CMV-22B Osprey Rollout

[Treetop Flyer]

I see some of you are blissfully ignorant of the procedures that govern how non-skid is removed, repaired, and applied. Bottom line is that the accepted method to remove old non-skid and to prepare the surface for a new application requires the use of an ablative material. The ablative material that is commmonly used is small metal shot. Although people will call them “bbs” they’re much smaller, probably the size of a ball point pen ball. Because of the know FOD hazard of these “BBs” the removal process is done within double walled vinyl tents to keep the BBs enclosed. Once the removal is complete the contractor is supposed to clean up the remaining BBs, QA the process, apply new non skid (process that requires specific environmental conditions), wait for new non skid to cure, and then take down the tents. However, if the QA process isn’t good or the tents are taken down early due to schedule pressures then it’s possible for the BBs to get out into the wild where they will likely be ingested down the intake of the nearest jet motor.

This has happened at least twice. Bataan had it happen during ops off of Libya after getting non skid work done mid-cruise. The BBs ended up FODing out the motors of many (all?) of the harriers onboard and the Air Boss was relieved. When I was Mini on BHR (2013) we had it happen to us as well. Despite our best efforts to catch all the BBs we ended up with several FODd harriers. That was not a fun time.

See what y’all are missing out on my not taking a disassociated tour?

I know that’s how it’s done, but it seems like there should be a better way. I don’t remember the boat, but a det from my squadron in 2012ish timeframe got screwed over by it. I remember them bringing a freezer bag full of birdshot sized pellets they had picked out on their hands and knees.

 

[Hotdogs]

I know that’s how it’s done, but it seems like there should be a better way. I don’t remember the boat, but a det from my squadron in 2012ish timeframe got screwed over by it. I remember them bringing a freezer bag full of birdshot sized pellets they had picked out on their hands and knees.

Holy shit. A Harrier pilot at FOD walk?

 

[Pags]

I know that’s how it’s done, but it seems like there should be a better way. I don’t remember the boat, but a det from my squadron in 2012ish timeframe got screwed over by it. I remember them bringing a freezer bag full of birdshot sized pellets they had picked out on their hands and knees.

Nightmares? If so, was BHR. We ended up doing numerous FOD walks that included on our hands and knees with duct tape wrapped around hands sticky side out. I think we bought just about every roll of duct tape on Oki. Eventually we shot off the un-FODed harriers back to Oki (where they subsequently got FODd). We ended up having an experimental piece of SE, the Super Scrubby, sent out to us. The Shitter guys had to fly in to Thailand to pick up all 13,500lbs of it. Super Scrubby did the trick. That piece of gear was amazing.

 

[Gatordev]

Think auto mode, right before the WOW switch engages, and something lights up nearby... Happened during my last cruise as well to both the HSC and the HSM squadron independently, but both were to small boys (thank God!).

Ah, of course. That makes sense. Thanks.

 

[Treetop Flyer]

Nightmares? If so, was BHR. We ended up doing numerous FOD walks that included on our hands and knees with duct tape wrapped around hands sticky side out. I think we bought just about every roll of duct tape on Oki. Eventually we shot off the un-FODed harriers back to Oki (where they subsequently got FODd). We ended up having an experimental piece of SE, the Super Scrubby, sent out to us. The Shitter guys had to fly in to Thailand to pick up all 13,500lbs of it. Super Scrubby did the trick. That piece of gear was amazing.

Tomcats. It wasn’t for a 31st. 15th I think.

 

[picklesuit]

You’d think a -53 in a low hover would blow most of that away. Send ‘em for a few passes before the jets are brought up...

 

[Pags]

You’d think a -53 in a low hover would blow most of that away. Send ‘em for a few passes before the jets are brought up...

Tried that too. Just spread the BBs around even worse.

 

[picklesuit]

Tried that too. Just spread the BBs around even worse.

Did they try running the rotors in reverse?

 

[Uncle Fester]

The Shitter guys had to fly in to Thailand to pick up all 13,500lbs of it. Super Scrubby did the trick. That piece of gear was amazing.

Out of context, this sounds like a whole ‘nother story.

 

[Treetop Flyer]

You’d think a -53 in a low hover would blow most of that away. Send ‘em for a few passes before the jets are brought up...

They were embedded in the nonskid. A shitter’s rotor wash ain’t shit compared to a harrier hovering

 

[ChuckMK23]

Some journalistic gouge on COD timeline

 

[ChuckMK23]

VRM-30 and VRM-40, cool! Queue a revving Harley “vroooom”

 

[Uncle Fester]

Where they place the RAG will make a lot of difference. If it’s in Norfolk, the pull of the 120 mothership will be strong. If NASNI - away from both 120 and the Wing - they’ll have a chance to build an independent identity.

I think the latter would be healthier, but no one asked me.

 

[kmac]

Some journalistic gouge on COD timeline

That article assumes that the Navy is buying only 38... those are just the numbers for those stationed at NASNI and Norfolk. Add onto that the aircraft for Japan and probably a couple of attrition birds to get the actual total buy.

 

[Llarry]

Per the monster draft environmental impact, 17 at North Island, 3 in Japan, 15 in Norfolk and 3 for training (at either North Island or Norfolk) = 38. Per FY19 budget submission, total buy is 48. 10 for pipeline/attrition/Pax River/whatever. The numbers work...