPEN AND/OR LEX
FENCE—GREAT IMPROVEMENT ! (AERO & STRUCT DYN IRAD)
1987—1ST FLIGHT TEST LEX FENCE—RESULTS VERY GOOD.
1988—NAVY APPROVED LEX FENCE FOR PRODUCTION.

LEX
FENCE

“ANGLE
IRONS”
 TWO-PLACE CANOPY DESTABILIZES DIRECTIONAL
STABILITY AERODYNAMICS AT ALL CONDITIONS
NEGATIVE DIRECTIONAL STAB AOA > 20 DEG.
MUCH WORSE THAN SINGLE PLACE AIRPLANE.

SAGA OF TF-18 #24

JAN ’84— “ROLL-OFF” AT 20 DEG AOA.
MANY IDEAS TESTED--NONE HELPED: CHANGES TO BLD, SWAPPED
WINGS, SWAPPED RADOMES.
JAN ’85– RUDDER TOE-IN FLIGHT TEST—SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENT.
PLANS MADE FOR PROM CHANGE AND NAVY TEST.
APR-MAY ’85—NAVY DECLINED TEST. ACCEPTED TF#24 w/$1 M PENALTY
APR ’87—AGGRAVATED CONTROL TEST WITH CENTERLINE TANK (WHICH
HURTS LATERAL STABILITY). TANK BROKE OFF, DAMAGED A/C.
SOLUTION (?)—PILOT HANDBOOK AOA PLACARD--TWO-PLACE
AIRCRAFT—20 DEG--M=0.7, 12 DEG--M>0.9. (NO LIMIT BASIC SINGLE PLACE)
 LOADS ALLEVIATION

WING STRUCTURAL MODS:

FOLD MOVED OUTB’D.
LE SNAG MOVED OUTB’D TWICE
before COMPLETE REMOVAL.
TWO INCHES REMOVED from LE.
FLIGHT CONTROL SOFTWARE SCHEDULE:
CONTROL LAWS per STORE LOAD.
INERTIA COUPLING FEEDBACK OF
p, q, r--RUDDER and STABILATOR.
WING FOLD—Xw 146 TO 162.5 TE FLAP per LOAD FACTOR.
SNAG INB’D—Xw 124 TO 146 TO 162.5 DIFF TAIL LIMITS per AIR DATA.
 THE MCAIR / NAD NACF
40+ YEARS LATER—STILL A WINNER