Engine out on F-16 Ground Ops Training Mission
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I do the whole startup, Taxi and takeoff… Fly around for a bit, do some loops, go inverted and the engine dies and I can’t figure out why. Sometimes I’m even straight and level and it does the same thing. Plenty of fuel as well.
This is the old block F16 so not sure if it has something to do with that… Any insight?
I am new to BMS so I apologize for the noob question.
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there is no such surprise in that training mission. You must do something wrong.
Cut off fuel?
Idle detent?
throttle going past the idle cutoff point? -
Yes that is likely it. In order to get the RPM past 20% I have to put the throttle halfway up, hit alt+i for the idle detent and then snap it back to idle… When I hit alt+i with the throttle back, it doesn’t want to move to the detent.
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Sounds more like that the fuel pumps are off (BMS1F-16CM-1, page 17). Reminds me of the good old days when I started falconing - the engine died regularily and I had no clue why …
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I was thinking the same because of the issue happening when doing loops / rolls; when fuel pumps are not in the ‘norm’ position things only tend to go fine as long as gravity is helping your fuel to the engine…
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Might be the case as well.
In any way, that means the OP doesn’t follow the checklists or the training manual
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Reserve fuel tanks are pressurized to allow non-gravity feed to engine but are only about 500lbs which goes fast at high fuel rate. Limit <1G flight to short periods especially at high throttle settings.
Master fuel switch starts on so in checklist just verify on don’t move it to off. Fuel feed can work a while flight in OFF but you don’t get as much reliable fuel as NORM and you lose balancing. Fuel QTY switch in NORM or you don’t get fuel balancing too. Air source NORM or external tanks are not blown into internal tanks (dry inside with wet tanks).
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In any way, that means the OP doesn’t follow the checklists or the training manual
Yeah, that’s what I tried to imply. And also tried to say ‘RTFM’ nicely.
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Thanks guys. Knew it was likely something simple. And I get the hint about the checklists and such. Don’t have to tell me twice
appreciate the help to the noob. -
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Reserve fuel tanks are pressurized to allow non-gravity feed to engine but are only about 500lbs which goes fast at high fuel rate. Limit <1G flight to short periods especially at high throttle settings.
The electrical fuel pumps in the reservoirs allow for non-gravity fuel feeding not pressurization. Pressurization cannot keep the fuel at the bottom of the tanks where the mechanical pumps are at hence inverted or negative G flame outs with the engine feed in the off position. This would also be why I would lay money that the OP forgot the engine feed switch. 100% correct on engine power settings when only the electrical or mechanical pumps are feeding the engine. It can overcome the ability to feed at high power settings.
Fuel feed can work a while flight in OFF but you don’t get as much reliable fuel as NORM and you lose balancing. Fuel QTY switch in NORM or you don’t get fuel balancing too.
Both related to the automatic forward fuel transfer system. You don’t “lose” fuel balancing as the FFP is still in play. It just can start to get out of balance.
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I do the whole startup, Taxi and takeoff… Fly around for a bit, do some loops, go inverted and the engine dies and I can’t figure out why. Sometimes I’m even straight and level and it does the same thing. Plenty of fuel as well.
This is the old block F16 so not sure if it has something to do with that… Any insight?
I am new to BMS so I apologize for the noob question.
Navigation is the second TE of the 3 part series, Ground Ops, Navigation, and Landing. The Navigation TE warns to check the fuel gauge for fuel imbalance. Did you check?
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Thanks guys. Knew it was likely something simple. And I get the hint about the checklists and such. Don’t have to tell me twice
appreciate the help to the noob.Don’t feel bad, RushM. BTW, the Dash -1 manual pp 144-152 has a really good and indepth section on Ramp start. And, the “main checklist” manual has a more checklist looking checklist
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Don’t feel bad, RushM. BTW, the Dash -1 manual pp 144-152 has a really good and indepth section on Ramp start. And, the “main checklist” manual has a more checklist looking checklist
Thanks I appreciate that… Believe it or not I am a real world airline pilot getting back into simming… So the “checklist” looking checklist will make it much easier to use than the other one I found Haha. Thanks!
