CHAPTER 14
Takeoff Emergencies
14.1 EMERGENCY CATAPULT FLYAWAY
After catapult launch, several emergencies may cause the aircraft to settle, e.g., soft catapult, AB
blowout, degraded engine performance, single engine total loss of thrust, etc. If settling cannot be
stopped immediately, it is necessary to eject without delay. Priorities during emergency catapult
flyaway are to establish control of the aircraft, arrest aircraft settle, and accelerate for climbout.
If a settle is detected, the throttles should be advanced to MAX as soon as possible. If the thrust
output of one engine is degraded, some yaw and roll should be expected. If one engine is failed
completely, significant amounts of yaw and roll result with both throttles at MAX. In this worst case,
full rudder pedal and partial lateral stick may be required to oppose yaw/roll and maintain
lateral-directional control of the aircraft. Too much rudder pedal is not harmful, but too little rudder
pedal may cause controllability problems. Therefore, FULL rudder pedal to oppose yaw/roll is
prudent. If lateral stick is also required to oppose roll/yaw (worst case), inputs should be limited to
approximately ½ displacement to prevent excessive build up of adverse yaw from the ailerons and to
reduce the potential for departure.
Proper AOA control is crucial to maintaining aircraft control and to arresting aircraft settle. AOA
must be high enough to minimize altitude loss yet low enough to maintain lateral-directional control.
During a nominal, two-engine catapult launch, the aircraft is trimmed to capture and maintain a
reference AOA of 12° (hands off). The FCS does allow small overshoots during initial flyaway, but peak
AOA should typically be below 13°. Catapult launch bulletins should ensure an endspeed at least 15
knots above minimum controllable airspeed (Vmc). Vmc numbers for the F/A-18E/F launch bulletins
are defined at 14° AOA. 14° AOA was selected as a compormise between arresting settle off the bow
and controllability. (Increased AOA helps arrest sink but also reduces lateral-directional controllability
resulting in higher minimum control speeds.) During single engine, MAX power catapult flyaway,
controllability should be sufficient if airspeed is above Vmc and lateral stick does not exceed½throw.
Under normal circumstances, proper AOA control should be provided by the FCS. However, certain
catapult failures (mis-trim, AOA probe splits or failures, FCS malfunctions) may require the pilot to
actively control flyaway pitch attitude/AOA. With an AOA malfunction, HUD displayed AOA may be
in error, so that pitch attitude becomes the only reliable source of AOA control. For this reason, the
recommended flyaway procedure is to maintain 10 to 12° pitch attitude with the waterline symbol
without exceeding 14° AOA (AOA tone). This should provide an AOA high enough to arrest the settle
yet low enough to retain lateral-directional control.
Depending on aircraft gross weight, stores jettison may be required to ensure a positive single engine
rate of climb (SEROC). Immediate jettison of excess weight minimizes altitude loss and, when
launching with a lateral weight asymmetry, returns the aircraft to a symmetric configuration,
potentially improving lateral-directional controllability.
It is also essential that the flaps remain in FULL until a positive rate of climb is established, as flap
retraction increases aircraft settle.
The first four steps in the procedure are the most important to arrest settle and maintain control of
the aircraft. Raising the LDG GEAR handle reduces drag and allows a greater rate of climb; however,
attention should not be diverted from maintaining aircraft control in order to perform this action. The
A1-F18EA-NFM-000
V-14-1 CHANGE 1
landing gear should only be raised when the first four immediate action steps have been accomplished,
controllability is not in question, and raising the gear does not compound the emergency.
NOTE
When the LDG GEAR handle is raised, the on-speed AOA bracket is
removed from the HUD.
If flyaway airspeed available -
*1. Throttles - MAX
*2. Rudder pedal - FULL AGAINST YAW/ROLL
*3. EMERG JETT button - PUSH
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