Post on 14-Feb-2017
EA-18G Sea TrialsUnclassified
EA-18G “Growler”Sea Trials Testing
USS Dwight D. EisenhowerCVN 69
LT Mike “Jockey” LisaVX-23 Ship Suitability Test Pilot / LSO
LCDR Jake “Rusty” StaubVX-23 Ship Suitability Test Pilot / LSO
EA-18G Sea TrialsUnclassified
Introduction
Face Shots
EA-18G Sea TrialsUnclassified
Why Test at Sea?
Ship’s Air Wake “Burble” Ship’s Conditions
Wind Over Deck ALRE Pitching Deck Unique Environmentals
High Gain No Margin for Error
Embarked PALS CVN Compatibility
EMI Durability
Envelope Expansion Rhino 44,000 Growler 48,000
vert contours
u
vert = w / WOD
WODw vert
EA-18G Sea TrialsUnclassified
Test Article
EA-18G Sea TrialsUnclassified
Resource Limited Test Environment
CVN Deck Time Extremely Limited Limited CVN availability
– GWOT Decommission
– JFK, Constellation, Kitty Hawk
Personnel Very few with corporate
knowledge Limited LSO availability
Fleet Operational Requirements
EA-18G Sea Trials Cancelled 3 times (9 month delay)
Proposed Plan
EA-18G Sea TrialsUnclassified
Test Planning
Over 2,400 Test Points = Max Efficiency Required!!!
Wind Over Deck
Off-Nominal Set-up
ConfigurationPA
PA – 1/2Load-outSymmetric
Asymmetric
Degraded Modes
LEF 1
LEF 2
STAB
GAINS
SSE
Parameter Source
Recovery Headwind MORIAH
Wind Over Deck MORIAH
Gross Weight TM or Pilot observation of fuel quantity
Lateral Asymmetry
TM or Pilot observation of wing tank fuel
split
Go / No-Go
EA-18G Sea TrialsUnclassified
Team Composition
CVS Expertise 104 folks
4 Pilots = <4% total manning MIL/CIV/CONT
VX-23 NAVAIR BOEING
Pilot selection Broad Range of Experience EA-6B, F/A-18, Sea Trials
LSO Manning All Pilots are LSO 1 extra non-flying LSO for Flex-
manning Bonus LSO AIRLANT Paddles
Rank Total
Hours
Hornet
Hours
Traps
O-6 2,800 2,600 700+
O-5 2,200 2,000 500+
O-4 1,500 150 250
O-3 1,200 120 200
EA-18G Sea TrialsUnclassified
How we Executed
PALS / FDC Prior Open up the CV for Ops
High Density / High Op-tempo Test Evolution
15 Hr Days 2 x 4 hrs Flex-Deck Periods
Multiple Hot-Pumps Pilots and LSOs Swap Each
Period
EA-18G Sea TrialsUnclassified
ResultsMetric Summary
Summary of Totals 420 Test Points 54 Deck Hrs 39.8 Flt Hrs 63 Traps 61 Catapults 5 Days 4 Pilots > 250,000 lbs
fuel dumped
10.55
7.78
1.17 1.130.74
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
Test Point / Flight Hr Test Point / Deck Hr Trap / Deck Hr Cat / Deck Hr Flight Hr / Deck Hr
Rate Metric
Effic
ienc
y Fa
ctor
Fleet Rate > 30Fleet Rate > 30
EA-18G Sea TrialsUnclassified
ResultsFQ&P
EA-18G Sea TrialsUnclassified
ResultsDegraded Modes
EA-18G Sea TrialsUnclassified
ResultsCATS
EA-18G Sea TrialsUnclassified
ResultsPALS
EA-18G Sea TrialsUnclassified
ResultsLSO
ARB
VID
W/O Perf
EA-18G Sea TrialsUnclassified
Conclusion / Recommendations
5 NATOPSCV / Flight Deck (Military and Civilian)LSO NATOPS (Pocket Checklist)Stab Fail 46kPA1/2 35 KtsHigh Lat Asym and PA1/2 PALS Clnc
EA-18G Sea TrialsUnclassified
Future Safety Concerns
F/A-18 EF
EA-18G
EA-18G Sea TrialsUnclassified
LessonsTeam Composition
Military RatioManning in FDC
All people need to “make money”No corporate dudes watching
LA incursionAlmost Lost a dude!!
EA-18G Sea TrialsUnclassified
LessonsLSO
Need to Fly the A/C under test
Need to “train like we fight”ARB Drill at the field
Never have enough Paddles
All our Pilots were engaged in every test point b/c they also waved
EA-18G Sea TrialsUnclassified
LessonsTest Planning
NFL Play ScriptDecision Tree
Involve all HODS in Pre-sail
Test Asset Maturity
EA-18G Sea TrialsUnclassified
LessonHigh Order Effects
Reactor
Air Department
Civilian rider burden on Ship Admin Meals, beds
EA-18G Sea TrialsUnclassified
Worlds Collide
Developmental Test in an Operational Environment No Margin for planning error No Margin for execution
– 903 Every minute you loose is gone forever 3,500 displaced personnel supporting your test
We test, But it’s their ship!!
The Carrier serves for a greater purpose then any single Test
EA-18G Sea TrialsUnclassified
Video / Pictures
HUD of HOSX – High WOD
Platt
903 Video
Stab Recon T&Go
EA-18G Sea TrialsUnclassified
Be The Ball!!!!
EA-18G Growler Sea Trials
EA-18G Sea TrialsUnclassified
Agenda
Executive Summary
CVN 69 PALS Cert
EA-18G Sea Trials
Support
Lessons Learned
Summary of CVN 69 & EA-18G Firsts
Final Words
EA-18G Sea TrialsUnclassified
Executive Summary PALS Cert
Full PALS certification, no limitations VX-23 Ship Suitability available to help through work-ups & deployment
Advanced Navigation System (ANAV) Ground Tests EA-18G Sea Trials
Expect a full certification of EA-18G Many firsts in Naval history 319 Approach Test Points 60 Catapult Test Points Exercised new ALB’s & ARB’s
Support Hosted a combined team 104 military/GS/contractor Detailed presail planning was key Personal engagement by all departments drove success
CVN 69 PALS certification renewed
Over 2,400 Test Points = Max Efficiency Required!!!
EA-18G Sea TrialsUnclassified
PALS Cert
Fully certified with no limitations Interim clearance issued Final clearance issued after data analysis (10-14 days) Deficiencies
ACLS (SPN-46)– SPN-46 Channel A Secondary Azimuth Encoder comparison error
check is disabled– NAVAIR 4.5.8 will inspect/repair pedestal during an upcoming inport
ICLS (SPN-41)– Azimuth drive motor failed during high speed operations (vibrations)
after PALS Cert (during EA-18G Sea Trials)– Repaired and operational
All stabilization sources check good
EA-18G Sea TrialsUnclassified
EA-18G Sea Trials Statistics
Flight Hours: 44.0 Approaches: 319 Traps: 62 Cats: 60 Zappers: > 500
Areas tested Flying Qualities & Performance (Approach & Catapult) Precision Approach & Landing (PALS)
Loadout Symmetric 48K lbs gross weight Asymmetric 26K ft-lbs, 48K lbs gross weight
Configurations Full flaps Half flaps Manual & Auto Throttle (ATC)
EA-18G Sea TrialsUnclassified
EA-18G Sea Trials
Wind Over the Deck Normal & High Max allowable crosswinds – very challenging for everyone!
Degraded Modes Flap failures Stabilator failures Gain override Single engine
Mission Systems in CVN environment Preliminary Results
No unexpected or negative flying qualities noted No CVN mission systems compatibility issues noted Possible deficiencies & NATOPS discussion items
– Day visual identification – Waveoff performance– High WOD - Full Flap to Half Flap conversions
Expect a fully cleared aircraft to support planned fleet IOC
EA-18G Sea TrialsUnclassified
Support
Big diverse team from NAVAIR 104 Total 11 Military, 24 GS, 79 Contractor 28 contract maintainers on flight deck Many lessons learned, much experience gained
Detailed Planning & Support Preliminary AIRPLANS & Coordination Email Accounts Visit rosters to base security 3 presail meetings Strike Ops, Boss/Mini, OPSO, AIMDO, Suppo, CSO, PAO – Key Players
Onload & Offload ANAV EGI POD (12,000 lb trailer in hangar bay) 12,000 lbs of gear and supplies Craned on and off telemetric and photographic instrumentation
EA-18G Sea TrialsUnclassified
Support
Berthing & Messing 11 Military 93 Guest Riders Increased burden for CVN 69 wasn’t easy
Operations AIRPLANS & Decisions Daily Discussions Overall leadership Skill of flight deck crew was awesome!
Supply Due to CVN 69 support, 11 downing discrepancies resulted in only 1
missed flight event Cats & Dogs
1 Foreign National Medical for 13 personnel (2 military and 11 civilian) …..many others
EA-18G Sea TrialsUnclassified
Lessons Learned
Effects of DON systemic deficiencies amplified during this at-sea period Issues to be highlighted to NAVAIR COC Flight Deck NATOPS Changes & VX-23 Directive in work Specific
– Training & experience, corporate knowledge– Increased burden on CVN– Berthing & messing– Living area maintenance– Flight deck uniforms– Dedicated safety observer– Admin support functions
Daily Flow & Coordination More detailed up front Include Gator & RO up front
Radio communications equipment on Flag Bridge
Stands for ALQ-99 pods
COMSEC & Safes
EA-18G Sea TrialsUnclassified
Summary of Firsts for CVN 69 & EA-18G
First EA-18G trap First EA-18G trap on main gear First EA-18G catapult First EA-18G Mode 1 approach First sighting of a sub by an EA-18G First EA-18G to complain about being too close to the
scupper First EA-18G team to unbolt and dislodge the Admirals
Chair ….and many more
EA-18G Sea TrialsUnclassified
Special Thanks Strike Ops: Overall coordination, many details Air
Boss: Leadership & deconfliction V-2: 60+ ARB drills w/ actual weight settings Handler – nuf said! Flight Deck: Doing what they do best!
Supply: Berthing & Messing Parts
AIMD Host for spaces (RR 6 & 7) AZCM Gage
Combat Systems: Comms & Email Set-up Gator: Winds & Navigational Planning OOD/Bridge
Capture of challenging test conditions (winds) Real-time flexibility
OPSO: Overall leadership
EA-18G Sea TrialsUnclassified
Final Words
Limited deck time Navy wide CVN 69 supported with requested deck time, and it made the
difference EA-18G brings a major capability to Naval Aviation Work density was extremely high for CVN 69 during this short at-sea
period Increased burden on CVN 69 by taking on NAVAIR is recognized Operations and conditions were unique and challenging CVN 69 team performed flawlessly CD & DVD of pictures and movies provided to CVN 69 Photo Shop Thank you for accepting the challenge and for clearing EA-18G
Growler for the fleet!
EA-18G Sea TrialsUnclassified
Parameter Source
Recovery Headwind MORIAH
Wind Over Deck MORIAH
Gross Weight XF41013 or Pilot observation of fuel quantity
Lateral Asymmetry XF4250 or Pilot observation of wing tank fuel split