Evaluation of BAK-14 Hook-Cable Support-System Modifications
Abstract
The BAK-14 retractable hook-cable support system was designed to raise and restrain the hook cable of the airfield arresting gear above the runway surface for the engagement of hook-equipped aircraft; and to lower and retain the hook cable below the runway surface for those aircraft which require a clear runway. When in battery position, or when lowered, the hook cable is installed in rubber support blocks each of which is mounted on a spring-loaded pneumatically-actuated support arm contained within a metal box on the runway. The boxes are located eight feet apart along the trough which accepts the lowered hook cable. The extreme low temperature which exists at the Air Force BAK-14 installation at Galena, Alaska caused the normally pliable rubber support blocks to become brittle and fracture when the hook cable was extracted by the arrested aircraft; the support-arm latch mechanism within the boxes was also damaged and disabled. The tests of this report were conducted to evaluate a number of modifications designed to permit operation of the BAK-14 at extreme low temperatures. The optimum support-block and hook-cable-restraint configuration was selected and satisfactorily tested. The new design support-arm latch mechanism was unsatisfactory due to excessive lost motion in the linkage and also to installation interference; however, this modification is worthy of additional developement. Complete redesign of the support-arm latch mechanism is recommended.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Feb 12, 1976
- Accession Number
- ADB009581
Entities
People
- Waldemar Wastallo