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Malta Airshow 'Incident' - Tornado Arrival
Posted: Sat Sep 28, 2013 8:56 pm
by Steven
Hi all,
Couldn't find this posted here so apologies if it has already been posted but I've just seen the following video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tUEYTWYyB_I&app=desktop
Between 15:30 a Tornado arrives on a run and break. Upon the break some material clearly comes off the jet. I have been told that it was part of the fuel tank disintegrating (and the closest tank to the camera upon landing at around 16:40 clearly appears to show damage).
Does anyone have any other information?
Steven.
Re: Malta Airshow 'Incident' - Tornado Arrival
Posted: Sun Sep 29, 2013 7:29 am
by kristianrj
Yup, the rear third of the port fuel tank is missing
Re: Malta Airshow 'Incident' - Tornado Arrival
Posted: Sun Sep 29, 2013 9:15 am
by jg43
Very interesting. I wonder what caused it? Could there have maybe been a crack in the external fuel tank that gave way when the load increased on the break?
Thanks for sharing this
Re: Malta Airshow 'Incident' - Tornado Arrival
Posted: Sun Sep 29, 2013 9:51 am
by gaviscon
If you look closely, there's also damage to the fuselage, just under the serial number.
Re: Malta Airshow 'Incident' - Tornado Arrival
Posted: Sun Sep 29, 2013 9:57 am
by ColintheCaterpillar
On Pprune, in a moment of non-direct speculation, a member had posted a link to a thread regard GR fuel tank fits/wing sweep limits...
(Someone else's speculation, not mine!
)
Re: Malta Airshow 'Incident' - Tornado Arrival
Posted: Sun Sep 29, 2013 11:16 am
by ^^Gord^^
There is only a wing sweep limit with the large 2250 litre tanks, this Tornado wasn't fitted with them.
Re: Malta Airshow 'Incident' - Tornado Arrival
Posted: Sun Sep 29, 2013 12:26 pm
by gamecock
If you look closely, there's also damage to the fuselage, just under the serial number.
The left-hand SPS door is missing. The door may have been lost first, taking the back of the tank with it.
Re: Malta Airshow 'Incident' - Tornado Arrival
Posted: Sun Sep 29, 2013 1:13 pm
by Viper28
gamecock wrote:If you look closely, there's also damage to the fuselage, just under the serial number.
The left-hand SPS door is missing. The door may have been lost first, taking the back of the tank with it.
Good spot, I've seen that happen before on a high speed run and break, this was a GR4 landing after the Marham 2011 Family day, lost the door in the break
Re: Malta Airshow 'Incident' - Tornado Arrival
Posted: Tue Oct 01, 2013 12:48 pm
by Viper28
Just got a mail from a member of the 2nd GR4 crew. It was the panel breaking loose. Hit the tank and the the tail plane (no significant damage).
Re: Malta Airshow 'Incident' - Tornado Arrival
Posted: Tue Oct 01, 2013 6:31 pm
by TS010
Just got a mail from a member of the 2nd GR4 crew. It was the panel breaking loose. Hit the tank and the the tail plane (no significant damage).
A bit of speed tape and off to go then.
Re: Malta Airshow 'Incident' - Tornado Arrival
Posted: Wed Oct 02, 2013 2:30 pm
by Viper28
TS010 wrote:Just got a mail from a member of the 2nd GR4 crew. It was the panel breaking loose. Hit the tank and the the tail plane (no significant damage).
A bit of speed tape and off to go then.
Duck tape fixes all
Re: Malta Airshow 'Incident' - Tornado Arrival
Posted: Wed Oct 02, 2013 2:47 pm
by kstater94
Looked more than just a duct tape/speed tape fix to me....
Looks like the entire aft portion of the tank is gone!
or am I seeing things correctly?
Re: Malta Airshow 'Incident' - Tornado Arrival
Posted: Wed Oct 02, 2013 3:16 pm
by Mike
kstater94 wrote:Looked more than just a duct tape/speed tape fix to me....
Looks like the entire aft portion of the tank is gone!
or am I seeing things correctly?
It's the SPS door that's the problem, there's hundreds of spare external fuel tanks kicking around at Lossie & Marham, so a replacement isn't a problem.
I know the corresponding door on the starboard side is for access to the APU, but what is the SPS?
Re: Malta Airshow 'Incident' - Tornado Arrival
Posted: Wed Oct 02, 2013 3:32 pm
by kstater94
Mike wrote:kstater94 wrote:Looked more than just a duct tape/speed tape fix to me....
Looks like the entire aft portion of the tank is gone!
or am I seeing things correctly?
It's the SPS door that's the problem, there's hundreds of spare external fuel tanks kicking around at Lossie & Marham, so a replacement isn't a problem.
I know the corresponding door on the starboard side is for access to the APU, but what is the SPS?
ah!
Gotcha!
Re: Malta Airshow 'Incident' - Tornado Arrival
Posted: Wed Oct 02, 2013 3:49 pm
by Mike
Come on chaps, what does SPS stand for?
This is the Auxiliary Power Unit on a Tornado, which is on the starboard side - but what's the SPS on the port side?
Re: Malta Airshow 'Incident' - Tornado Arrival
Posted: Wed Oct 02, 2013 4:09 pm
by POL
Re: Malta Airshow 'Incident' - Tornado Arrival
Posted: Wed Oct 02, 2013 4:43 pm
by Mike
So there's an APU on both sides then? - unless I've read that wrong !!
Re: Malta Airshow 'Incident' - Tornado Arrival
Posted: Wed Oct 02, 2013 4:50 pm
by gamecock
Mike - No. The APU is on the RH side. The RH panel is twice the size of the LH, as the RAT takes up half the same space on the LH side.
The LH panel also gives access to the hydraulic hand pump:
Re: Malta Airshow 'Incident' - Tornado Arrival
Posted: Wed Oct 02, 2013 5:11 pm
by Mike
Thanks for that Gamecock, I already said that the APU was on the starboard side (RH), thanks for the extra information.
Re: Malta Airshow 'Incident' - Tornado Arrival
Posted: Wed Oct 02, 2013 5:20 pm
by gamecock
Sorry Mike, I meant to say only on the RH side. Also, I can't see spares being an issue. The only concern will be any structural damage.