Westland Lynx (Merged threads)
Not quite, there was a civilian aircraft based upon the Lynx made called the WS30. The only sales were bought by HMG and given to India as foreign aid (=propping up Westlands who were going through a bad patch at the time).
Infortunately they were something of a disaster in that role and after a few years the Indians gave them back in disgust. So far as I know, none are now flying.
G
Infortunately they were something of a disaster in that role and after a few years the Indians gave them back in disgust. So far as I know, none are now flying.
G
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Lynx Q
Can someone explain the operation of this for me on the Navy Lynx....thanks.
A hydraulically operated harpoon deck-lock securing system secures the helicopter to the deck.
How does it work exactly ?
Thanks.
A hydraulically operated harpoon deck-lock securing system secures the helicopter to the deck.
How does it work exactly ?
Thanks.
In the centre of the deck is a hexagonal grid of very high strength (titanium alloy?) "chicken wire".
In the bottom of the aircraft is the harpoon, a hydraulically fired harpoon with "barbs" that splay out so that when the harpoon is pushed through the grid it locks.
Once the aircraft is in the hover above the deck (with the harpoon armed) the pilot(s) reverse the rotor pitch - pushing the aircraft hard into the deck. A weight-on-wheels switch fires the harpoon which hopefully locks through the deck-grid (often referred to, I believe, as the "chicken wire"). If it doesn't lock first time, it recycles and has another go after a couple of seconds.
Once locked, the harpoon partially retracts, pulling the aircraft hard down onto the deck.
All requiring specially strengthened deck, a reversible rotor system, and an incredibly tough energy absorbing undercarriage.
Once landed, it's possible to rotate the wheels so that they effectively form a circle about the harpoon, and the helicopter can be rotated on deck around it.
G
In the bottom of the aircraft is the harpoon, a hydraulically fired harpoon with "barbs" that splay out so that when the harpoon is pushed through the grid it locks.
Once the aircraft is in the hover above the deck (with the harpoon armed) the pilot(s) reverse the rotor pitch - pushing the aircraft hard into the deck. A weight-on-wheels switch fires the harpoon which hopefully locks through the deck-grid (often referred to, I believe, as the "chicken wire"). If it doesn't lock first time, it recycles and has another go after a couple of seconds.
Once locked, the harpoon partially retracts, pulling the aircraft hard down onto the deck.
All requiring specially strengthened deck, a reversible rotor system, and an incredibly tough energy absorbing undercarriage.
Once landed, it's possible to rotate the wheels so that they effectively form a circle about the harpoon, and the helicopter can be rotated on deck around it.
G
Just a little correction from a former navy lynx pilot, if I may....
The harpoon is not fired while the helicopter is in the hover and it does not have barbs.....
It is really just a deck lock device. The helicopter is landed normally over the 'harpoon grid' on the flight deck (a 6 foot diameter(approx) mega-strong steel plate with approx 2 inch holes drilled all over its area).... the deck markings and good training ensure that it is pretty rare to miss the grid area!! I did so once in 18 months!
Once landed on the deck, the pilot presses a button on the collective and the harpoon is extended hydraulically into the deck grid. On the end of the harpoon is a 'two fingered probe or claw' that finds its own way between a pair of grid holes. As it does so, the claw closes under the grid and in effect grabs onto the bit of metal between the pair of grid holes. The hydraulic ram then automatically switches direction and pulls the aircraft downwards holding it on deck.
When ready to take off again, the pilot presses a button on the collective and the harpoon disengages. Once this is confirmed visually by the deck crew the pilot initiates a standard RN deck take off profile. I can tell you that the lynx harpoon is a brilliant system and allows the lynx to operate to relatively small warships (e.g. frigates/destroyers) in very rough conditions; it was essential in cold war north Atlantic conditions and gave a very warm feeling when the aircraft was locked to the deck after landing.
It is possible on the navy lynx to swivel the nose wheel through 90 deg and use the tail rotor to swing the aircraft left or right as required.... a very handy feature.
The Lynx also has the ability to go into what is known as 'sub-min collective pitch'; really negative collective pitch which pushes the aircraft onto the deck. This is almost never used as it seriously stresses the rotor head but in extremis it could allow you to push the aircraft harder onto the flight deck to avoid slipping over the side (!) if you missed the grid, allowing enough time for the flightdeck crew to lash the aircraft to the deck. Again, this is not normal procedure - I never had to use it but nice to have up your sleeve.
The harpoon is probably mis-named as it sounds as though it is fired down into the deck when it isn't. Also not to be confused with the Canadian Bear-trap system which actually winches the helicopter down onto the deck from a hover.... someone with experience of that might be good enough to tell us what that is like!
The harpoon is not fired while the helicopter is in the hover and it does not have barbs.....
It is really just a deck lock device. The helicopter is landed normally over the 'harpoon grid' on the flight deck (a 6 foot diameter(approx) mega-strong steel plate with approx 2 inch holes drilled all over its area).... the deck markings and good training ensure that it is pretty rare to miss the grid area!! I did so once in 18 months!
Once landed on the deck, the pilot presses a button on the collective and the harpoon is extended hydraulically into the deck grid. On the end of the harpoon is a 'two fingered probe or claw' that finds its own way between a pair of grid holes. As it does so, the claw closes under the grid and in effect grabs onto the bit of metal between the pair of grid holes. The hydraulic ram then automatically switches direction and pulls the aircraft downwards holding it on deck.
When ready to take off again, the pilot presses a button on the collective and the harpoon disengages. Once this is confirmed visually by the deck crew the pilot initiates a standard RN deck take off profile. I can tell you that the lynx harpoon is a brilliant system and allows the lynx to operate to relatively small warships (e.g. frigates/destroyers) in very rough conditions; it was essential in cold war north Atlantic conditions and gave a very warm feeling when the aircraft was locked to the deck after landing.
It is possible on the navy lynx to swivel the nose wheel through 90 deg and use the tail rotor to swing the aircraft left or right as required.... a very handy feature.
The Lynx also has the ability to go into what is known as 'sub-min collective pitch'; really negative collective pitch which pushes the aircraft onto the deck. This is almost never used as it seriously stresses the rotor head but in extremis it could allow you to push the aircraft harder onto the flight deck to avoid slipping over the side (!) if you missed the grid, allowing enough time for the flightdeck crew to lash the aircraft to the deck. Again, this is not normal procedure - I never had to use it but nice to have up your sleeve.
The harpoon is probably mis-named as it sounds as though it is fired down into the deck when it isn't. Also not to be confused with the Canadian Bear-trap system which actually winches the helicopter down onto the deck from a hover.... someone with experience of that might be good enough to tell us what that is like!
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"Once the aircraft is in the hover above the deck (with the harpoon armed) the pilot(s) reverse the rotor pitch - pushing the aircraft hard into the deck"
Not quite I'm afraid! The negative pitch is only used once on deck, and before the harpoon locks in place.
Not quite I'm afraid! The negative pitch is only used once on deck, and before the harpoon locks in place.
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How is the negitive pitch applied ? I presume some kind of lock on the lever and then a downward motion ?
Thanks for all of your replies.
HH
Thanks for all of your replies.
HH
Last edited by unhappyhamster; 23rd Jan 2006 at 17:26.
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To apply sub-min pitch on the Lynx you just push the collective through MPOG there is no lock in the system and if you let go it will return to MPOG. When you apply sub-min pitch there are set of marks on the top of the cyclic and on the floor between the yaw pedals which you line up to position the rotor head in the min stress position for sub-min pitch. Applying sub-min pitch puts a lot of stress on the rotor head so we very rarely use it.
Regards,
Jucky
FLY NAVY!
Regards,
Jucky
FLY NAVY!
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The Indian (and Pan Am) WG30 fleet used to have the habit of 'reappearing' every 12 months or so as one entrepreneur after the other looked into buying the fleet at a couple of cents on the dollar and putting it back into service. I suspect strong pressure from Yeovil (along the lines of "You want spares for a WG30? You gotta be s**tting me !!") influenced the decision not to...
I/C
I/C
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That's what got me interested Ian - One was sitting in a London area hangar - I climbed all over it, intrigued - next time I went in it had " gone for scrap. " Someone had bought it from out in India to force it back onto the UK register, but I guess it didn't work out !!
To partially answer the original question - click below....thanks Gem.
http://www.whl.co.uk/history_overview3.cfm
To partially answer the original question - click below....thanks Gem.
http://www.whl.co.uk/history_overview3.cfm
Last edited by unhappyhamster; 24th Jan 2006 at 15:12.
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Just for the spotters out there, the Lynx still holds the world speed record and the 20th anniversary of the flight will be on 11th August. G-LYNX now resides in the Helicopter Museum in Somerset, but in her prime she went 60 kph faster than the S-76 that held the record at the time and achieved 400.87 kph (216 Kts) over the 15km course.
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I will be interested to see how F Lynx (Naval Version) is used to support land ops (coastal). With the Sea Spray 7000, they will have a GMTI capability as is used by SK Mk7 to detect and track land vehicles. In addition they will have a SAR (Synthetic Apeture Radar) mode to find stationary targets and gather intel. I am very surprised that AAC would not get this capability which the Sea King Mk7 uses very well to support AH. Opens up the land war to navy F Lynx....RN Observers should be looking forward to what good be a great platform to fight in.
Fly-Friendly
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Chaps
Am I being a bit daft? As the current Lynx is on the way out (5Reg is no longer a Reg but a Sqn) and I am sure there will be a large gap between Lynx and FLynx entering service. If we can do without the Lynx for so long and it has been very limited in the hot and dusty places why do we really need another Lynx ???
Surely the money would be better spent on more support for AH and SH ??
Heads down !!!!!!!!!!
Am I being a bit daft? As the current Lynx is on the way out (5Reg is no longer a Reg but a Sqn) and I am sure there will be a large gap between Lynx and FLynx entering service. If we can do without the Lynx for so long and it has been very limited in the hot and dusty places why do we really need another Lynx ???
Surely the money would be better spent on more support for AH and SH ??
Heads down !!!!!!!!!!
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Why is the current Lynx on its way out|? I understood the OSD is 2018 and so with F.Lynx ISD Circa 2014 there will be a few years where we operate a mixed fleet (Much like we do at the moment really - IIRC There are currently 11 different types of Lynx in RN Service)
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G-LYNX 20 years ago today..
In case people have forgotten, Britain gained an absolute speed record that still stands. 
Of course I am talking about G-LYNX across the somerset levels on 11th Aug 1986, 400.87kph / 249.1 mph in level flight, a fine example of applied British research.
So I for one will be raising a glass to the WHL team that did the deed, many of whom still work at WHL and will no doubt be doing the same in other Yeovil pubs.
I wonder what the next Westland blade will manage?
DM
Of course I am talking about G-LYNX across the somerset levels on 11th Aug 1986, 400.87kph / 249.1 mph in level flight, a fine example of applied British research.
So I for one will be raising a glass to the WHL team that did the deed, many of whom still work at WHL and will no doubt be doing the same in other Yeovil pubs.
I wonder what the next Westland blade will manage?
DM
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That was a marvelous record, very much THE helicopter flight of the last 25 years! The execution of the record was pure engineering triumph and piloting skill.
Don't place too much emphasis on the BERP blade, it is actually a fairly poor performer in comparison to the blades being flown by the competition. For example, if the BERP blades on the EH-101 had the efficiency of the S-92's blades, it would gain over 2000 lbs of hover performance, with the same engine power.
Don't place too much emphasis on the BERP blade, it is actually a fairly poor performer in comparison to the blades being flown by the competition. For example, if the BERP blades on the EH-101 had the efficiency of the S-92's blades, it would gain over 2000 lbs of hover performance, with the same engine power.
The efficiency argument may ,just may, be true Mr Lappos but the Westalnd blade is a lot quieter and you don't have to slow down in the Merlin when approaching Aberdeen like the S-92 boys have to !!
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Please don't take my comment on the blade as a slap on the aircraft.
I just marvel that the BERP blade has its own PR department to sell its wonderfulness! While it is funny-looking, it is really a pretty middling blade, with less hover performance and poor stall characteristics relative to the blades on half a dozen helicopters of the same vintage. Just look at the stall speeds of the EH-101 to verify that it doesn't have to slow down, because it never got to that high speed!
I just marvel that the BERP blade has its own PR department to sell its wonderfulness! While it is funny-looking, it is really a pretty middling blade, with less hover performance and poor stall characteristics relative to the blades on half a dozen helicopters of the same vintage. Just look at the stall speeds of the EH-101 to verify that it doesn't have to slow down, because it never got to that high speed!