From: COMNAVSAFECEN NORFOLK VA [COMNAVSAFECENNORFOLKVA@naeanrfkdm01.nadsusea.navy.mil] Posted At: Tuesday, September 30, 2003 11:50 PM Conversation: 301400Z SEP 03 R ORION SAFETY GRAM FOR SEPTEMBER// Posted To: NRFK_SAFE_Code 70 Subject: 301400Z SEP 03 R ORION SAFETY GRAM FOR SEPTEMBER// Importance: Low PATRON FOUR SEVEN TO COMPATRECONFORPAC KANEOHE BAY HI ALL ORION AIRCRAFT ACTIVITIES INFO PATRON FOUR SEVEN RATUZYUW RHOSPIH4109 2731400-UUUU--RUCOPAW. ZNR UUUUU ZUI RHHMMCA2809 2740355 R 301400Z SEP 03 PSN 953375I32 FM PATRON FOUR SEVEN// TO RUHEHIC/COMPATRECONFORPAC KANEOHE BAY HI//01/N45// ALL ORION AIRCRAFT ACTIVITIES// INFO RHOSPIH/PATRON FOUR SEVEN// BT UNCLAS//04000// ***THIS IS A 2 SECTION MESSAGE COLLATED BY DMDS*** MSGID/GENADMIN/PATRON FOUR SEVEN// SUBJ/ORION SAFETY GRAM FOR SEPTEMBER// REF/A/MSG/COMNAVAIRFOR/071000Z/JAN 03// REF/B/MSG/COMPATRECONFORLANT/141600Z/FEB 03// NARR/REF A IS COMNAVAIRFOR ORM AND FUNDAMENTALS REVIEW. REF B IS MPR COMMUNITY ORM AND FUNDAMENTALS POA&M.// POC/LCDR STEVE OSTOIN/VP-47 SAFETY/DSN 315-257-0612 X 7098/ E-MAIL: STEVEN.OSTOIN@NAVY.MIL// RMKS/1. THIS MONTH'S SAFETY GRAM COMES TO YOU FROM THE VP-47 GOLDEN SWORDSMEN. AS WE RAMP UP FOR OUR FIFTH FLEET DEPLOYMENT, WE ARE LOOKING CLOSELY AT SAFETY AND OPERATIONAL ISSUES DEALING WITH THE EXPANDING ROLE OF THE P-3. 2. IN SUPPORT OF OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM (OIF), WE SENT TWO PAGE 02 RHOSPIH4109 UNCLAS//04000// CREWS TO AUGMENT THE SQUADRON DEPLOYED TO THE DESERT. THE OPERATIONAL, TRAINING AND SAFETY LESSONS THESE CREWS LEARNED FROM THEIR DETACHMENT PROVED INVALUABLE FOR DEPLOYMENT PREPARATION. THE CREWS OPERATING OVER IRAQ FLEW IN A VERY DEMANDING AND DYNAMIC ENVIRONMENT REQUIRING CONSTANT VIGILANCE. AS A RESULT, THEY WERE CONSTANTLY FACED WITH NEW CHALLENGES THAT REQUIRED EFFECTIVE CRM SKILLS AND RISK MANAGEMENT IN ORDER TO OVERCOME THE CHALLENGING OBSTACLES. - ONE OF THE BIGGEST SAFETY CONCERNS FOR THE FLIGHT CREWS WAS THE FEAR OF A MIDAIR COLLISION. ANYONE WHO HAS FLOWN IN THE ARABIAN GULF KNOWS THAT THE AIR TRAFFIC CAN BE QUITE DENSE. DURING THE WAR, WITH OVER 2000 SORTIES A DAY, AND THREE CARRIER BATTLEGROUPS OPERATING IN THE AREA, AIRSPACE QUICKLY BECAME SATURATED AND WAS AN IMPORTANT OPERATIONAL CONSIDERATION PRIOR TO EACH MISSION. DETAILED FLIGHT PLANNING AND SITUATIONAL AWARENESS WERE CRITICAL ELEMENTS IN MINIMIZING THE CHANCES OF A MIDAIR COLLISION. NEEDLESS TO SAY, AFT OBSERVERS MANNED THEIR POSITIONS AT ALL TIMES AND PLAYED AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN AIRCRAFT SEPARATION. AT NIGHT, THE OBSERVERS USED NIGHT VISION GOGGLES (NVGS), WHICH WORKED VERY WELL IN IDENTIFYING AIRCRAFT PAGE 03 RHOSPIH4109 UNCLAS//04000// WITH INFRARED STROBES. STANDARDIZED COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THE FLIGHT STATION AND THE AFT OBSERVERS PROVIDED AN ACCURATE AIR PICTURE BEHIND THE WINGS. ADDITIONALLY, THE PORTABLE FLIGHT PLANNING SOFTWARE (PFPS) LAPTOP PROVED TO BE AN EXTREMELY USEFUL TOOL BOTH FOR MISSION PLANNING AND IN FLIGHT TO HELP MAINTAIN SITUATIONAL AWARENESS WITH RESPECT TO TANKER TRACKS, CAP STATIONS, INGRESS AND EGRESS ROUTES, AND CARRIER OPERATING AREAS. - THE TACMAN AND FLIGHT TRAINING SYLLABUS DO NOT ADEQUATELY COVER THE USE OF THE ALE-47 AND COUNTER THREAT MANEUVERS (CTM). ALTHOUGH THE TACMAN ADDRESSES USE OF SPECIFIC DISPENSE PATTERNS FOR SPECIFIC THREATS, OUR CREWS EXPERIENCED VARIED AND SOMETIMES OVERLAPPING THREATS THAT PRECLUDED ADDRESSING A SPECIFIC DISPENSE PATTERN SELECTION TO A SPECIFIC THREAT. FOR ALL FLIGHTS IN THE GULF, AIRCRAFT WERE EQUIPPED WITH CHAFF AND FLARES AND EACH CREW MODIFIED THE TACMAN THREAT PROCEDURES TO BEST DEAL WITH THE THREAT OF SURFACE TO AIR ATTACKS. A CHECKLIST, WHICH INCLUDED HARD DECKS, SIGNIFICANT TERRAIN, EVASIVE MANEUVERS, AND METHODS FOR CALLING OUT AIR THREATS WAS INCLUDED IN THE TACTICAL BRIEF. THE CHECKLIST WAS DISCUSSED AT PLANESIDE, AND AGAIN WHEN GOING FEET DRY. INITIALLY, AFT OBSERVERS HAD DIFFICULTY OVERCOMING ANXIETIES AND TENDED TO MAKE CONFUSING PAGE 04 RHOSPIH4109 UNCLAS//04000// THREAT CALLS ON THE ICS. WITH PRACTICE, STRICT ICS DISCIPLINE WAS EVENTUALLY ACHIEVED AND THE PERTINENT INFORMATION WAS PROVIDED TO THE FLIGHT STATION. THIS COULD BE ACCOMPLISHED EARLIER WITH EFFECTIVE PRACTICE IN THE WST AS A CREW. WHILE EACH CREW HAD SIMILAR TECHNIQUES IN CONFIGURING THEIR COUNTER MEASURES DISPENSER SYSTEM (CMDS) PANELS, THE EVASIVE MANEUVERS EMPLOYED AND COORDINATION VARIED. BOTH CREWS ELECTED TO HAVE THE CMDS PANEL SET TO SEMI-AUTO USING THE BANG SWITCH AS THE DISPENSE METHOD OF CHOICE. HOWEVER, DURING THE ACTUAL OPERATION OF THE ALE-47, ONE CREW ELECTED TO HAVE THE PILOT AT THE CONTROLS DISPENSE THE FLARES WHILE MANEUVERING, AND THE OTHER CREW DIVIDED THESE RESPONSIBILITIES BETWEEN THE PILOT AT CONTROLS AND THE CO-PILOT. BOTH METHODS PROVED EFFECTIVE BUT THE NEED TO CONDUCT A THOROUGH PRE-BRIEF CANNOT BE OVER-EMPHASIZED. THE COUNTER THREAT TRAINING (CTT) SYLLABUS THAT IS CURRENTLY UNDER REVISION SHOULD FOCUS ON STANDARDIZED THREAT RECOGNITION TRAINING, APPROPRIATE DEFENSIVE MANEUVERS FOR THE ENVIRONMENT, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY THE AIRCREW COORDINATION TECHNIQUES INVOLVED. - CORNERING SPEED WAS AN ADDITIONAL TOPIC OF DISCUSSION. BY DEFINITION, THIS SPEED IS FOR SUSTAINED TURN PERFORMANCE WITHOUT PAGE 05 RHOSPIH4109 UNCLAS//04000// OVER STRESSING THE AIRCRAFT. FURTHERMORE, AT THIS SPEED, ONE CAN ATTAIN MAXIMUM TURN RATE WITH MINIMUM TURN RADIUS. FOR THE P-3 THIS IS NOT NORMALLY A CONCERN; HOWEVER, WHEN ATTEMPTING TO AGGRESSIVELY EVADE AN INCOMING SURFACE TO AIR THREAT, THE CORNING SPEED BECOMES CRITICAL. FOR EXAMPLE, GIVEN ANY GROSS WEIGHT AND AN INCREASE IN ALTITUDE, THE CORNERING SPEED INCREASES WITH AN ASSOCIATED REDUCTION IN AVAILABLE LOAD FACTOR. FOR OUR PLATFORM, THIS CHANGE IS MINIMAL AND THE CORNERING SPEED REMAINS AT APPROXIMATELY 220-230 KIAS WHILE THE AVAILABLE SUSTAINED LOAD FACTOR REDUCES SIGNIFICANTLY BASED ON A 120,000 LB AIRCRAFT FLYING AT 25,000 FT MSL. ADDITIONALLY, THE MAXIMUM SUSTAINED LOAD FACTOR UNDER THESE PARAMETERS ONLY REACHES APPROXIMATELY 1.6-2.0 G'S, EQUATING TO THE MAXIMUM G AVAILABLE WHILE PERFORMING A LEVEL TURN. WITH THAT IN MIND, THE NATURE OF THE FLIGHT PROFILES DURING OIF REQUIRED OUR CREWS TO FLY LOITER AIRSPEED INSTEAD OF CORNERING SPEED SIMPLY TO FACILITATE THEIR SCHEDULED ONSTATION TIMES. LOITER SPEEDS WERE TYPICALLY 20 KIAS BELOW CORNERING SPEED, WHICH RESULTED IN DEGRADED TURN PERFORMANCE. THE REMAINING PIECE TO THIS PUZZLE IS THAT WITH A HARD DECK RESTRICTION, OUR AIRCRAFT SIMPLY DOES NOT HAVE THE EXCESS POWER AVAILABLE AT ALTITUDE TO EFFECT THE PAGE 06 RHOSPIH4109 UNCLAS//04000// DESIRED ACCELERATION BACK TO CORNERING SPEED WITHIN THE TIME REQUIRED TO DEFEAT AN INCOMING THREAT. ALTHOUGH THE OPTION TO BREAK THE HARD DECK TO TRADE ALTITUDE FOR AIRSPEED ALWAYS EXISTS, THE DECISION SHOULD TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THE LEVEL OF THREAT BELOW THE HARD DECK. AGAIN, PFPS IS A GREAT SITUATIONAL AWARENESS TOOL THAT HELPS THE CREW MAINTAIN CONSTANT SITUATIONAL AWARENESS WITH RESPECT TO THE KNOWN THREATS. ANOTHER OPTION, WHICH WAS NOT ALWAYS AVAILABLE, WAS TO REQUEST A HIGHER ALTITUDE AS WEIGHT DECREASED TO IMPROVE FUEL CONSUMPTION AND TO GIVE CREWS THE OPTION OF TRADING ALTITUDE FOR AIRSPEED AS NEEDED WITHOUT BREAKING THE HARD DECK. - DESPITE BEING LOCATED IN THE MIDDLE OF A DESERT, THE WEATHER IN THE GULF IS OFTEN QUITE DANGEROUS. DURING CERTAIN TIMES OF THE YEAR, MAJOR STORMS OCCUR DAILY AND THE LIGHTNING, HAIL, AND TURBULENCE THAT THEY PRODUCE IS SIGNIFICANT. OBVIOUSLY, CAUTION SHOULD BE TAKEN AT ALL TIMES TO STEER CLEAR OF THESE CELLS. HOWEVER, THE AMOUNT OF AIRSPACE TO MANEUVER CAN OFTEN BE RESTRICTED DUE TO TRAFFIC OR A WEAPONS THREAT, LEAVING THE AIRCREW WITHOUT THE OPTION OF AVOIDANCE. ANOTHER WEATHER PHENOMENON IN DESERT ENVIRONMENTS IS SANDSTORMS. WHEN THEY ROLL IN, VISIBILITY IS EFFECTIVELY REDUCED TO ZERO - YET MSGID/GENADMIN/PATRON FOUR SEVEN// SUBJ/ORION SAFETY GRAM FOR SEPTEMBER// THERE IS NO CEILING RESTRICTION. OUR CREWS EXPERIENCED SANDSTORMS ON SEVERAL APPROACHES WHERE THEY COULD SEE THE LANDING ENVIRONMENT DURING THE DESCENT, YET DURING THE FINAL STAGES OF THE APPROACH VISUAL CONTACT WITH THE RUNWAY WAS LOST FORCING THE CREWS TO WAVEOFF. - CREW REST CAN TAKE ON A WHOLE DIFFERENT MEANING IN A COMBAT ENVIRONMENT. THE FLIGHT SCHEDULE PROVIDED FOR AMPLE TIME BETWEEN SORTIES; HOWEVER, THE CREWS OPERATIONAL TEMPO OFTEN EXCEEDED OPNAV 3710.7S MAXIMUM RECOMMENDED FLIGHT TIME FOR MULTI-PILOTED PRESSURIZED AIRCRAFT IN A 7 DAY AND 30 DAY PERIOD. WITH FLIGHT TIME OF 60+ HOURS IN A WEEK AND 170+ IN A 30 DAY PERIOD, THE PRIMARY CONCERN AIRCREWS PAGE 02 RHOSPIH4111 UNCLAS//04000// FACED WAS THE BATTLE WITH FATIGUE AND STRESS. DAYTIME TEMPERATURES WOULD REACH INTO THE HUNDREDS, SO REMAINING PROPERLY HYDRATED WAS AN IMPORTANT ISSUE. FURTHERMORE, THE LODGING WAS NOT IDEAL AND CONSISTED OF ABOUT TEN AIRCREWMEN TO A TENT THAT WAS SHARED WITH THE OCCASIONAL UNWELCOME SCORPION OR CAMEL SPIDER. 3. THESE WERE JUST A FEW OF THE IMPORTANT SAFETY AND OPERATIONAL LESSONS LEARNED DURING OUR EXPERIENCES IN OIF. THE LEARNING CURVE WAS QUITE STEEP BUT OUR CREWS CONDUCTED EXTENSIVE PLANNING PRIOR TO EACH FLIGHT EVOLUTION. WE HOPE THIS MESSAGE ENCOURAGES FURTHER DISCUSSIONS PARTICULARLY FOR THOSE SITUATIONS THAT ARE NOT CLEARLY OUTLINED IN NATOPS, THE TACMAN OR OPNAV 3710.7S.// BT #4111 NNNN ACTION: CODE 151 E ADMIRAL CODE 001 CODE 10 CODE 101 CODE 11 CODE 11 A CODE 111 CODE 111 A CODE 111 D CODE 111 E CODE 111 F CODE 111 G CODE 112 CODE 112 A CODE 112 B CODE 113 CODE 113 B CODE 114 CODE 114 B CODE 114 D CODE 12 CODE 12 A CODE 12 B CODE 122 CODE 122C CODE 123A CODE 124 CODE 124A CODE 125 CODE 125A CODE 125C CODE 125D CODE 127A CODE 127B CODE 127C CODE 127D CODE 128A CODE 128B CODE 13 CODE 131 CODE 132 CODE 133 CODE 135 CODE 138 CODE 14 CODE 141 CODE 142 CODE 144 CODE 145 CODE 15 CODE 15 B CODE 151A CODE 151B CODE 151C CODE 151D CODE 151F DEPUTY COMMANDER 10 - GROUP CODE 70 CODE 0451D CODE 51 30 - GROUP 90 - GROUP MARYBRIGHAM CODE 40 B ALL MESSAGES CODE 045 39 CODE 341 B CODE 341 M CODE 343 C CODE 371 A CODE 39 A CODE 411 CODE 477 CODE 90A CODE 911 CODE 912 CODE 913 CODE 39 CODE 08 CODE 082 CODE 083 CODE 30 CODE 412 CODE 42 CODE 421 CODE 422 CODE 423 CODE 425 CODE 426 CODE 427 CODE 428 CODE 435 CODE 47 CODE 471 CODE 472 CODE 473 CODE 475 CODE 476 CODE 48 CODE 481 CODE 482 CODE 483 CODE 485 CODE 71 A CODE 72 A CODE 74 A CODE 75 CODE 90 CODE 914 CODE 30 A CODE 30 S CODE 34 CODE 341 CODE 341 A CODE 341 EE CODE 342 CODE 342 A CODE 343 CODE 343 A CODE 343 B CODE 344 CODE 344 A CODE 345 A CODE 37 CODE 371 CODE 371 C CODE 371 D CODE 371 F CODE 38 CODE 38 A CODE 381 B CODE 381 C CODE 381 D CODE 382 A CODE 382 B CODE 382 C CODE 382 D CODE 383 CODE 391 CODE 40 CODE 40 A CODE 41 A CODE 424 TRENT THOMPSON 05 CODE 081 CODE 341EL COMMUNICATIONS 40