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Tailhook?

tfriendshuh

Well Known Member
[idle speculation]

Being a former carrier guy - I can't help but wonder what it would take to attach a functional tail-hook to an RV.

Any hard core naval aviation engineers out there with real world experience?

[/idle speculation]

:D
 
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Functional? Would take some serious structural material and a lot of additional weight. And probably complete redesign. :)
 
????

And just what were you going to hook? It's not like they would let you land on a carrier

Gary Specketer
 
For that matter, with the carrier pointed into the wind, plenty of landing and takeoff distance even on the smallest carriers. Hmm. That would be fun in a RV. :)
 
Based on some of the things we did in my hold-my-beer-and-watch-this RC airplane days, I've wondered about a drag (drogue?) chute on the RV... Don't need a wire for that. And besides being fun, it gives the RV a fighting chance in a short landing event!
 
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Cool

One could build a hook assembly from fiberglass....non working of course, and mount it.
It might be a little drag and weight but......very cool.


I could even re-label my non working Canopy Eject handle to include: " Push for Tail hook and Pull for Canopy Eject"
 
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Almost Osprey mod

I am marketing a mod. After installing you will be able to land and stop on the numbers. :)

STOL%20mod%20-%201.jpg
 
[idle speculation]

Being a former carrier guy - I can't help but wonder what it would take to attach a functional tail-hook to an RV.

Any hard core naval aviation engineers out there with real world experience?

[/idle speculation]

:D

I haven't used a hook for a number of years, but the Cougar did fine with a hook... Go for the chute, not a hook. You need a cable at the right time for a hook. a chute can be popped anytime.

John
 
First thing you'll need to design in is the equivalent of a longitudinal keel to take the deceleration loads. To the best of my knowledge, all Naval carrier aircraft have structures that either are, of function as, a keel for the distribution of the loads involved...
 
Not exactly functional, but I've seen more than one tailwheel spring painted to look like a tailhook.
 
Well, if you're gonna have a tailhook, you'll need to be able to do a cat shot, so you'll need a nose hook, too. And that means you need a nose dragger .... not likely the plane of a fine brown shoe Navy pilot, is it?

Seems to be a bit of an ill-posed question ;-)
 
Release?

Curious; anyone know how that system releases the plane at the end of the launch...?
 
It's been done!
Must be about 15 years ago, I attended the NW Arlington Air Show / Fly In just north of Seattle. There was a RV6A parked there painted in a Naval scheme with an authentic Tail Hook (temporarily) mounted on the tail. I remember looking at it & thinking it must weigh at least 30 lbs & how his CofG must be real wonkie. Maybe some Arlington locals might remember the plane.
 
Now your talkin

JATO Bottles hmmm that could help with passing at Reno. Oh never mind that would bump me up to Jet class.
 
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