navychief 1 Posted October 13, 2003 When I first came into the Navy, I was stationed at NATC Patuxent River, MD. Great duty, but not exactly representative of the "real Navy", as it were. I did enjoy it there, though. The only sea time I saw, while at Pax River, was with the maintenance crew for the aircraft used on for ACLS certifications (Automatic Carrier Landing System). Those detachments would usually only last one week. At the time I was a A-7 Plane Captain (or Crew Chief, for you Air Force types!). Nowadays, when an aircraft lands, they do all refueling on the flight deck. As far as I know, there is no exception to this. But back in the 70s, it was quite common for them to trap an aircraft, and drop it down the nearest elevator to the hangar deck. The pilot would taxi the aircraft through the hangar bays (engines running!). The ordies would reload weapons on it and the grapes would refuel it on either forward elevator, and then send it back to the flight deck to the cats for relaunch! When they would send the aircraft to the flight deck, they would announce that an aircraft was coming down (they'd signify which elevator) "down, Hot". It was a strange sight, not to mention loud as hell, to see a jet taxiing through the hangar. The noise was deafening. Navychief Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Schizo Posted October 14, 2003 Hey Chief, Hot turnarounds through the hangar bay? PM you later? Schizo Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Seawolf 0 Posted October 14, 2003 Never saw a Hot refuel through the hanger bay Chief, but it would sure scare the hell out of me if I did.lol We usually had plenty of aircraft stowed down there so getting a plane through was a chore. Fueling used to happen right next to the island underneath vultures row so when they hot refueled the jet exhaust would redirect upward and make life hell on vultures row.lol They would usually try to keep the planes into the wind while fueling, but it got so crowded sometimes you had no choice but to stack them wherever you could. I could sit on vultures row and just watch flight ops for hours sometimes, always something cool to see. :) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
firehawkordy 34 Posted October 16, 2003 Cheif, Before I was an AO striker, I was an undesignated, nonrated Grape in V4 on the Sara. This was in '79-'81, and things must have had changed quickly as I never saw what you saw in the hanger.The big thing now is risk management, not a bad thing. The only fueling in the hanger is with the A/C completely shut down except for deck edge power. I think the only ordnance loads you would see is with training rounds, the brass colored ones not the blue ones :D Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
navychief 1 Posted October 16, 2003 Hey Firehawkordy I only saw it happen one time. It was on the Sara, back around 74, and we were off the coast of Cuba, doing ACLS quals. Our det was only onboard for one week, and they gave us berthing that was the worst! The aircon was broken in our compartment, and we tried sleeping in the catwalks, and got into trouble for that. Anyway, I do remember seeing a jet taxi in the hangar, and what I recall mostly was the noise! navychief Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
firehawkordy 34 Posted October 17, 2003 Cheif, Were you berthed on the 03 level, two compartments foreward of the fantail? If so that was my neighborhood for a few years. And the AC still didn't work. :D One of the only sights I saw that left it's mark was watching the EA-3's fly onboard from Rota. Any thing that could fly off the boat would, then the controlled crashes and fun would begin. Looked the builders plate of one of those things. The acceptance date is still in my mind, 12DEC59, seven months older than me. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
