Q5. If a sway brace on a bomb rack isn't being used,
it should remain in what position?
Q6. What is the maximum tightening range of a sway
brace screw?
Q7. When you begin dearming an aircraft, what is
the first step you should take?
SAFETY PRECAUTIONS
LEARNING OBJECTIVE: Recognize the
safety precautions to follow when loading or
unloading aircraft.
Safety precautions were given in this chapter as
WARNINGS, CAUTIONS, and NOTES. However,
there are other safety precautions that you should
observe when loading or handling aircraft bombs and
practice bombs. A few of these safety precautions are
as follows:
Before removing aircraft bombs from the
weapons staging area, verify that the bombs are properly
secured to the handling equipment.
A board ship, when the bombs are delivered to the
aircraft for loading, they must be positioned fore and aft
to help prevent inadvertent movement of the handling
equipment by the side-to-side roll of the ship.
Once bombs have been delivered to the aircraft,
a person must remain in the immediate area. Bombs
must not be left on the flight deck unattended.
Never attempt to load/download bombs without
sufficient personnel.
When installing signal cartridges in practice
bombs, never assemble more bombs than are needed
for the next event. When the day’s flight schedule has
been completed, practice bomb signals must be
removed from practice bombs before returning them to
storage.
Because of the nonexplosive nature of practice
bombs, AOs have a tendency to be lax when handling
and loading practice bombs. Remember, a Mk 76
practice bomb weighs 25 pounds and could cause severe
injury if dropped on a person’s foot or hand.
Additionally, when a practice bomb signal is installed
and the bomb is accidentally dropped, sufficient fire and
metal fragments can be ejected from the tube to cause
severe personal injury.
For further information concerning flight deck
operational procedures, you should refer to the NATOPS
Manual, NAVAIR 00-80T-105, and the LHA, LPH,
LHD NATOPS Manual, NAVAIR 00-80T-106.
REVIEW NUMBER 3
Q1. What maximum amount of subcaliber practice
bombs should be assembled at any one time?
Q2. When loading certain bombs, AOs tend to be
careless and get injured. What type of bombs
usually cause this attitude ?
14-14
