HOW TO HOOK ON AND HOLD A HOVERING HARRIER

A brief description is given of "Skyhook", a device conceived by H. Frick, a Harrier test-pilot, which should enable this type of aircraft to operate from ships such as frigates. It is difficult to land a Sea Harrier on such a small moving platform, but easy to hover alongside; Skyhook has a special computer-controlled crane on to which the hovering aircraft can automatically lock; the crane would then swing the aircraft inboard and lower it on to a trestle for striking down into a hangar or other facility. Hovering and lock-on manoeuvres, carried out on land, have shown that the concept works, and, according to Vosper Thornycroft, the system would not cause any ship stability problems. A ship so equipped could, typically, operate four to eight Sea Harriers. British Aerospace have a design for the complete installation, including the automated handling systems and cranes <a sketch shows a crane on each side of the vessel>. It is mentioned that the Skyhook could be arranged to allow the aircraft to refuel while still on the crane, and could also enable refuelling to be done from oil rigs.

• Supplemental Notes:
  • Technology, 7 <1983>, p. 10 <24 Jan.> (1 p., 2 diag., 1 phot.)
• Authors:
  • Pohling-Brown, P
• Publication Date: 1983

Language

• English

Subject/Index Terms

• Subject Areas: Marine Transportation;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00686939
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: British Maritime Technology
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Aug 14 1995 12:00AM