Precaution should be taken by the pilot not to taxi
hard against the holdback unit. This may result in a
premature release.
At no time are personnel to work in front of a
tensioned aircraft or deadload.
If operation of the catapult is suspended for any
reason, bridle tension should be released and the aircraft
released from the shuttle.
The shuttle and grab must not be moved along the
catapult track until the track slot has been inspected and
found to be clear of obstructions and all adjacent areas
are clear of loose gear. Using the MANEUVER
FORWARD and AFT push buttons, slowly move
pistons forward and aft while all sheaves are visually
checked to ensure the cables are not sliding over any
locked sheaves,
All personnel must be kept out of areas forward of
an aircraft, or deadload positioned on the catapult, and
clear of the shuttle track area during a no-load firing.
All personnel must be kept clear of the area
immediately behind the jet blast deflectors during
aircraft turnup and launching.
During night operations, do not attempt to speed up
the prelaunch check of catapult components or take
unnecessary chances in an effort to maintain rapid
aircraft launching intervals. Sufficient time should be
taken to double-check each step to prevent accidents
due to faulty hookups, misinterpreted signals, and other
causes.
DECKEDGE PANEL AND/OR CONTROL
CONSOLE. —Retraction must not be undertaken unless
the water brakes are operating properly and the grab
and shuttle are latched. During preheating and
throughout launching operations, the difference in
elongation between the two launching engine cylinders
must NOT exceed 1 inch. The catapult must NOT be
fired with the shuttle out of BATTERY.
The shuttle must NOT be retracted with steam in
receivers unless the water brakes are functioning.
Do not advance the grab with spears out of the
water brakes; possible grab latch damage will result,
due to impact. Therefore, use the MANEUVER
FORWARD push button to advance the grab until it
engages the shuttle.
WATER BRAKES. —If the water-brake cylinder
elbow pressure drops below 50 psi or rises above 70
psi, the water brakes should be suspended and the
control console operator notified immediately. The
malfunctioning water-brake pump should be secured
and the standby pump started.
Do not allow excessive oil to accumulate on top of
the water in the water-brake reservoir. Skim off the oil,
or remove it by adding fresh water and allowing the oil
to flow out the overflow drain,
NOTE
During in-port periods, do not skim the
water-brake tanks or allow the water level to
reach the overflow pipe. Maintain the water
level by use of bottom tank drains. This is to
prevent oil from being dumped into harbors,
RETRACTION ENGINE. —All loose gear and
tools must be kept clear of the retraction engine and
cable system. Maintain all pressures at predetermined
settings.
If any malfunction is observed during the advance
of the grab or the retraction of the shuttle and grab,
immediately SUSPEND the retract engine and notify
the console operator. All sheaves must be inspected for
freedom of motion before beginning a series of
launchings.
GENERAL. —Operating personnel should wear
appropriate protective clothing to prevent burns from
steam or from contact with hot metallic surfaces.
Earplugs should be worn in areas of high noise level.
The entire hydraulic system must be vented
thoroughly and frequently, particularly after extended
periods of idleness. Air in the fluid system may cause
unpredictable variations in catapult performance and
delays in actuation of operating components.
Blowers or ventilation ducts must not be trained
directly on the launching valves or steam supply area
(receivers, manifold, and steam supply linen).
Combustible and volatile fluids and materials must
be kept away from heated catapult parts to reduce the
hazard of fire and explosion. Adequate ventilation must
be provided below flight deck level to prevent the
accumulation of explosive vapors.
4-73
