VOLUME XIV NUMBER 1 MAY IJUNE 1962

Convair raveler

In this Issue: Engine Removal Procedures-G-E CJB05-23

 Con l'a; r'Fa reier

OUR COVER

One of the procedures in removal of the

CJ805-23 engine was caught by photogra-
pher Bob Herrmann. We thought it would
make an interesting cover for this issue.
Page layout is by Artist Harvey Adams.

Convair Traveler
VOLUME XIV NUMBER I MAY/JUNE 1962

MANAGER, CUSTOMER SERVICE - O. W. HARPER

CHIEF ENGINEERING SERVICE - L. J. BORDELON
CHIEF, FIELD SERVICE - R. W. SOMMERS
CHIEF, SERVICE PARTS - J. DOIG
MANAGER, TECHNICAL PUBLICATIONS -
H. R. KENNEDY
EDITOR - GERTRUDE S. HUNTER
ART EDITOR - J. L. HOOVER

IN THIS ISSUE

PAGE 3

ENGINE REMOVAL PROCEDURES

GENERAL ELECTRIC CJ805-23
Sam Urshan
PAGE 9

CAMLOC FASTENERS
N. V. Davidson
PAGE U

FUEL SYSTEM TESTS

N. V. Davidson
BACK COVER

WARNING & INDICATOR LIGHTS

N. V. Davidson

A dlge.t of operation and .ervlce publl.hed monthly

by the Technicai Publication. Section of GD/Convair
Cu.tomer Service Department in the inter..t of Convair
operators. Communication •• hould be addr...ed to the
Manager of Customer Service Department, General
Dynamics/Convair, San Diego 12, Collfornia. Infor-
motion Is to be considered accurate and authorlta·
tiYe as far as Convair approyal is concerned. fAA
approval i. not to be implied unle.. .pecifically
noted. Recipients of this information are cautioned
not to use it for incorporation on aircraft with·
out specific approval of their cognizant organization.

COPYRIGHT 1962 GENERAL DYNAM ICSICO NVAiR

Engine Removal
Procedures • •

Open left-hand door first. Release upper shear-

type latches first; then open tension latches
along the bottom centerline, and raise the door.

THE GENERAL ELECTRIC CJ805-23 aft-fan engine on

the Convair 990 jet airliner can be disconnected, un-
coupled, lowered, and wheeled away in approximately
30 minutes. The engine is mounted with only four
bolts ... two aft and two forward.
Quick-disconnect couplings are utilized for most
lead-in lines, and are located at two panels at the top
of the engine - one on each side.
An engine-positioning trailer (Air Logistics Cor-
poration) is used in handling the engine during re-
moval and installation. Two engine forward support Install door hold-open rods at forward and aft
adapters, two single and two double roller adapters, ends. Fasten to pod door and nose cowl at fwd
end, and at the door and fixed cowl at aft end.
and a forward support adapter yoke (manufactured
by the same company), and two engine aft support
adapters (manufactured by GDIConvair) are addi-
tional required equipment. A suitable container for
draining residual fuel is required.
The first step in preparation for engine removal is
to check the "TOWING AND TAXIING" chapter of
the Maintenance Manual, and fulfill the necessary
ballast requirements. Then, a number of circuit
breakers on the main circuit breaker panel, cor-
responding to the engine to be replaced, are to be Detach fan ducts at quick-release pin on for-
opened, and warning tags attached. The list of circuit ward and aft cross-tie struts. Secure struts and
breakers affected by an engine change varies some- fittings in stowed position on the fan duct.
what according to different customer requirements.
This information can be obtained by referring to the
applicable Maintenance Manual.
Further preparation for engine change requires that
the corresponding engine fuel line shutoff control
switch be closed, the engine and CSD (constant speed
drive) oil quantity dipsticks removed from their re-
spective oil tank filler tubes, and the pod doors and
aft-fan air intake ducts opened.
Refer to Maintenance Manual for information on
special tools required during engine removal pro-
cedures.
The accompanying photographs show the pro-
cedures for raising pod doors and aft fan intake ducts, Raise duct at indicated lift points to the "fully
and the step-by-step procedure for removing a CJ805- open" position. Secure duct to pod door
23 aft-fan engine from a Convair 990 jet airliner. with the hold-open linkage fixtures provided.

MAY/JUNE 196Z 3
 Disconnect power, fuel shutoff control, and all
fluid lines at disconnect panel (LH side of engine).

Remove clamp that secures engine bleed-air mani-

fold to bleed-air shutoff valve (LH side of engine).

Disconnect 7 electrical plugs and panel drain

line from disconnect panel (RH side of engine).

Disconnect bonding wire from engine rear com-

pressor stator casing rib (RH side of engine).

4 CON VA IR TR A VELER
Disconnect pylon torque box drain line at tee
fitting on the lower right side of each pylon.

Remove the clamp that secures engine starter

duct to pod starter duct (RH side of engine) .

./

Disconnect flex line for vortex destroyer from

nose cowl fiting on lower RH side of engine.

Disconnect pressure ratio inlet air pressure

flex line at engine (shown) or at nose cowl.

MAY/JUNE 1962 5
 Disconnect restrammg cable from engine inlet
duct, RH and LH sides of engine (LH side shown).

Disconnect oil and CSD oil supply lines at tank;

disconnect oil drain line at scupper (RH side).

Remove bullet nose fairing (attached four places)

so that engine may be lowered straight down.

Install RH & LH fwd support adapters on engine

compressor front frame mounting pads RH shown.

CONVAIR TRAVELER
6
 Attach yoke to LR and RR fwd support adapters
installed in the preceding step (RR side shown).

Install RR & LH aft support adapters to fwd face

of aft-fan stub duct aft flange (RR side shown).

Place the trailer in position under engine, and in-

stall two forward and two aft roller adapters.

C) Raise trailer rails; position fwd support adapters

on respective roller adapters (RR side shown).

MAY/JUNE 1962 7
 Secure aft support adapters to roller adapters on
left and right sides of the rail (RH side shown).

Remove bolts that secure engine fwd mount links to

pylon torque box on LH & RH sides (RH shown).

Remove bolts connecting engine aft mount links to

pylon torque box on L & R sides (RH side shown).

Slowly lower engine, being careful not to damage

inlet duct seal, until forward mount thrust pin is
clear of mount frame and engine is clear of pod.

8 CONVAIR TRAVELER
 Camloc Fasteners ...
(

THE GREATEST EXPENSE involved in service and main- to protect the outer panel from galling by contact
tenance of an aircraft is created by man-hours re- with the stud.
quired to do the job. More often than not, these ex- Following are the types of Camloc fasteners used
penses exceed the cost of the parts. While cost is a in the Convair jet airliner series. Each is simply a
factor, speed is sometimes of greater importance. To variation of the basic receptacle-stud-grommet ar-
facilitate maintenance and service operations, open- rangement.
ings are provided in the fuselage, wings, and tail to
gain access to work areas. Quick release type fasteners
then become a "must" in the interest of saving time-
consuming man-hours.
Several types and sizes of fasteners were developed
by industry - all of them designed, generally, to open
or close with one turn or less. Among such fasteners
is the Camloc, a device that secures an access door or
panel to the basic frame or structure and, by means
of a quick .simple turn, locks or unlocks the device.
Camloc fasteners come in a variety of sizes, shapes,
and materials, and provide such stress and strain fea-
tures as may be required for a specific type of applica-
tion. Camloc fasteners are designed for both flush
and plus-flush installations. Flush installations are de-
signed to leave a smooth surface where a protruding PLUS FLUSH AND FLUSH STUD INSTALLATIONS
stud head might affect air flow; plus-flush stud heads
are used where aerodynamic flow is not critical.
Camloc fastener stud heads are designed for opera-
tion with a minimum of tools - a standard screw-
( driver, or coin, for the slotted head; or a No.2 Phillips
screwdriver for the standard Phillips recessed heads.
Studs may be removed and installed, using the Cam-
loc pliers illustrated.
Quick detach fasteners permit this part of the main-
tenance operation to be accomplished in a matter of
seconds . . . it takes only a simple twist of a screw-
driver to either secure or unfasten each Carnloc. There
are no screw threads that might be stripped, and all
parts are "captivated" - attached to the cover - so
that they cannot be lost before reinstallation.
Camloc fasteners consist essentially of three parts:
the receptacle, the stud, and a grommet. The recep-
tacle is the part generally attached to the aircraft
structure and serves as the locking mate for the studs.
The studs are generally attached to the removable
covers. The grommet is used with the stud and is de-
signed to carry the stud load into the outer panel and APPLICATION OF CAMLOC STUD PLIER

I.
GROMMET

SNAP RING
'li
Q .
RECEPTACLE. STUDS I
TYPICAL COMPONENTS OF CAMLOC FASTENER

MA Y / JUNE 1962 9
 o
The Camloc 2600 and 2700 series fasteners are de- loc pliers (4-P3) to compress the stud and stud cup
signed {or use in a wide range of tension and shear spring, and to tilt the stud through the panel or access
load applications. Principal components of this series door hole. Where a floating stud application is used,
fasteners are the stud and receptacle. Both series use with a larger hole in the panel, the stud is secured in
a standard one-piece, rivet-mounted receptacle. A the door or access panel by means of either a split or
sealed type receptacle is also used for both series to lock washer.
seal against entrance of air, water, and dust. The split washer is used on panels, curved doors,
or hinged doors, and permits the stud head to fall
A variety of stud lengths is used to accommodate
away from the outer surface of the panel when
different panel thicknesses. Studs in the 2600 series are
opened. The lock washer installation is mosf com-
supplied with slotted standard screwdriver heads and
patible for plus-flush installations where the head may
with Phillips No.2 screwdriver recessed heads. The
be used as a handle for opening the door or access
2700 series with standard slotted head is used for
flush mounting installations only. panel. Split and lock washer installations do not re-
quire the use of pliers to remove the stud from the
Panel installation of the stud in both the 2600 and door or panel; removal of the washer permits removal
2700 series fasteners is accomplished with the Cam- of the stud.

SLOTTED HEAD

SPRI NG ...
- - - - BARREL _ _ _ -I.

o
2600 STUD
( PL.US MOUNTING)

I
,i
I
STUD
RETAINING
WASHERS

cd;)
ASSEMBLED CAMLOC FASTENER
SHOWN IN OPENED POSITION

SEALED RECEPTACLE

STANDARD RECEPTACLE
STUD RETAINING WASHER INSTALLATION

COMPONENT PARTS

10 CO NVAI R TR A VELER

l
 The Camloc 4002 series quarter-turn fastener is de- The 4002 series receptacles are of either the rigid
signed to withstand tension and shear loads in excess or floating type. The latter mounting facilitates en-
of those required of the 2600 and 2700 series. This gagement of the stud and receptacle, should a shift in
fastener consists of three principal components: stud, panel and structure alignment occur. A sealed type
grommet, and receptacle. receptacle is also used in some installations of this
The 4002 series stud is used in various lengths to series. Shims are used to increase grip thickness when
accommodate different sheet thicknesses. Studs in this necessary. Both rigid and floating receptacles are in-
series have slotted screwdriver heads and standard No. stalled by means of flush or dimpled rivets.
2 Phillips recessed heads. A sealed type receptacle is
also used in some applications to seal against entrance Included in the 4002 series is a captive-type stud
of air, water, and dust. assembly which consists of two principal parts: the
The 4002 series stud is installed in the panel through integral stud and grommet assembly, and the standard
a grommet, which is secured to the panel by means of 4002 series receptacle. The stud-grommet assembly is
a snap ring (alternate methods are push-back dimple secured to the panel or access door by means of a snap
or flared type skirt). Installation of the stud in the ring or by flaring the skirt of the grommet, depending
grommet is accomplished by using Camloc pliers to on the assembly used.
compress !he stud spring and spring cup, and by tilt- The stud, grommet, and solid washer are factory-
ing to insert through the grommet. The stud is secured assembled. The cross-pin should never be removed
within the grommet by means of the stud spring load from the stud shaft to permit removal of the stud from
for installation of a shorter stud length. When longer the grommet. Replacement of this part should be made
stud lengths are required, the stud is secured in the by removing and installing the complete stud and
grommet, using a split washer around the stud shank. grommet assembly.

INTEGRAL STUD·GROMMET ASSEMBLY

S LOTTED STUD HEAD . . .----<...

(
SPRING

SNAP RING FLARED S K I RT

STUD GROMMET S T UD GROMMET

C,
SNAPRING

WASHER

FASTENER
ASSEMBLED IN
UNLOCKED POSITION
COMPONENT PARTS

M AY/ JUNE 1962. 11

 o
The Camloc stressed-panel fastener is designed to FL US H S TUD
withstand high shear loads. It has a positive clamp-up
device to compensate for sheet separation and varia-
tions in sheet thickness. The clamping force also pre- SPRING
PLUS FLUSH ST UD
vents sheet separation under shear or tension loading.
This fastener consists of three principal parts (except
for special applications); the stud, retaining ring, and
receptacle.
This fastener requires special operating techniques BARREL
which do not apply to other fasteners discussed pre-
viously. To overlook these techniques will lead to
difficulties when an attempt is made to engage and
lock the fastener.
The fastener may be easily unlocked with one- MOVABLE PANEL
quarter turn to the left. If the stud will not engage
the receptacle, it is probably due to warpage or spring-
back 'of the panel, which holds the panel and structure
too far apart to permit the stud to engage the insert.
Correct engagement of the stud with the receptacle
insert is accomplished by pushing in on the stud until
I
it is flush with the panel, then turning it left until it
meets the stop. While keeping the stud bottomed, it S TUD RETAINING WA SH ER

is rotated to the right until tight. When properly I

locked, the stud will remain flush with the panel.

CAUTION
When turning stud left to "stop," do not ex-
ceed maximum torque of 35 inch-pounds;
otherwise, damage to receptacle assembly FIX E D PANEL
o
may result.

•
STANDARD RECEPTAC L E

CUTAWAY SHOWS STRESSED PANEL FASTENER

CLOSED AND LOCKED C OMPONENT PARTS

12 CONVAIR TRAVELER
( Do's and Don'ts
DO ease pressure on screwdriver when fastener DON'T fight the fastener. It works best when handled
seems engaged. Stud will pop out if not engaged easily.
and locked .
DON'T attempt to drive bushings home with screw-
DO rotate left until stud meets stop when releasing drive r. Use tubing of proper size to clear stud head,
fastener. This will save readjustment when panel is and apply pressure to bushing only.
replaced.
DON'T force stops on insert. If stud will not reach
DO remove foreign matter from holes and recep- because of sheet separation, use adjacent fasteners
tacles before mounting the panel, or closing access to reduce gap .
door.
DON'T use stud heads for prying off sticking panels.
DO not exceed a torque of 35 inch-pounds when Gently pry edge of panel whenever possible.
tightening fastener.
DON'T rotate receptacle insert with screwdriver. This
DO start fastening at a point where panel or access may capsize spring detent plate, which counteracts
door fits best and proceed, fastener-by-fastener, to vibration. Operate fastener only after closing panel
a point where poorest fit is evident. or access door.

Typical Camloc Fastener Applications

2600/2700 SERIES FASTENERS
PRESSURE DOME ACCESS DOOR
PYLON ACCESS DOORS
Stud 4002·1 OW
Stud 2700-1, -2, ·3, -4,-5 Grommet 4002N
Receptacle 212·12N Ring R4G
Receptacle 244·16C
FWD ENTRANCE CARPET INST - TREAD PLATE
( Stud 2700·9, ·10, ·29
FIXED NACELLE ASSEMBLY ACCESS DOORS

Washer 2600LW Stud 4002-2, -3, -4, -5, -6

Receptacle 212·12A Grommet 4002GS
Receptacle 244-165
4002 SERIES FASTENERS Ring 40G26-1

FUSELAGE/ TAIL CONE LH ACCESS DOOR FIXED NACELLE OUTBD DOOR ASSEMBLY

Stud 4055·5 Stud 4514-4, ·6

Grommet 40G15-070 Receptacle 4R41-1
Receptacle 244-22C Ring 459-2

FUSELAGE/ TAIL CONE LOWER SURFACE DOOR POWER ACCESS DOOR

Stud 4055·3, -4, -5 Stud 40551 A070·5A, -7A

Grommet 40G15·040 Receptacle 40R12·1
No Receptacle Receptacle 214·16

CABIN AIR COMPRESSOR ACCESS DOOR GRAVITY OIL Fill DOOR

Stud 4002-10 Stud 4002·35, .45, ·55, -65

Grommet 40015·130 Grommet 4002GS
Receptacle 40R18·7 Receptacle 244·165
Ring 40G26-1
REFRIGERATION PACKAGE ACCESS DOOR
WATER FILL ACCESS DOOR
Stud 4514-6
Receptacle 4R51·1 Stud 4002-6, ·4W
Ring 459·2 Receptacle 40R 12-1
No Grommet
HEAT EXCHANGER ACCESS DOOR
MLG FAIRING ASSEMBLY DOOR
Stud 4002·6
Grommet 4002H Stud 4002·5
Ring R4G Grommet KM755·6
No Receptacle No Receptacle

MA Y/ JU N E 1 962. 13
Fuel System Tests ...

FUEL SYSTEM EVALUATION TESTS were conducted for of pumps, valves, strainers, vents, and tubing could
the Convair 880 before the first of these jet airliners deliver this rate continuously under all anticipated
took to the air. These tests were designed to demon- flight and weather conditions.
strate the reliability and performance of the system Tests confirmed that the boost and engine pumps
under many simulated flight conditions. could draw this quantity of fuel from the tanks with-
The tests utilized a full-scale mockup of the out- out vortexing at the fuel tank outlet bellmouths. The
board No.1 wing tank, with tubing and components; venting arrangement allowed ample air to enter the
special adjustable test bed tank supports; equipment tanks to fill the void left by the rapid draining- off of
for varying ambient air pressures; and heated, very the fuel, and there was no danger of this air being
cold, and water-contaminated fuels. sucked into the lines that supply fuel to the engines.
Test air pressures were available for atmospheric Pressure differentials, developed in the fuel system
pressures ranging from sea level to an altitude of during simulated emergency descent conditions, posed
45,000 feet. Since the fuel system is also affected by no problems in fuel system operation.
attitudes of the aircraft (nose up, nose down), ad- Tests were also made to check system performance
justable tank supports were used. With the adjustable under simulated fuel jettisoning conditions. Results of
supports, functioning of the bellmouths, pump inlets, these tests were satisfactory and were later confirmed
valve openings, etc, could be evaluated at various flight by actual jettison runs in flight (see Convair Traveler,
attitudes with reference to the fuel tank level. September 1959).
At sea level takeoff power, the four engines of the Additional tests were conducted with a special set-
Convair 880 require fuel at a rate of almost 21 tons up to determine fuel system operational characteristics
per hour. Tests were made to determine if the system when utilizing water-contaminated kerosene, with

Engineer adjusts photo gage panel on full-scale mockup of wing tank fuel system. Entire wing
and its integral fuel system could be tilted, supplied with water-saturated and frozen fuels.

14 CONVAIR TRAVELER
 particular attention given to icing. filters or fine mesh strainers, pour point was a sig-
Both JP-4 and kerosene absorb more water than nificant fuel property more closely related to fuel
does gasoline. When this water freezes, water droplets system pumpability limits than was freeze point.
combine with the fuel to form a frozen substance re- 2. Deposition of "solid" kerosene began when the
ferred to as "gel." This gel has been shown to con- inner surface of the fuel tank skin neared the pour
tain about 20% water. The mass of "icing" that may point temperature of the fuel. Solid fuel, adhering to
be generated from moisture in kerosene can be much tank surfaces, was unusable fuel and became a max-
greater than with gasoline, and somewhat more than imum when the fuel was cooled quiescently.
with JP-4; hence, kerosene was chosen for the fuel 3. The "880" boost pumps readily pumped liquid
icing tests. fuel at temperatures down to, and slightly below, the
After adding water to kerosene, the fuel/water com- pour point temperature of the fuel, the coldest liquid
bination was first refrigerated to the desired low temperatures obtainable in the cold test rig. Although
temperature and then run through the simulated fuel a "pumpability limit" was not reached during the
system. Behavior of the fuel at filters, inlets, screens, tests, it appears likely that the limiting airplane cori-
bellmouths, pumps, etc was observed through win- dition would occur when the fuel is no longer able to
dows in the test setup. The actual rate of ice buildup flow to the pump inlets, thereby becoming unusable
at critical points ' was timed. In some tests, the tem- fuel.
perature was low enough to begin to solidify the fuel. 4. A fuel transfer pump, when used as an intra-
Although the tests were run at maximum icing for tank fuel circulation system, greatly alleviated the low-
longer periods than would normally be encountered temperature fuel-solidification problem by taking ad-
in actual operation, there was no indication that ice vantage of the kerosene's thixotropic properties (be-
accumulation under these conditions would interfere coming liquid when agitated). Fuel turbulence in-
with fuel system operation. duced by the transfer pump fuel flow prevented fuel
Following are some of the interesting results and temperature stratification in the test tank and was most
observations from these tests: effective when initiated before solid fuel formations
1. In an unheated airframe fuel system without occurred.

Jettison pump bel/mouth screen following removal Outboard boost pump alternate fuel inlet at end
from tank at end of test (excess water added). of test, as photographed in boost pump hopper.

Boost pump hopper floor and outboard check valves; Photo of main tank floor, transfer pump, inlet bel/-
fuel inlet temperature held at approximately 10°F. mouth and float valve at end of pumpability test.

MAY/JUNE 1962 15
 6 40

VVarning and Indicator Lig hts

used to indicate a condition requiring caution -

hydraulic pressure running low, for instance. Green
lights simply advise of the status of a system or func-
tion such as - landing gear down and locked. Con-
ditions that are temporary in nature are indicated by
Blue lights: for example - fuel valves in transit.
Through this color arrangement, the type of action
or information that is being called to the attention of
the crew is automatically established in the order of
its urgency.
Any red light, of course, commands immediate at-
tention; in fact, illumination of a master warning light
on the instrument panel directly in front of the pilot
indicates that a "red" (emergency) condition has de-
veloped. This master light comes on in conjunction
with any of several red or amber warning lights. When-
ever the master warning light illuminates, the pilot can
quickly scan the various panels. A quick glance will
tell him what he needs to know. If it is being taken
care of by the copilot or flight engineer, pressing the
master warning light will extinguish the light and set
up the system for the next warning signal, should one
occur.
On the copilot's panel is an instrument power fallure
light, which, if illuminated, indicates that electrical
power is not being delivered to the copilot's flight in-
struments. Instrument functioning can then be main-
tained by switching electrical power to another elec-
EACH REQUIRED OPERATING FUNCTION and any poten- trical power source.
tial malfunction on Convair jet airliners is adequately Indicator and warning lights on the pilots' instru-
backed by proper indicator and warning lights on the ment panels are held to a minimum essential for di-
various instrument panels. Thus, each member of the rect flight requirements. The flight engineer, on the
flight crew is well advised at all times so that he can other hand, has a greater array of indicating and warn-
readily contribute to operational efficiency. ing lights. These are displayed on the flight engineer's
The placement of instruments on the instrument control panel to aid him in monitoring and controlling
panels varies somewhat between operators, according those functions that supplement direct flying opera-
to their particular requirements. This applies also to tions. Functions, monitored by some 77 indicator
the positioning and use of the indicator lights. In- lights, include control of the engine fuel air
dicator and warning lights advise what is taking place, conditioning and pressurization, hydraulic systems,
how urgent the condition may be, and whether action and all electrical power, plus a number of other items
is needed on the part of a crew member. The indicator such as indication of proper securing of all doors,
and warning lights are arranged in such a manner that landing gear pin removals, etc.
the crew, being apprised of the situation, can take This array of lights assists the flight engineer in
the necessary action expeditiously, be it normal or taking care of his portion of the flight, relieving the
emergency. pilot and copilot for direct flight duties. Thus, each
Red warning lights are generally used to indicate member of the flight crew is, at all times, well ad-
a potentially dangerous condition: for example-when vised and can readily contribute to the safe and ef-
the engine is running over-temperature. Amber is ficient operation of the aircraft.

GENERAL DVNAMICS I CONVAIR

VOLUME XIV NUMBER 2 JULY/AUGUST 1962

Convair raveler

In this Issue: Fuel Supply & Cross/eed System

In-Flight Trouble Shooting - AC Electric Power Supply
Bleed A ir Ducts
 Convair Trat'eler
o

OUR COVER

We can't quite tie the petroleum molecule

ring structure into our lead article, Fuel
Crossfeed and Supply System, but it is
an interesting, provocative cover. Don't
you agree? The artist ...... Bob Kemp.

Convair Traveler
VOLUME XIV NUMBER 2 JULY I AUGUST 1962

MANAGER, CUSTOMER SERVICE - O. W. HARPER

CHIEF ENGINEERING SERVICE - L. J. BORDelON
CHIEF, FielD SERVICE - R. W. SOMMERS
CHIEF, SERVICE PARTS - J. DOIG
MANAGER, TECHNICAL PUBLICATIONS -
H. R. KENNEDY
EDITOR - GERTRUDE S. HUNTER
o
ART EDITOR - J. L. HOOVER

IN THIS ISSUE

PAGE 3

FUEL SUPPLY & CROSSFEED SYSTEM

Sam Ursham

PAGE 6

IN-fliGHT TROUBLE SHOOTING

AC ElECTRIC POWER SUPPLY
H. R. Smith

PAGE 10

O-RING INSTALLATION
N . V. Davidson

PAGE 12

BLEED AIR DUCTS

N. V. Davidson

A digest of operation and service published monthly

by the Technical Publications Section of GO/Convair
Customer Service Deportment in the interest of Convair
operators. Communications should be addressed to the
Manager of Customer Service Department, General
Dynamics/Convair, San Diego 12, California. Infor-
mation is to be considered accurate and authorita-
tive · as far as Convair approval is concerned. FAA

o
approval is not to be implied unless specifically
noted. Recipients of this information are cautioned
not to use it for incorporation on aircraft with-
out specific approval of their cognizant organization .

COPYRIGHT 1962 GENERAL DYNAMICS I CONVAIR

 Fuel Supply & Crossfeed System
A HIGH DEGREE OF FLEXIBILITY in fuel management is are required in the outboard replenish compartments
permitted with the fuel supply and cross feed systems since flow from these compartments is by gravity into
in Convair jet airliners. Many different tank-to-engine the No. 1 (or No. 4) tank.
combinations are made possible with the crossfeed Two hydraulically-driven dual-purpose boost! jetti-
system. In fact, one or all four engines can be supplied son pumps are installed in the sumps of the center sec-
with 100 percent, or maximum cruise, fuel from any tion tanks of the "880M/ 990." Electric-driven transfer
one tank. In the event an engine is shut down, fuel pumps are installed in the anti-shock bodies of the
from its corresponding tank can be transferred to any "990" (one in the inboard and two in the outboard
one or all of the other engines so that aircraft center ASB's) .
of gravity limits can be maintained by the equal con- All crossfeed and line valves in the "880/ 880M" are
sumption of fuel from all tanks. of the sliding gate type. In the "990," crossfeed valves
The fuel systems for the Convair jet airliners are are of the sliding gate type and line valves are of the
basically the same, with two main integral tanks in plug type. Electrical power for actuating the valves is
each wing. The tanks are numbered 1, 2, 3, and 4 - furnished by either the 28-volt DC essential bus or by
from left to right. Each tank is capable of supply- the emergency bus. The crossfeed valves, at the rear
ing fuel to its corresponding engine during normal spar of each wing, are designed for easy removal
operations.. and installation without the necessity of draining the
In the Convair "880M" and "990", additional fuel tanks - a feature that greatly simplifies and expedites
tankage is supplied by an auxiliary wing center section maintenance.
tank - three cells in the "880M" and five cells in the The arrangement of controls, indicators, and warn-
"990." The "990" also has fuel compartments in each ing lights on the flight engineer's fuel control panel
of its four anti-shock bodies at the trailing edge of the permits an immediate interpretation of the fuel feed
wing. The center section tanks are utilized as auxiliary condition being used, as well as the immediate selec-
tanks; the anti-shock body tanks serve as replenishing tion of any other configuration desired. A schematic
tanks for the adjacent main wing tanks. diagram of the fuel circuit is superimposed on the
In all Convair jet airliners, each main tank (two panel and shown on an internally illuminated (back-
in each wing) is divided into two compartments - a lighted) diagram .
main compartment and a replenishing compartment. All valves, including crossfeed valves and emer-
Fuel is supplied directly to the engine from a well in gency crossfeed valves, are controlled by knobs (valve
each main compartment. Each well, with a capacity switches) mounted in their proper positions within
of approximately 135 gallons, is located in the aft the flow diagram. Aligning the knob with the flow line
inboard portion of the main tank - the lowest point. of the diagram opens the crossfeed valve to the ap-
An interesting peculiarity of the wing tanks is that plicable engine, and allows fuel to flow according to
even in cruise climb, the fuel remains evenly distrib- the desired sequence. Turning the knob so that it is
uted along the rear spar, despite wing sweepback. perpendicular to the flow line of the diagram closes
Within the fuel wells are two electrically-operated the crossfeed valve.
boost pumps which supply fuel from the well to the The emergency crossfeed valve in the "cross-ship"
engine-driven fuel pumps . The highest possible fuel line, indicated by a knob on the flight engineer's panel,
level in the tank wells is maintained under all flight allows fuel to be transferred from either or both tanks
attitudes through operation of electric transfer pumps in one wing to the engine(s) on the other wing. This
- two transfer pumps each in the No. 1 and No.4 right-to-Ieft, or left-to-right, cross-ship fuel transfer
tanks, a single transfer pump with a three-position is accomplished by proper positioning of the emer-
switch in the No.2 and No. 3 tanks, and a transfer gency crossfeed line (shutoff) valves, and the cross-
pump in the inboard replenish tank. No transfer pumps feed valve to the affected engine in the opposite wing.

CONVAIR 880 FUEL TANK ARRANGEMENT

NO. I REPLENISHMENT TANK

JULY /A UG U ST 1962 3
 o
- ENG. NO.2 FIRE t PULL FIRE 2 PULL

., TANK LINE VALVE (28V DC ESS)

)
PULL)
EMERG SHUTOFF VALVE (28V DC EMERG FIRE

I I> 4)
• CROSS FEED VALVE r2SV DC ESS TANKS NOS.
Y)
128V DC EMERG TANKS NOS 2. 3. AND AUXILIAR

® BOOSTER PUMP (AC)

o TRANSFER PUMP (AC)

FUEL TRANSFER LINES

ENGINE FUEL SUPPLY LINES

ELECTRIC VA.LVE CONTROL

r's panel.
Convair 990 fuel tank crossfee d diagram , in relation to flight enginee

CONVAIR TRAVELER
4
o It should be noted that there is a single switch that
operates both emergency crossfeed valves on the
" 880" ; the "880M" and "990" have individual switches
for each emergency crossfeed valve. On all airplanes,
indicated by blue, valve-in-transit lights located adja-
cent to each valve switch. The indicator lights illumi-
nate only when the valve gate, or plug, is moving, and
extinguishes when movement is stopped. The valve-
both crossfeed valves must be open during "cross-ship" in-transit lights are, in effect, push-to-test switches by
crossfeed operation. which faulty operation of the light can be determined.
Fuel in the center section tank on the "880M/ 990" At any altitude up to and including 41,000 feet, all
is transferred to all , or individual, engines through one fuel system requirements may be adequately fulfilled
or both emergency cross feed valves, and through indi- by a single operating boost pump in anyone fuel tank.
vidual engine crossfeed valves. At 26,000 feet, or below, normal fuel flow is available
Actuation of the cross feed valves and line valves is with both boost pumps inoperative.

Convair 880 /uel tank cross/eed sySTem (flight engineer's panel).

Convair 880M /ueltank cross/eed sy sTem (flighT engineer's panel).

J U L Y / AUGU ST 1962 5
 In-Flight 0
Trouble Shooting

AC Electric Power Supply

Systems

Convair 880/880M/990

WHEN A WARNING LIGHT on the AC power panel shows Convair 880/880M/990 AC electric power systems.
a system malfunction, there are two things to do imme- Figure 1 is a diagram showing the typical malfunc-
diately after isolating the faulty system: 1) see that the tions and associated relay trips that result in warning
pilot's essential bus is connected to a satisfactorily lights. The chart on pages 8-9 is essentially a reversed
operating power source-sync bus or generator-and and expanded version of the diagram working back
2) se'e that all load buses are powered if at all possible. from the warning light to possible cause. It cannot
This done, the flight engineer may undertake some claim to be complete; one aspect of Murphy's law is
troubleshooting analysis, for his own information and that if the 47 only possible ways for a thing to go
for the benefit of the ground maintenance crew. First, wrong are anticipated, No. 48 will show up sooner or
he has to decide what to do with the malfunctioning later. The troubleshooting schedule does, however,
system - whether to continue to operate it under systematize some of the procedures for identifying
some limitation of load or paralleling, or to cut off and evaluating a malfunction that has caused a warn-
excitation to the generator for the rest of the trip, or ing light.
to disconnect both generator and constant-speed-drive In-flight analysis can only be based on what can

o
(CSD) from the engine. The last is, for that flight, be seen or done at the flight engineer's panel. The
an irrevocable decision; the CSD cannot be ·recon- engineer cannot trace circuits with an ohmmeter, like
nected in flight. It is important not to needlessly de- the ground crew. On the other hand, he has all systems
prive the flight of usable or standby electric power. operating under load, paralleled or isolated as he pre-
On the following pages are presented some charts fers - a situation the ground crew sometimes envies
that may be of some help for in-flight troubleshooting -with an ammeter and (on most 880/880M/990's)

Malfunction Tripping re lay

O IL
eSD oil overheat TEMPERATURE
SENSOR

BUS
Bus und ervoltage UNDERVOLTAGE
RELAY

NEUTRAL
Open phase CURRENT
RELAY

UNBA L ANCED
Loss of load
CURRENT
division
RELAY

Generator GENERATOR
undervoltage or UNDERVOL TAGE
underexcitation RELAY
Generator
QVERVOLTAGE
overvoltage or
RELAY
overexcitation
Feeder fault be- DIFFERENTIAL
tween generator PROTECTION
and line contactor RELAY

Underfrequency or UNDERSPEED
overfrequency RELAY

BEARING
Generator bearing
TEMPERATURE
overheat SENSOR

STATOR WINDING
Stator winding
overheat TEMPERATURE
SENSOR

Figure 1. Generator malfunctions with resultant relay trips, time delays, and warning lights.

6 CONVAIR TRAVELER
n
GEN 1
GLe
3 0 AC

PMGOC

GEN2

OJi
3 0 AC
ESSBUS

PMGOC

ACBUS4

GEN4
3 0 AC
'----------+------1[J
•
BT5 ..

PMGDC

Figure 2. Diagram (protective circuitry and relays omitted) of "990" power supply tor BTC's in paralleling.
a watt-var meter for each generator, and with a fre- frequency meter would not even indicate. In the earlier

o
quency meter and voltmeter that can be switched to days of AC aircraft systems, a lot of CSD units were
each generator. removed when the real trouble lay elsewhere. CSD
Two basic manipulations are possible. First, the trouble is indicated when voltage holds up but fre-
main generator switch, placed to TEST position, cuts quency goes down. The generator normaIly maintains
the generator off the load bus but provides excitation, voltage down to 350 cps or lower, depending on
so that frequency and voltage can be read up to the amount of load.
generator line contactors. Second, the main generator • Limiters in three-phase circuits should all be
switch, the generator line switch, and the bus tie switch replaced at once. If one limiter goes out, the others
can each be reset by placing it to OFF and then back most probably have been overloaded, and excess load
to CLOSE. If the contactors close, current, KW, and changes the value of the limiters.
KVAR can be read on the indicators; and if a trip The preceding paragraph must not be construed as
reoccurs, the time required for tripping can be noted. implying a recommendation to replace limiters in
By judicious selective switching, noting trip-out flight. It is true that some limiters are accessible
times and indicator readings, the flight engineer may through panels at the flight engineer's station, and the
be able to pinpoint a malfunction. At least, he should rest can be reached via the coat-closet door to the
be able to identify the area of trouble weIl enough for electrical compartment. But these panels come under
his own purposes during the flight. His noted obser- the head of emergency access. The classic advice cov-
vations will always be of interest to the ground crew, ering such panels is, "Don't open unless there's smoke
and may save them a good deal of useless checking. coming out." It is still good advice, at least in the
It is not the intention here to prescribe forms or figurative sense that only an emergency justifies work-
procedures for flight engineer's reports. The trouble- ing among live bus bars. There is enough 1 r5-volt
shooting data carry a clear implication of what infor- current on the bars to supply several city blocks of
mation will be useful in ground checkout of the mal- average homes. Short-circuiting such power is dan-
function. It is always better for the ground man to gerous, to the man who does it, to the airplane systems,
have a description of specific symptoms, rather than and to all other people aboard. .
a summary diagnosis, which might not only chaIlenge • AC current, voltage, and frequency are moni-
the ego of a ground crewman, but which might just tored from Phase B only. A fault in another phase
possibly be wrong. might not show on these readings. KW is measured
In addition to the chart data, following are some from Phase A, KV AR from Phases A and C. Among
items to bear in mind . the several readings, the faulty phase should be fairly
evident .

o
• Frequency readings are to some extent depen-
dent on normal voltage. If line-ground voltage drops • Malfunctions causing generator trip-outs with
to 100, an actual frequency of 400 would read about no perceptible time delay are practically impossible to
390 on the panel meter; cut voltage by half, and the (continued on page 10)

JULY/AUGUST 1962 7
IN - FLIGHT TROUBLE SHOOTING - - AC POWER SUPPLY
, \ . , ' . J ) ' '", '"
. ; .
, "
• ___' ______________________
' It J. •

GEN With generator Si

OVER GEN switch OFF No reset Temperature sensors frequency for 1
HEAT mayor may not fl

DRIVE
CSD oi I temperature One or more oth
MAL-
GEN switch OFF No reset sensor monitor voltage
FUNCT than 30 second s.

Generator undervo Itage Voltage below I

6 ±2 seconds Light remains on

GEN LINE
CaNT GEN switch to TEST; No time delay, Generotor overvoltage On test, light m(
OPEN check frequency and or bare I y percep- or differential protec- and then on, or b
voltage. tib le (less than tion rela y show no reaction
and 1 second).
GEN Reset switches.
OFF

Light on steadl
Underspeed switch
above 450, volta

GEN LINE Check as is. If no These are abnormal indications; l ights

CaNT Check of all ir
readings, GEN switch should illuminate together. Malfunc- apparently opera
OPEN to TEST. tion must involve light or panel control
or circuitry , with or without other malfunc-
GEN Reset switches. tion accompanying. Checks or inst
OFF ma !function.
(alone)

BUS TIE Readings in all

CaNT Check as is. If mal-
OPEN function evident, GEN 4 ±2 second s Bus undervoltage
switch to TEST. One system obv
(all four Line CaNT OPE
at once) come on after 6

Frequency nor
4 ±2 seconds Neutral current relay Line CaNT OP '
come on after 6

Frequency erra '

BUS TIE
KW reading
CaNT Check as is. KVAR reading
OPEN high (generator
(one) Unbalanced current KW reading 10
8 ± 2 seconds relay KVAR reading
(generator is n(

ammeters

AC PWR Compo If
MAIN If MAIN out, switch Instrument power
OUT None failure.
to STANDBY.
or Compass - fai I I
STANDBY
OUT

8 CONVAIR TRAVELE R
 ,

, -
• -
If frequency is erratic, disconnect CSD.
Overheated generator bearing {most
or sJw itch OFF, monitor light and probable}. If light is still on after 2 minutes, disconnect CSD,
r 1 -IY2 to 2 minutes. Frequency regardless of frequency reading. {After 3 minutes
Overheated stator winding, from
not f luctuate. further damage is probab Ie.}
overload, short, or blocked cool in g
, airflow. If light goes out and frequency and voltage appear
normal, leave generator switch OFF. Generator moy
be usable in emergency.

generators operating norma II y. CSD Disconnect CSD immediately.

If frequency is low or fluctuating, disconnect CSD.
, other Jlenerators out of service; Poss ible minor CSD troub Ie, or warn- If light remains on after 30 seconds, disconnect
age an frequency, for not more ing circuit fault . CSD immediately.
,nds . If frequency is normal and light goes out , leave gen-
erator sw itch OFF and CSD connected for standby.

Static exciter.
ow 100, frequency not 370. Contro I pane I reg u I ator . Generator switch OFF.
1S on throughout test. Generator.
Open generator phase feeder wire.
Control panel regulator.
Static e x citer.
Ship's wiring.
Between-phase or phase - to - ground
It may remain on, or fl icker off feeder fault.
or blink rapidly. Voltmeter may Generator switch OFF.
Open DPCT secondary.
ction, or may react momentarily.
CSD failure from:
Sheared input shaft; Input discon-

r-
nect failure; Underspeed switch
failure; Internal failure .
Generator PMG failure.
teady; frequency below 350 or
CSD under speed or overspeed. Disconnect CSD
to I tage probab Iy abnorma I.

If carrying load, leave alone but monitor. If opera-

,II i ndications shows generator Control panel regulator. Spurious ting normally but not corrying load, try to rec lose
'perot i ng norma II y. ground in light circuit. contactors. If this is impossible, place generator
switch OFF.
instruments indicate a s y stem Control or light circuit combined
with other malfunction. Check and proceed as if both I ights were on.

Sync bus line-to-line or 3 - phase

all four generators normal. fault. Operate all generators isolated.
Bus protection panel.

obviously malfunctioning. Gen Reparallel three good generators. If fault seems to

OPEN and GEN OFF lights may Load bus line-to-l i ne or 3 - phase clear and line CONT OPEN and GEN OFF lights
,. 6 ±
2 seconds time delay.
,
fau It. are clear, try reparalleling fourth generator I or op-
erate it isolated.
nor_nlal,voltage low or erratic. Open phase in feeder or load bus. Generator switch OFF. If fault not evident, try
and GEN OFF lights may Shorted DPCT secondary. loading or reparalleling generator.
er 6 - 2 seconds. -
erratic. CSD Or load controller. Disconnect CSD.

J high, other system KW's low;

ling low, other system KVAR's
at or is "hogging" load} . Real load circuitry.
r low , other systems normal;
ing high , other systems normal
Load controller.
Biasing solenoids in CSD . o perote generator i so Iated.
is not carrying load}.
fairly steady; KVAR meters and Reactive load circuitry.
luc.tuating. Control panel regulator.

ail flags( Blown transformer limiter, No. 3

, wing.
bus {main} or pi lot's essent ial bu s
{standby} . No in - flight action recommended

'ail flags not showing. Blown transformer I imiter, transform-

er fuse box.

JULY /AUG UST 1962 9

 pinpoint in flight. Either undervoltage or differential
protection relays may be tripping; the list of possible
causes, as the chart shows, is rather long. For flight
purposes, the generator would be useless when tripped
powered only when generators 1-3 or 2-3 are oper-
ating. Any other generator (or engine) combination
(1-2, 1-4, 2-4, 3-4) will result in a de-energized DC
essential bus or a de-energized DC emergency bus. At
o
from any of these causes. any time, paralleling may be obtained by closing the
e Convair 880/880M/990 AC-DC power systems DC essential bus connect switch or by switching the
are for the most part identical. However, there is a pilot's essential bus selector switch to an operative
difference in the connection between the DC emer- generator.
gency and essential buses and in the power supply for e When one or all systems isolate, one should as-
operation of the BTC's (Bus Tie Contactors) . On the sume that there is a reason therefor, and proceed
"990," these two differences may affect paralleling of cautiously, even though the line contactors remain
the generators, and consequently operation of all four closed. Frequency and voltage should be read care-
AC buses, during two-engine ground runs. It may be fully. No attempt should be made to parallel systems
necessary to close the "990" DC essential bus connect whose frequencies differ by as much as 10 cps, or when
switch, or to switch the pilot's essential bus to an oper- voltages or loads are obviously outside normal ranges.
ating generator, to close the necessary BTC's for sys- The flight engineer's resources for dealing with a
tem parellel operation. malfunction are pretty much limited to circuit-breaker
On the Convair 880, the DC essential bus connect and line contactor resets. He can conserve what power
relay is normally closed; on the "990" it is normally he has - a highly important aspect of flight safety.
open. On the "880", all BTC's are powered from the By reporting in detail every circumstance of the mal-
DC bus; on the "990", power for the BTC's function, even false trips or variances in indicator
is divided between the DC essential bus and the DC readings that may foreshadow later malfunction, he
emergency bus (see figure 2). can save time and money in ground maintenance.
To understand why parallelling may be affected There was a time - and not too long ago - when
during "990" two-engine ground runs, it should be alternating current aircraft systems were new and
realized that in order to parallel, DC power must be unfamiliar; standard procedure for mending a mal-
available for No . 1 paralleling relay and the four function was to change the handiest black box, then
BTC's. This implies that both DC buses must be pow- the generator and CSD, in hopes that one or the other
ered to obtain a paralleled system. measure would fix something. Ground crews should
As can be seen from figure 2, with the essential DC be, and are, more sophisticated now. Most of them
bus connect relay open, and with the pilot's essential
bus connected to the sync bus, both DC buses are
have the knowledge and experience to be able to make
good use of an intelligent malfunction report.
o
O-Ring Installation
INSTALLATION OF O-RINGS requires great care in every
step of the operation, from removal of the old O-ring ( FROSTY APPEARANCE )
to the reassembly of the component after the new EXCESSIVE TEMPERATURE

O-ring has been positioned. This "gentle care" is nec-

essary to protect the smooth surface of the ring.
t\lthough selection of the O-ring should be deter-
mined by the installation drawing, a little logic will
help when replacing this special kind of packing. If
an O-ring has failed , obviously there was a cause.
Perhaps it was the result of normal wear, but there
may be contributing factors that should be noted. EXTRUSION
Inspection of the old, damaged O-ring may indicate
failure from wear, extrusion, excessive permanent set,
excessive temperatures, or "nibbling" (partial rolling)
in the groove. Failure from normal wear may be ex- PERMANENT
pected, but excessive extrusion may indicate that the SET

O-ring was improperly selected for the groove in which

it was placed, or that backup rings were not installed
when necessary.
Irregular wear of the O-ring may indicate that it
was deformed by abrasion from a burr. It is always
possible that the O-ring failed because it originally had
a defect that would have been cause for rejection had
the part been properly inspected before installation.

o
EXCESSIVE ROLLING
Only butyl rubber seals are recommended for use in ABRASION IN THE GROOVE

Skydrol hydraulic systems, since they are resistant

to Skydrol fluid. These rings are identified by a green

10 CONVAIR TRAVELER

L
 the O-ring may have been damaged without the knowl-
JAM NUT
edge of the installer. This practice is good insurance
against subsequent use of a damaged seal.
Care should be exercised in handling the O-rings to
avoid marring the smooth O-ring surface with finger
BACKU-P RING
nails, tools, or fitting threads. O-rings should not be
pinched between the boss and fitting, or damaged on
sharp edges of the shoulder of the groove or fitting.
Sometimes, running a nut on a thread will remove a
c ,.
O-RING
burr.
Installation of the O-ring on a piston is a simple
matter of stretching the O-ring and rolling it into
place in its groove. Since no twist is allowed after the
stripe and a colored dot, or a green stripe and several O-ring is installed, it should be straightened as it is
colored dots, depending upon the manufacturer. installed.
Teflon backup rings, used throughout the hydraulic When it is required that a number of the same size
systems, have a low coefficient of friction, and are O-rings be moved across threaded portions of fittings,
resistant to Skydrol and most chemicals. Being split it is well to construct a smooth thin sleeve to fit over
and beveled at both ends for overlap, they are ideally the threads and to serve as a sliding surface. If only
adapted to backing up the seal formed by the butyl a few rings are involved, then tough tape may be
O-ring. They can be quickly fitted and trimmed to spirally wound over the threads to preclude damaging
exact dimensions. the O-ring smooth surface.
If a backup ring is used on only one side, it should O-rings in the oxygen system must not be allowed
be installed on the downstream side of the O-ring. If to come in contact with any kind of oil or grease,
pressure is in alternate directions, one backup ring because oil in the presence of oxygen presents a fire
may be placed on each side of the O-ring. hazard , and can cause an explosion, should both oxy-
Ground work for a good O-ring replacement job gen and oil (or grease) be present in any quantity. The
starts with the removal of the old existing rings. Sharp rules of safety contained in the maintenance manuals
or hard instruments should not be used for loosening should be observed when employing the use of O-rings
or prying the old O-rings out of position. Any nicks or in repair or maintenance of the oxygen system.
scratches incurred in the O-ring seating or groove can

c contribute to the failure of the new ring. To be safe

in this regard, the removal tool, or tools, should be
constructed of wood or plastic to preclude damage to
By keeping one's hands clean and paying particular
attention to cleanliness of all parts involved with O-ring
replacement, system contamination can be avoided.
Many of the O-rings now supplied, come in individ-
the O-ring seat and adjacent area. The tool illustrated, ually-sealed and identified wrappings. This also helps
or an orange stick, would be suitable for removing in keeping O-rings clean and undamaged, until they
O-rings. are ready for use.
Particular care should be exercised when installing When the assembly has been thoroughly cleaned,
new rings to be sure that they are not forced over smoothed, and otherwise prepared, O-rings may be
rough threads or corners in order to position them in taken from their wrappings and inspected by stretching
their grooves or on the shoulders. It is always well and rolling the ring between the fingers. If any fault
to thoroughly inspect, clean, and reinspect O-ring seat- is found in the new ring, it should be discarded, since
ing and adjacent surfaces for defects or irregularities. the cost of this item is small compared to the cost
Metal-bearing surfaces of the seal must be dust-free involved in the failure of a system because of a faulty
before a component is assembled. The parts may be seal. Other O-rings of the same dimension and identi-
cleaned in Stoddard solvent. fication should be inspected at this time to ascertain
Lubricating the Skydrol hydraulic system O-rings if the "batch" is below specification.
with Skydrol fluid to facilitate installation is recom- Besides the procedures established by specification
mended. It should be remembered, however, that min- and design requirements, the routine of O-ring instal-
erai oil and greases should not be allowed to contact lation is guided by a great deal of miscellaneous. tech-
seals in the Skydrol hydraulic fluid systems. nical data based on a common sense approach.
A double check should be made before installing
a ring to be sure ' it is a proper replacement part for
the particular system ... pneumatic, hydraulic, fuel,
oxygen. Inspection of the new O-ring for imperfections
consists of carefully stretching, then rolling, it between
the fingers and looking for indentations in the form
of holes, spirals, pits, or grooves. Inspection of Teflon
rings should include a check that surfaces are free
from irregularities, that edges are clean-cut and sharp,
and that scarf cuts are parallel.
If a new O-ring has been tried on a fitting and found
to be too tight, it should be discarded . .. NOT re-
turned to storage ... because during the fitting process,

JULY /AU GUST 1962 11

 o

THE ENGINE BLEED AIR SYSTEM on Convair jet airliners however, the operating temperature can still be up to
is a convenient and effective method of tapping avail- 867°F. Proofing load is 340 psig at room temperature.
able jet engine power for various operations. Bleed These are but two representative conditions; other
air from the engines provides wing and engine anti- bleed air duct pressure-test loads are listed iIi the
icing, engine starting, windshield rain clearing, cabin table on the back cover.
air conditioning and pressurization, and (in some air- If a duct is to be removed for repair, care should
craft) the motive power for refrigeration. be exercised in removing the insulation from the duct,
Bleed air at high pressure and high temperature and in handling the duct and its attaching parts so
due to heat of compression is taken from the engine as to avoid further damage to the duct or duct flanges
17th compressor stage. From blee.d air manifolds at- and bellows. The applicable Maintenance Manuals
tacheq directly to each engine, the compressed air is list the precautions to be taken in removal of a duct.
routed through valves to reduce and regulate the Section 13 of the Overhaul Manual describes typical
initial pressure; then it is ducted through the wing duct repairs. Herein will be described only the methods
bleed air ducts out to the various subsystems. With and test setup required for proofing the ducts after
this routing of heated air throughout the duct system, repair.
it is important that the ducts be permitted to grow After repair of a duct section it is important that
(expand through heating) and to shrink again when a proof pressure test be conducted. Operating, proof,
the engine is shut down - all without loss of pressure- and burst pressures for each duct are given on the
tight integrity of the ducts. applicable engineering drawings. When applying this
The highest pressures and temperatures of the bleed proof pressure, certain facts pertaining to bleed air
air system are normally encountered in the ducting
that comprises the engine bleed manifold installations.
These manifolds are designed for an operational pres-
sure of 237 psig at a temperature of 867°F (464°C).
ducts are to be kept in mind.
If compressed air is to be used for the proof pres-
sure test, it should be recognized that air under the
required test pressures has a potential force capable
o
They are designed to meet or exceed a burst pressure of creating initial damage and injury to personnel,
of 536 psig at this elevated temperature. The equiva- should the duct rupture .
lent room temperature proofing pressure for this mani- Proof loading is more easily controlled with hy-
fold is 570 psig. draulic pressure; i.e., filling the duct with oil (or
After bleed air passes through the bleed air pres- water) and applying pressure with a suitable hand
sure regulating valves, the normal operating pressure pump (see figure 1). After proofing by means of
in the wing and pod ducting is reduced to 40 psig; (Continued on page 15)

H YD RAULIC H AN D

Figure 1. Typical test set-up showing support for compression tube bellows. o
12 CONVAIR TRAVELER
c
' -__- - - F I X E D SUPPORT

( PERMITTING MOTION
SHOWN IN PLANE OF
DWG ONLY)

c ( PERMITTI NG MOTION
SHOWN IN PLANE OF
DWG ONLY)

FITTING WITH
FIXED C LAMP
AND ROLLER C LAMP
( OR SLIDING SUPPORT)

Figure 2. Wing leading edge duct sections with inset showing bellows support.

JULY ! AUGUS T 1962 13

 SWINGING SUPPORTS
( PERMITTI NG MOTION
SHOWN IN PLANE OF
DWG ONLY )
SWINGING SUPPORT
( PERMITTING MOTION
SHOWN IN PLANE OF
DWG ONLY ) BELLOWS TO BE RESTRAINED
TO LIMIT ANGULAR
o
DEFLECTION NOTED
( TYPICAL BOTH ENDS)

o
///{/1 ////---. RIGID SUPPORT

E=iiiiiiiiiii3-------e CLAMP

SWINGING SUPPORT
( PERMITTING MOTION
SHOWN IN PLANE OF
DWG ONLY)

COMBINATION SOLID a:
SWINGING SUPPORT

Figure 3. T y pical rain clearing duct sections showing support which restricts m ovement.

14 CONVAIR TRAVELER
r hydraulic pressure, it is most important that the ducts
be thoroughly purged. If oil is used, ducts should be
thoroughly cleaned with a suitable solvent because
If an external pivotal member is not in evidence,
there is probably a connecting link (tension joint)
within the duct itself (see figure 4) . This is true at the
any oil that may remain in the bellows, for example, bellows which connect the lower and upper segments
could subsequently result in smoke in the cabin. If of the engine bleed air manifold assemblies. The ten-
water pressure is used, the ducts should be thoroughly sion link within the bellows resembles a single link
dried in an oven to preclude subsequent corrosive of chain.
action.
Each duct assembly blueprint contains a sketch of
the preferred method for securing the duct on a test
rig so as to restrain it during a proof pressure test.
If a drawing is not available, the duct should be sup-
ported and secured on a test rig in a manner similar
to the aircraft configuration. Figures 2, 3, and 4 show
typical methods of supporting the ducts during pres-
sure testing.
In general , supports are required on both sides of
a connecting bellows - a fixed support on one side
to prevent duct movement, and a sliding support plus
a fixed support on the other side. The sliding support
permits movement of the bellows while the duct sec-
tion is under pressure.
Securely-attached solid (end) supports are impor-
tant. If, for example, a duct is four inches in diameter
and is to be proofed to 340 psig, the fact that end
pressure forces will be over two tons should indicate
the importance of a securely-attached support.
The wing leading edge duct installation has a num-
ber of straight-run stainless steel tubes with expansion
bellows (see figure 5). In between the solid end sup-
Figure 4. Bleed air manifold showing how

c
ports at the fuselage and each pylon are numerous
end loads are transmitted by connecting
clamps mounted on rollers, which permit duct section
link , inside bellows, joining two segments.
heat growth , while holding the movement in alignment
with the duct axis. This installation should be dupli-
cated on the test rig (see figure 2).

Note
When these ducts are to be removed
from the airplane, it is recommended
that a splint be installed over the bel-
lows to prevent bending the bellows
more than 3 0 (see figure 6) .

Whenever a duct is angled, provisions are incorpo-

rated to take care of the end forces which tend to push
sections apart. At some locations this is accomplished
with external pivot arms (swinging supports) which
attach the duct to a rigid airframe or engine structure Figure 5. Typical wing bleed air duct installed
(see figure 3) . in airplane.

c Figure 6. Splint (sling), to facilitat e handling o f duct during removal (note caps at each end).

JULY I AUGUST 1962. 15

 6 40
Typical Bleed Air Duct Pressure Test Loads

DUCT OPERATING PROOF PRESS.

LOCATION
NUMBER PRESSURE (ROOM TEMP)
POD AND PYLON DUCT INSTALLATION (22- 27000)
22- 27003 Sta 178 - 185 40 psig at 867°F (464°C) 400 ps ig
22- 27004 Sta 146 - 178 40 psig at 867°F (464°C) 360 psig
22 - 27005 Inbd - Sta 195 - 202 40 psig at 867°F (464°C) 400 psig
22- 27006 Outbd - Sta 195 - 203 40 psig at 867°F (464°C) 400 psig
22 - 27007 Sta 91 - 146 40 psig at 867°F (464°C) 360 ps ig
22 - 27001 Monifold Sta 153.78 237 psig at 867°F (464°C) 570 psig
WING LEADING EDGE DUCT INSTALLATION (22-27119)
22 - 27120 Sta 101 - 264.3 40 psig at 867°F (464°C) 340 ps ig
22 - 27122 Sta 264 - 322 40 psig at 867°F (464°C) 340 ps ig
22 - 27126 Sta 334 - 410 40 psig at 867°F (464°C) 340 psig
22- 27127 Sta410-478 40 psig at 867°F (464°C) 340 psig
22 - 27128 Sta 478 - 541 40 psig at 867°F (464°C) 340 psig
22 - 27129 Sta541-614 40 psig at 867°F (464°C) 340 ps ig
22-27136 L.E. Anti -Ice - Inbd Pylon 13 psig ot 867°F (464°C) 58 psig
22-27137 L_E. Anti -Ice - Outbd Pylon 13 psig at 867°F (464°C) 58 psig
22 - 27138 L.E. Anti-Ice - Fuselage Stub 13 psig at 867°F (464°C) 58 psig
22 - 27139 Elbow - L.E . Sta 629.6 40 psig at 867°F (464°C) 340 psig
22- 27140 Elbow - Sta 338.0 40 psig at 867°F (464°C) 340 psig
22 - 27141 Wing -to- Fuselage 40 psig at 867°F (464°C) 340 ps ig

FUSELAGE (UNDER WING AREA) DUCT INSTALLATION (22 - 29011)

22 - 29032 BL 42 40 psig at 867°F (464°C) 360 ps ig
22 - 29038 Sta 787.60 LH 40 psig at 867°F (464°C) 360 psig
22 - 29039
22 - 29040
Sta 787.60 RH
Sta 816.25 RH
40 psig at 867°F (464°C)
40 psig at 867°F (464°C)
360
360
psig
psig
0
22 - 29041 Sta 649.75 LH 40 psig at 867°F (464°C) 340 psig
22 - 29042 Sta 42.00 LH 40 ps ig at 867°F (464°C) 360 psig
22 - 29043 To Freon BL 37.75 40 psig at 867°F (464°C) 360 psig
22 - 29044 BL 37.75 RH 40 psig at 867°F (464°C) 360 psig
22-29045 BL 42.00 40 psig at 867°F (464°C) 360 ps ig
22 - 29046 Ground Connect ion 40 psig at 867°F (464 a C) 360 ps ig
22 - 29047 BL 37.75 LH 40 psig at 867°F (464 a C) 360 ps ig
22 - 29048 To Freon BL 37.75 RH 40 psig at 867°F (464°C) 360 ps ig
22 - 29049 BL 36.49 LH 40 psig at 867°F (464°C) 360 psig
22 - 29050 Sta 671.12 LH 40 psig at 867 a F (464°C) 360 psig
22 - 29051 BL 10.75 RH 40 psig at 867°F (464°C) 360 psig
22 - 29052 Sta 650.86 RH 40 psig at 867°F (464°C) 360 psig
22 - 29053 BL 18.95 RH 40 ps ig at 867°F (464°C) 340 psig
22 - 29055 Sta 680.40 L H 40 psig at 867°F (464°C) 360 psig
22 - 29058 Sta 671.12 RH 40 psig at 867°F (464°C) 360 psig
22 - 29060 BL 10.75 40 psig at 867°F (464°C) 360 psig
22 - 29065 Sta 800.00 RH 40 psig at 867°F (464°C) 360 psig
22 - 29066 Sta 802.85 L H 40 psig at 867°F (464°C) 360 psig
22 - 29075 Freon Comp Inlet LH 40 ps ig at 867°F (464°C) 360 psig
RAIN CLEARING DUCT INSTALLATION (FUSELAGE) STA 183 - 262 (22-27Hi4)
22-27114 Subsystem 40 psig at 867°F (464°C) 360 psig
22-27115 Fwd Anchor 40 psig at 867°F (464°C) 360 psig
22 - 27116 RH Side Run 40 psig at 867°F (464°C) 360 psig
22 - 27117 RH Crossover 40 psig at 867°F (464°C) 360 ps ig
22 - 27118 LH Crossover 40 psig at 867°F (464°C) 360 ps ig

RAIN CLEARING DUCT INSTALLATION - STA 262 TO FRONT SPAR (22-27105)

22-27107 Sta 616.15 40 psig at 867°F (464°C) 340 psig
22-27108 Sta 262.06 to 489 40 psig at 867°F (464°C) 340 ps ig
22-27109 Sta 489 to 604.20 40 psig at 867°F (464°C) 340 psig

GENERAL. DVNAMIC:S I C:ONVAIR

VOLUME XIV NUMBER 3 SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 1962

Convair raveler

In this Issue: Slush and Braking Tests-880M

 ConvairTraveler

OUR COVER

A Convair 880M enters man-made slush area-

50 feet wide by 1000 feet long - in FAA's
test program to gain knowledge of aircraft
performance under adverse weather conditions.
..
Eleven movie cameras on the airplane and 12
to 15 high-speed motion picture and still
cameras on the ground record the test data.

Convair Traveler
VOLUME XIV NUMIER 3 SEPTEMBER/OCTOIER 1962

MANAGER, CUSTOMER SERVICE - O. W. HARPER

CHIEF ENGINEERING SERVICE - L. J. IORDELON
CHIEF, FIELD SERVICE - R. W. SOMMERS
MANAGER, SERVICE PARTS - J. DOIG
MANAGER, TECHNICAL PUBLICATIONS -
H. R. KENNEDY
EDITOR - GEITRUDE S. HUNTER
ART EDITOR - J. L. HOOVER
o
IN THIS ISSU.
PAGE 3

SLUSH AND BRAKING TESTS

ON THE 880M
Hugh R. Smith
PAGE 10

CSD MAINTENANCE TIPS

Sam Urshan
PAGE 12

FIRE DETECTION AND

EXTINGUISHING
Sam Urshan
PAGE 14

CARE OF HYDRAULIC SYSTEMS

Sam Urslran
lACK COVER

FORMING WITH MAGNEFORM

N. V. Davidson
A digest of operation and service published monthly
by the Technical Publication. Section of GO/Convair
Customer Service Department in the int.rest of Convair
operators. Communications should be addressed to the
Manager of Customer Service Department, General
Dynamia/Convoir, Son Diego 12, California. Infor-
mation is to b. considered accurate and authorita-
tive as far as Convair approval is concerned. fAA
approval is not to be implied unless specifically
noted. Recipients of this information are cautioned
not to use it for incorporation on aircraft with·
out specific approval of their cognizant organization.

COPYRIGHT 1962
 Slush and
FAA
Braking Tests
on the 880M

" . many of the test conditions to which the

aircraft was repeatedly exposed were well outside the normal operational environment for
such an aircraft; and the damage encountered was surprisingly light and considerably less
than that sustained by other turbojet aircraft in daily operation."

EARLY LAST FALL, a Convair 880M played a major occur. Drag was shown to vary linearly with depth
role in a project to fill in a large gap in our aero- of slush, and formulas were derived for predicting
nautical knowledge - the knowledge of just how, the actual drag on one tire. From these formulas, and
and how much, runway water or slush affects aircraft by extrapolation of the data into speeds higher than
condition and performance during takeoff and landing. 104 knots, tentative field-length-requirement charts
Using the Federal Aviation Agency's 880M, the were set up for transports, including the Convair 880.
FAA conducted a series of tests, the most elaborate More questions were raised, however, than were
and extensive ever run, at the National Aviation answered . The speeds at which tires under heavy load
Facilities Experimental Center (NAFEC) airport at begin to hydroplane - lose contact with the runway
Atlantic City, N.J. A 50-foot-wide test strip, from surface - were not known, nor were the effects of
1000 to 3000 feet long, near the center of a 10,000- slush impact forces on drag and on aircraft structures.
foot runway, was covered with manufactured slush, Very little was really known about performance at
water, and foam in turn. Repeated high-speed de- speeds higher than 104 knots. Also, some means of
celeration and braking runs were made over it, with measuring depth of water or slush and of evaluating
a couple of takeoff runs in inch-deep slush. runway braking traction were much needed.
Until a couple of years ago, a lack of definite data It was these aspects with which the NAFEC tests
on the effects of water and slush Was of less import- were concerned. The findings of the tests, including
ance. Ground speeds were below 100 knots, and most the charts reprinted herein, were first presented at an
fields used by larger transports supplied a reassuring industry-wide conference last winter in Washington,
excess of runway length. Pilots, by the time they ob- D.C., and have since been well publicized. Because it
tained their transport rating, usually acquired a pretty was a Convair jet airliner that made the tests, the
good feel for bad-weather takeoffs and landings, specific effects on acceleration, braking, and spray
though there were some tragic accidents when judg- damage are of particular interest to 880, 880M, and
ment proved inadequate. 990 operators. Except for wing leading edge flaps and
Pilot feel is not enough for flying jet transports slats, 880 and 880M configurations are identical, and
even in good weather. Some numbers were badly the 990 is closely similar in the important aspects.
needed, particularly at high ground speeds. Lacking It was a punishing ordeal for the airplane itself. The
any specific research data, many commercial opera- 880M came through with flying colors. Speaking be-
tors set their own limits barring takeoffs in more than fore a group of airline pilots in Chicago last October,
a half-inch of slush or standing water. This, it has 1. A. Hoover of the FAA stated, "The test airplane
turned out, was a pretty good rough estimate of take- was an excellent one for this test program because of
off capabilities. the extreme ruggedness provided by Convair's 'thick
In 1960, the National Aeronautics and Space Ad- skin' design philosophy. No significant structural dam-
ministration (NASA) used a test rig to roll a tire age occurred during the test program ; however, several
through a trough in varying depths of slush and water, minor effects were noted, and some interesting non-
at speeds up to 104 knots. The NASA tests provided structural effects were discovered .
some much-needed data, published in NASA Tech- "It must be stressed that many of the test conditions
nical Note D-552. They established that slush drag to which the aircraft was repeatedly exposed were
was practically identical with that from standing well outside the normal operational environment for
water, or even somewhat less than water drag, because such an aircraft; and the damage encountered was
of water's higher density. An unsuspected amount of surprisingly light and considerably less than that
wheel spindown during hydroplaning was found to sustained by other turbojet aircraft in daily operation."

SEPTEMBER / OC T OB E R t 962 3
 o
Slus h Dra g " ... nearly twice as large as that predicted . .. "

One reason for the inadequ acy of D-552 formulas

In two importa nt respects, the TN D-552 estimates
are now known to have been wide of the mark. A tan- was that impingement drag was ignored or, at most,
dem wheel truck, tried out on the NASA test rig, guessed at, simply because there was no data about it.
seemed to show nearly all the drag on the forward One NAFEC test showed the importa nce of spray re-
wheel; the 880M tests showed that slush interfer ence tardatio n. A path was cleared for the nose wheels
caused the rear wheels of the main gear bogies to con- for half the slush patch, and left on the field for the
tribute considerable drag. The D-552 formula s in- other half. The results appear graphically in Figure
dicated a parabolic rise in slush drag as speed increased 2. The data established that drag caused by the nose
to 104 knots; the curve was extrapo lated for the much wheel was 38% of the total drag. From D-552 data,
higher jet rotation and liftoff speeds. Actually, total it was established that the slush drag on the tire would
slush drag increases more nearly with the square of account for only 11 % of the total airplane slush
the velocity, up to the speed where the tires are en- drag. Therefore, in this run, spray thrown up by the
tirely hydropl aning (in the 880M at about 120 knots) nose wheel, against the under fuselage and wing, wing
and then falls off sharply. leading edge, and leading edge flaps and main flaps,
Drag at 80 to 100 knots was approximately double was responsible for approximately 27% of the total
that comput ed according to D-552 formulas; at 160 aircraft slush drag. More generally, impingement drag
knots, it was approximately half (see Figure 1). These seemed to be approximately 15 % of total slush drag
two areas of error tend to cancel out at some velocity on the 880M.
near the usual liftoff speed for jet aircraft , so that the After calibration runs on dry concrete, the 880M
charts prepare d according to TN D-552 were not made repeated runs into the slush areas at speeds from
widely out of line; but, in the main, the charts make 80 to 160 knots. Gross weight was approximately
too little allowance for additional runway required in 150,000 lb on all runs. The total drag, in pounds, at
slush and water. varying depths of slush, appears in Figure 3. Thrust
available from four CJ805-3B engines on the 880M
SLUSH DRAG ON TEST AIRCRA FT
SLUSH SPECIFI C GRAVIT Y.0 . 82
- - EXPERI MENT AL RESULT S
- - - - CALCUL ATED RESULT S (TND-1I1! 21
is 46,600 lb. It will be noted that the drag, in 2-inch-
deep slush, runs clear off the chart; in fact, it was de-
termined that top speed for an 880M at this gross
o
weight in 2-inch slush is about 110 knots - and V R
(rotatio n speed) under field conditions was approxi-
"'III
a: ....
mately 125 knots. As of this writing, methods have
0111 not been published for determining maximu m depth
of slush in which an 880M could safely take off under
.,'"
x::l
:>a: various gross weights and field conditions. But, it is
oJ'"
.,a.. apparen t at a glance that acceleration at higher
weight/ thrust ratio would make takeoff marginal at
much less than 2-inch slush depth.
120 1110 This was dramati cally illustrated by the two take-
° off runs made into the slush. In the first run, the air-
GROUND SPEED - KNOTS
plane entered a 3000-foot strip of 1Va -inch slush at
Figure 1.
RESUL TS OF TEST WITH NOSE-WHEEL AIRCRA FT RET ARDATIO N DUE TO SLUSH
PATH CLEARE D OF SLUSH
SLUSH DEPTH - INCHES
.24 40
2.0
J",
III -
32
III Z
0-
x" 0 '"0
J
g
-
3 24
'" 0 •
MAIN WHEELS
ONLY IN 16 ./ .- 1.5
SLUSH ./ ,/
125
./ """ ...
:>1110 1111 sV/
/ .... 1.0

0 111 Z .", _ - - - .. 5
a:a..:.:
,,"'. 1011

25
2 7 10
° DISTANC E - 100 FEET
GROUND SPEED - KNOTS

Figure 2. Figure 3.

CONVAIR TRAVELER
4
 AIRCRAFT ACCELERATION IN 1-118 INCH SLUSH ROTATION AND TAKEOFF IN SLUSH
SLUSH DEPTH, 1_4 INCHES
EXPERIMENTAL RESULTS - - EXPERIMENTAL RESULTS
.3 - - - CALCULATED, DECEL TESTS
CALCULATED (TND-552)
8 CALCULATED, DECEL TESTS
I- l!> LI FT-OF F, : : LI FT-OF F,
VR
I- W NOSE I I MAIN
« CI 4 I I
I --, I -1",
0 ,2
D.
.J
Will
I I I
III 0 120 U (, I I
0: Z U II I
100
« • II I
.1 II I
.J _20 1---
Will 1 I
U(, . 10 r---SLUSH ENTRY--j
U
«
, I I
0
-4 o 2 3 4

DIST ANC E - 100 FE ET TIME - SECONDS

Figure 4, Figure 5.
100 knots. Plan was to accelerate to V R (124 knots) at and liftoff. Also, it proved that revised calculations
the 1500-foot mark, rotate and lift off during the last for acceleration at V R speeds were valid.
1500 feet. The acceleration schedule, however, was It may be advisable to point out that these tests, by
based on the TN D-552 formula. Figure 4 shows what no means conclusive, indicate only the possibility of
happened: drag was twice that predicted; the airplane a takeoff from deep slush, and not the practicability
did not reach V R until 2200 feet, and was only 400 of it. The pilot pointed out that, had an engine failed
feet from the end of the slush area by the time the during the run, 75% power would not have enabled
nose had lifted. him to reach his 124-knot V R on a 10,000-foot run-
The second run (Figure 5) made no attempt at way. When the length of the acceleration run to VIis
prolonged acceleration. The airplane entered the slush added to the three-engine acceleration to V R, or to the
(1.4 inches deep) at V R, rotated immediately, and stopping distance from VI (whichever is larger), the
lifted off within 420 feet. This did prove a takeoff pos- required runway length for a jet transport in deep
sible; until then, there had been doubt as to whether slush is prohibitive. An inch and a quarter of slush
slush spray on the aft fuselage would not create so would double dry runway takeoff roll; an inch and
much pitchdown moment as to prevent safe rotation a half would triple it.

Braking in Slush ", , , about as good as on wet ice."

The pilot's feeling about braking in I-inch slush was for 2000 feet, then rolled free in the last 1000 feet of
described as comparable to that of the rider who, slush with spoilers stilI up, and left the 3000-foot test
having galloped his horse off a cliff, hauls back on the strip at 75 knots."
reins in midair and yells "Whoa." In fact, the tests left a question whether there is
"In tests on a dry runway we were able to stop the any wheel braking at all in water or slush at more
aircraft from a speed of 120 knots in slightly over than 80 to 100 knots. At approximately 80 knots in
1400 feet of runway using no reverse thrust," the the 880M at 150,000 lb gross weight -- and probably
pilot reported. "We entered the slush pit at approxi- at near this speed in any comparable aircraft - the
mately 105 knots, using full braking with spoilers up wheels begin to lose effective contact with the run-
TYPICAL SLUSH EFFECT ON WHEEL ROTATION TEST AIRCRAFT BRAKING IN SLUSH
28H--_ _ NOSE WHEELS
I (DRY RUNWAY)
24 i
' - M A I N WHEELS I-
Z
ENTER SLUSH W
MAIN WHEELS
III (DRY RUNWAY)
U
D. I IL
I AFT MAIN WHEELS IL
0:
I W
12 i NOSE WHEELS
o
U
I
l!>
8 : f--FWD MAIN WHEELS Z
I
4 I
,
I
NOSE WHEELS
ENTER SLUSH
«
0:
OJ
.1
-- -- --
GROUND SPEED - KNOTS
TIME· SECONDS

Figure 6. Figure 7.

SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 1962. 5

 VARIATION OF BRAKING COEFFICIENT
·7
. WITH GROUND SPEED Slush Damage
f-
Z
.6
" ... did not appear to be excessive . .. "
W
__ ..c:=D'::'
-. . .
U
Il.
Il.
--- In the few records of takeoffs or landings in slush of
W
0
FOAM (RUN 301) any considerable depth, damage has been a prominent
U "'-:::::.--:::...-
DAMP
..... WET
\
element. Two principal aims of the 880M tests were
......... to determine spray patterns, especially at high speeds,
l!)
.2 ............ and to evaluate probable damage from impact and
0( .1
SLUSH '-,..-_ slush accumulation on the airplane.
II:
al
FOAM (RUN 303):::::1- --
One item of news was surprisingly good: at no
0 20 40 60 80 100 speed, nor in any depth of slush, was there any notice-
GROUND SPEED - KNOTS able amount of ingestion of slush into the engines. By
the time speed was increased until nose wheel spray
Figure 8. was thrown high and far enough to reach 880M in-
EFFECT OF SURFACE CONDITION ON board engines, the pattern had streamlined inside
STOPPING DISTANCE them. Also, only in excessively deep slush, over 1.5
(TEST AIRPLANE ONLY) inches, did the spray reach the 880M horizontal
III 140
stabilizer.
But the spray did strike the wing, Krueger flaps,

o
100 "----
, "
"",,--,

\\ '-'-
.....
'
and main flaps, and drummed heavily on the under
side of the fuselage. Enough spray beat on the cargo
door handle, for example, to spring the push-to-re-
W 80
..........
W
n.
III 60
\
\
'' ..... ..... , lease catch on the latch handle several times. This
would hardly be a safety-of-flight item, of course,
40
\'
\ \
"' " since the door could not come open until the latch
:J \ \ was operated, and pressurization would always hold
DRY \ WET \ SLUSH \
o
II:
20
\ \ \ the door tightly closed.
l!) I \ \
o 234
Structural damage, as already noted, was minor
DISTANCE - 1000 FEET
considering the impact velocities at 100 to 160 knots
ground speed. (Slush in the path of a tire must be
displaced at a velocity as great as that of the rolling
Figure 9.
tire.) Landing gear doors were slightly bent at lead-
way. They spin down; in a couple of runs, one wheel ing edges; these doors, the flaps, and the wing leading
stopped rotating entirely. The reason for spindown edge showed dimpling. Belly antennas and the anti-
is the vertical pressure of the fluid forward of the collision light were slightly damaged. Main wheel
axle, which results in an anti-rotational force com- brake heat shields curled at the edges.
ponent greater than the tire-to-ground frictional force . It was apparent that anything aft of the nose wheel,
Aft main gear wheels were usually little affected, but on the fuselage or in the main wheel wells, would take
the nose wheels typically slowed to half or two-thirds a beating. The Convair jet airliners are peculiarly
speed, and the forward main wheels to one-quarter vulnerable in that cabin air inlets are on the lower
to half speed (see Figure 6) .
Computations indicated that nose wheels were com-
pletely hydroplaning at 100 knots and the main wheels
at 110 knots. At this point, braking effectiveness ap-
pears to be about that on wet ice - practically none at
all. Anti-skid systems provide no help under such
conditions. (Hydroplaning speed on a station wagon
turned out to be 67 mph - an item of interest to
drivers on wet highways.)
Figure 7 shows 880M braking coefficients in vary-
ing depths of slush. Figure 8 contrasts dry-runway
braking coefficient, which remains almost constant up
to 1O0 knots, with coefficients on wet, damp, slush,
and foam-covered runways. In all these latter cases,
the coefficient falls as speed increases. A foamed run-
way, it will be noted, had about the same braking
traction as a wet one.
Figure 9 is a chart for the 880M. It takes into ac- Following several high-speed runs in heavy slush,
count all retarding forces, including aerodynamic cabin air intakes were plugged to prevent damage
drag and the drag from light slush. to equipment in the air conditioning compartment.

6 CONVAIR TRAVELER
o
PRINCIPLE SLUSH SPRAY RUNS
SHOWING TYPICAL FLOW PATTERNS
AT VARIOUS SLUSH DEPTHS
AND GROUND SPEEDS

GROUND SPEED , 115 KNOTS; SLUSH DEPTH, 1.7 IN .

o GROUND SPEED, 116 KNOTS; SLUSH DEPTH , 1.3 IN. GROUND SPEED, 100 KNOTS; SLUSH DEPTH , 1.3 IN.

GROUND SPEED , 155 KNOTS ; SLUSH DEPTH , 1.3 IN . GROUND SPEED , 40 KNOTS; SLUSH DEPTH , 1.5 IN.

o GROUND SPEED , 115 KNOTS; SLUSH DEPTH , . 9 IN. GROUND SPEED , 78 KNOTS ; SLUSH DEPTH , 2 . 6 IN.

SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 1962 7

fuselage. This has advantages in almost every situa- • At 100 knots, much spray thrown up by bow
tion except in driving through slush. After four runs, wave over the wing and against flaps, and mingled
the 880M showed cumulative damage to wiring and with main wheel bow waves to impinge on the aft
tubing in the plenum chambers; the intakes were plug- fuselage. Some main wheel spray on main flaps.
ged thereafter. This, and removal of the brake heat • At 116 knots, close to the planing speed, no bow
shields, were the only concessions made to protect wave, less spray on wings, none from mainwheel on
the 880M against the day-after-day punishm ent from flaps, main wheel pattern nearly up to horizontal
slush during the tests. stabilizer.
• At 155 knots, airplane hydroplaning, little spray
Though it became apparen t that the 880M would impingement drag. Nose wheel spray did not strike
not be materially harmed by isolated runs through fuselage until aft of the wings.
slush, the potential flight hazard from slush accumu -
lation and freezing is not minor. The amount of ac- Runs at 115 knots in both deeper and shallower
cumula tion remaining on the airplane after takeoff slush (1.7 and .9 inch) showed higher and heavier
would depend on both airplane geometry and weather spray patterns than in the 1.3-inch depth. Perhaps the
conditions. After the 880M runs, slush deposits would maximu m amount of spray photogr aphed was at 78
be found not only in the plenum chambers, but in knots in 2.6-inch slush, where bow waves were heavy
Kruege r flap wells, at leading edges of fore and main and the nose spray pattern rose above the wing and
flaps, on main gear trucks, and in solid banks on aft did hit the horizontal stabilizer.
bulkheads of the main wheel wells. Such deposits will Although the 880M experienced no control prob-
present a safety problem in any aircraft. Slush is a lems after takeoff in the two runs made, the tests were
winter phenom enon, and it can be expected that in in warm weather with little likelihood of freezing be-
service an airplane will be up in freezing tempera tures fore flap and gear retraction, or afterwa rd at high
very quickly after takeoff. Cycling gears cannot be altitude. The possibility of frozen slush interfering
depended upon to remove it all; flaps cannot be re- with control operatio n or preventing gear extension
tracted until some altitude and airspeed are attained. remains a factor to consider.
Airplan e balance could be affected . The 880M ac- Control on the ground proved no problem with the
cumulations would move CG slightly aft, though so 880M. The pilot reported no difficulty keeping within
little as to offer no problem within normal ranges of the 50-foot-wide slush path on all rims, during free
takeoff CG. rolling or braking. The rudder controlled weather-
Spray patterns on several runs in 1.3 to 1.5 inches cocking from crosswinds and maintained good direc-
of slush ran about like this: tional control down to 70 knots. Nose wheel steering
• At 40 knots, wide patterns , with little impinge- above this speed, in slush or water, is practically non-
ment on fuselage, none in engines, some on wing existent, as is to be expected when the wheels have
leading edge and underwing. begun to hydroplane.

Mea suri ng Slus h and Trac tion

" ... is not a simple proble m . .. "

One purpose of the test program was to evaluate Efforts to measure slush depths under 1 inch, using
methods by which slush depth and braking traction deceleration sampling techniques or continu ous de-
could be measured on the ground, thereby enabling celeration drag, were accurat e to within approximate-
a pilot to estimate more accurately takeoff parame ters ly 1,4 -inch of actual mean depths. A quarter-inch,
or landing roll. For the tests, slush depth was pains- however, makes quite a difference in takeoff accelera-
takingly measured by hand at 360 check points. Even tion or landing roll. With that much possible error, it
in the carefully controlled and prepare d slush strip, would be necessary to allow a safety factor of 1.7 for
there was considerable variation from point to point. acceleration parame ters, which i's rather high.
This manual sampling is obviously impractical for
airport usage.
••• •
The FAA does not consider the job done. Besides
Cooper ation was obtained from British and Swedish runway measure ment problems, aircraft other than
road research agencies. Sweden lent a Skiddometer - the 880M should be tested , and spray patterns and
a three-to n trailer equipped with a tape recorder. to their effects need more study. Nevertheless, the FAA
record acceleration and traction measurements. The test program went a long way toward closing the gap
British sent a Jaguar with a single-wheel trailer, and in our knowledge of aircraft perform ance under ad-
NASA supplied an instrumented station wagon. verse conditions. Convair takes pride in the fact that
Braking traction, measur ed with these devices, the sturdiness of the 880M enabled this importa nt pro-
ject to be carried through rapidly and successfully.
showed some correlat ion with airplane test results.

CONVAIR TRAVELER
8
 One of eight ice-crushing snow-making machines.
Machines have rated power of 50 tons per hour.

"Slush crew," consisting of 150 men, covers an area

1000 long, 50 feet wide, with manufactured slush.
Camera installed behind third seat row to
- photograph inboard engine intake for ingestion.

Camera installed in top of nose wheel access

door to show spray pattern of nose wheels. View of lower LH and RH camera installations. Camera units
were installed in lieu of primary heat exchanger access
doors. Right-hand unit contains two cameras - one facing
forward and one facing the right-hand main landing gear.

-
Camera installation on overhead panel
above flight engineer's position for
viewing pilots' instrument panel. " - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - "

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 1962 9
 o
CSD Maintenance
Tips

THE CONSTANT SPEED DRIVE UNIT - an electricall system) , and the leakage corrected.
mechanical/hydraulic device - converts variable Acid content between oils is variable. Both MIL-L-
engine speeds to a fixed rpm to drive the aircraft gen- 7808 C and D may be purchased with a high or low
erators. Each unit is mounted on the lower forward acid content. Some "D" oils contain AN703, storage
portion of the CJ805 engine, on the rear face of the stability additive; others do not. "C" oils do not have
transfer gear box. From engine idle speed (approxi- the AN703 additive, although some "C" brands have
mately 4500 rpm) to engine takeoff speed (approxi- a high acid content. Infrequent intermixing of these
mately 7600 rpm) , the constant speed drive (CSD) oils, which might be required at an off-line station, is
deli vers a steady 6000 rpm ( ± 1%) to the generators. permissible, but routine intermixing should be avoid-
The CSD unit is a comparatively small package, ed . Oils containing the ethyl oxidant (AN703), how-
being approximately 12 inches long, 12 inches in dia- ever, should never be mixed with high acid type oils.
meter, and weighing only 65 pounds. The compact Experience has indicated that the combination of high
design features a radial piston transmission employing acid oils and the AN703 additive may possibly cause
precision steel balls in lieu of conventional pistons, and the formation of a precipitate that can clog engine oil
associated connecting rods and bearings. This reduc-
tion in the number of parts greatly simplifies the en-
tire mechanism and consequently reduces mainten-
ance requirements.
filters and screens, and may result in engine failure.
Leakage at the magnetic plug, filter, or drains may
simply require tightening or replacement of packing
seals. If leak persists, the drive unit is to be replaced.
o
Despite the unit's functional design and its reputa- Excessive leakage at the shaft oil seal at the input and
tion for reliability, it still requires a certain amount of output shafts, indicating a defective packing or shaft
care and maintenance, as with any mechanical device. oil seal, also requires replacement of the drive unit.
Maintenance procedures are relatively simple inas- It is recommended that the magnetic plug and filter
much as no external adjustments are required, and be checked for contamination at established intervals.
testing of the system consists of operating each engine The magnetic plug, located at the lowest point on the
and its associated generator system. Step-by-step pro- drive unit, attracts ferrous metallic chips, and other
cedures are outlined in the applicable Maintenance heavy particles will settle on it.
Manual. The plug may be removed for checking or it may
Except for periodic inspections, servicing, and be checked with an ohmmeter while in place. To make
routine repair of oil leakage, all maintenance is ac- the check with the magnetic plug in place, connect
complished with the drive removed from the aircraft. one lead of an ohmmeter to the center threaded shaft
The CSD / thrust reverser tank capacity is 1.72 gal- of the drain plug, and the other lead to the outer
lons with .5-gallon expansion area; 1.03 gallons of flange of the drain plug, or to any convenient ground
the 1.72-gallon capacity is available to the CSD. The on the drive unit. The presence of ferrous metal chips
CSD sump, reservoir, and associated lines contain ap- may indicate a possible internal failure .
GE Service Bulletin 24-18 establishes the amount of
proximately one gallon .
contamination permissible and interprets the various
Normally, oil quantity is checked immediately types of contaminants found on the magnetic plug. A
after each flight to preclude the possibility of over- certain amount of contamination on the metal plug is
filling the system. If checked prior to flight or after a allowable without adversely affecting drive operation.
prolonged period of engine shutdown, the engine In order to eliminate any unnecessary drive removals
should be motored to 15 % rpm for approximately 10 due to insignificant amounts of metal in the magnetic
seconds before checking oil level. Level is checked on plug, it is recommended that information in the ref-
a dipstick at top of oil tank; access is through the erenced bulletin be conformed to, whenever a con-
door on the upper nacelle quadrant. Dipstick should tinuity check of the magnetic plug indicates the pres-
indicate " full." ence of metal chips.
If, after checking the oil quantity, excessive oil The filter assembly, located on the left-hand side of
consumption is indicated, the source of leakage should the drive unit, contains twelve 33-micron wafers that
be isolated to the drive (or reverse thrust actuator are designed to remove contaminants from the oil.

10 CONVAIR TRAVEL E R
The filter is easily removed from its housing for The following precautionary measures must be taken
checking and cleaning, by cutting the safety wire and to prevent damage to the input section of the shaft
removing the attaching bolt. After suitably cleaning disconnect assembly whenever the constant speed drive
in solvent (Federal Specification PS-661), as per ap- is disengaged or reconnected.
plicable Maintenance Manual instructions, the filter To disengage the shaft assembly, operate the drive
is carefully reinstalled with a new packing and new at engine speeds above 1000 rpm, before actuating
washer (if required), and the bolt torqued to 30-50 shaft disconnect switch.
inch-pounds and safety-wired.
CAUTION
The oil sump and reservoir should be drained and
Do not attempt to disengage the shaft dis-
inspected periodically for oil contamination. The drain
connect if the engine is operating at 1000
plug is located on the underside of the drive unit. If
rpm or below, or if the engine is stopped.
any appreciable amount of contamination (conform-
To do so will result in extensive damage to
ing to GE bulletin 24-18) is found in the oil--either
the drive clutch.
at the magnetic plug, filter, or sump drain - the CSD
unit should be removed for overhaul. With shaft disconnect switch actuated, the alter-
Aside from filter, sump drain, and magnetic plug nator frequency meter should immediately decrease to
checks, indications of trouble with the CSD unit can zero, indicating that shaft disconnect is operating. If
be quickly noted on the flight engineer's panel. Instru- alternator frequency fails to conform, a malfunction
ments to be monitored are the voltmeter, frequency may exist within the shaft disconnect or in the dis-
meter, ammeter, and the watt-var meter (installed on connect electrical circuit. If a continuity check reveals
some airplanes). The drive unit should be replaced if the problem, the wiring should again be checked. If
instrumenfs indicate recurring high-frequency fluctua- alternator frequency still fails to conform, the drive
tions; output speed above 404 cps, or below 396 cps; unit should be replaced.
constant-speed unit overspeed; resistance not within Before attempting to reconnect the CSD, ascertain
the range of 400 and 700 ohms, between terminals A that the engine is completely stopped, by visually in-
and B, or C and D. specting the engine inlet. Under no circumstances is
Some drive clutch failures result from improper the CSD to be reconnected while the engine is oper-
operating procedures. If the drive disconnect switch ating. Then, reconnect shaft assembly by pulling out
is actuated with the engine inoperative, the subsequent reset knob as far as it will go. The reset knob is located
start will cause clutch chatter and resultant damage. on the left-hand side of the unit at the input shaft end.

Constant Speed Drive is easily accessible from the ground.

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 1962 11
 Fire Detection and Extinguishing

FIRE DETECTION AND EXTINGUISHING systems on Con- fire detection system are 575°F (301.6°C) ± 5%
vair jet airliners detect and warn of any excess heat for the forward engine compartment and pylon, and
or fire condition in the engine areas, and enable the 765°F (407 .2°C) ± 5% for the aft engine compart-
pilot to extinguish fires in the engine pods during ment. The resistance, or impedance, of the sensing
flight and on the ground. loops will drop immediately from approximately 30
An excess heat condition sets off a steady alarm megohms to 25 ohms in some areas, as the critical
bell and, at the same time, illuminates flashing red alarm temperature is reached. Each separate sensing
lights in the appropriate FIRE PULL handle on the system operates at its preset temperature point, re-
fire control panel above the center instrument panel. gardless of the cause of the heating.
A fire condition sounds the same steady alarm bell, An increase in temperature above a preset value
but steadily illuminates the red lights in the FIRE causes the magnetic amplifier of the fire or overheat
PULL handle. There is a pull handle for each engine, control unit to illuminate the lights in the FIRE PULL
and each handle is numbered to correspond with the handle and activate the power relay. On one version
engine it serves. Each pull handle is equipped with of the Convair 990 there are (in each engine pod) two
two red lights that are wired in parallel as a safeguard magnetic amplifiers for each fire and overheat con-
against bulb failure. trol unit ; in all other airplanes (8801 880MI 990),
The detection and warning of overheat or fire is there is one "magamp" for the fire control unit and
accomplished by continuous loop detectors positioned one for the overheat control unit in each engine pod.
in strategic areas about the engines and pylons. On The power relay package, which is located at fuse-
the "8801 880M," the overheat detection loop is lage station 170 on the right-hand outboard side of the

c
routed on the pod doors of the burner and exhaust nose wheel well, contains eight power relays. When
portion of the engine in the aft engine compartment. a power relay is actuated by a signal from the cor-
The fire detection loop is routed along the doors of responding control unit, power is routed to the tran-
the compressor and accessory portion of the engine in sistorized overheat and fire-warning-bell control box,
the forward engine compartment, and extends up into which commands the overheat and fire warning bell.
the pylon. On the "990", the detection loops are Power is also routed to corresponding warning lights
similarly separated, but are routed on the fan ducts. - steady lights if the control unit is in a fire detection
Each loop consists of a center wire surrounded by loop circuit, through a flasher unit if in an overheat
a coating of eutectoid salt. The resistance of the eutec- detection loop circuit. The four flasher units for the
toid salt core material prevents electrical current from four overheat detection loop circuits are located ad-
flowing between the center wire and outer jacket when jacent to the power relay package.
temperatures are below a preset value. In the event A three-position test switch, located on the far
the loop is subjected to overheating or fire, the resist- right of the cockpit fire control panel, permits test-
ance of the core drops and allows current to flow be- ing of the entire fire and overheat detector systems.
tween the wire and the ground (outer jacket). This The test relays are positioned adjacent to their re-
completed circuit sounds .the alarm bell and illum- spective "magamp" control units in the "880" pylons;
inates the lights in the FIRE PULL handle of the af- aft of the rear spar in the "990" .
fected engine. A "momentary on" reset switch oper- Under normal conditions, the two ends of the loop
ates in conjunction with a control box to silence the are connected together and routed through the test
bell after it has performed its function. The bell then relays to the "magamp" control unit. During testing,
is ready to ring again, if required. by operation of the test relays, one end of the loop is
Normal operating temperatures for the engine areas grounded, causing the lights in the FIRE PULL handle
are 250°F (121.1 °C) for the forward section; 450°F to illuminate, and thereby indicating the continuity of
(232.2°C) for the aft section; and 165°F (73.9°C) each of the systems.
for the pylon. The critical alarm temperatures of the The HRD (High Rate Discharge) fire extinguish-

o o

r:- .'Wf 3PUlL (,. .'

I IRt .

Fire control panel showing fire pull handles and agent-out lights.

12 CONVAIR TRAVELER
 c FIRE PULL 3 and FIRE PULL 4 handles, "AGENT
OUT" lights are installed in pairs to correspond with
the two pairs of FIRE PULL controls. When the
supply of extinguishing agent is exhausted in any of
the four containers, the appropriate "AGENT OUT"
light will illuminate.
Each container is a 378 cubic inch sphere, contain-
ing 7 pounds of CF3Br for the "880" (5.5 pounds for
the "990") and charged with pure nitrogen to a pres-
sure of 600 psi at 70°F. The container incorporates
an integral pressure gage, a thermal safety seal that
relieves at 250°F to 260°F (121.1°C to 126.7°C),
and a cartridge-operated valve containing a frangible
disc and screen. .
The agent is discharged by an electrically-initiated
• cartridge. Each container has two discharge valves,
one each for MAIN and RESERVE discharges. The
container agent seal is a scribed disc that breaks when
the cartridge is fired. A screen in the discharge outlet
• prevents entry of seal fragments into the distribution
system.
Container pressure can be checked through a win-
dow installed in each pylon -left-hand for the "880",
• right hand for the "990" - without the necessity of
opening an access door. Required pressure in relation
to temperature is checked at scheduled intervals in
• • • • •
I _
accordance with acceptable upper and lower limits
shown in the Maintenance manual. The nominal pres-
Convair 880 bottle installation.
sure is 600 psi (+ 60, -30) at 70°F (21.1 °C). If
ing system is capable of smothering fires in engine pressure drops below the temperature-adjusted value

c areas either in flight or on the ground. The two-shot

(MAIN and RESERVE) system incorporates four
spherical containers (one in each pylon) for storage
of the extinguishing agent (bromotrifluoromethane,
in the Maintenance Manual, the container should be
removed from the airplane and sent to the factory
for leakage check and recharging.
Containers are shipped without the cartridge in-
CF3Br) and the pressuring agent (pure dry nitrogen) . stalled, to comply with the interstate commerce reg-
A two-way check valve in the 880 (three-way check ulations concerning explosives. It is recommended,
valve in 990) routes the extinguishing agent through therefore, that care be taken to ensure that the car-
tubing to the desired areas. tridges are installed in all agent containers when re-
Each wing contains an independent extinguishing placement is accomplished.
system which serves the engines on its side. The sup-
ply for the engines on each side is interconnected so
that the supply to either engine may be used for the
other, if the need should arise.
Pulling a FIRE PULL handle on the fire control
panel turns off the following shutoff valves (above the
horizontal firewall): fuel, engine bleed air, and hy-
draulic supply. Pulling the handle exposes the hereto-
fore inaccessible fire extinguishing toggle switch which
is operable to two positions: MAIN and RESERVE.
Actuating the MAIN side of the switch, fires a
cartridge in the MAIN discharge valve and releases
the agent to the pod for that FIRE PULL handle. If
the switch is actuated to the RESERVE position, the
agent is routed from the other pylon in the same wing.
This crossfeed arrangement eliminates the need for
two containers in each pylon, and allows the con-
. tainer of one pod to act as a reserve for the other. For
example: should the main switch for the Number 4
engine fail to extinguish a fire in the Number 4 pod,
the RESERVE switch for the Number 4 engine will
release the extinguishing agent from pylon Number

l 3 to the Number 4 engine.

At the top of the fire control panel , between FIRE
PULL 1 and FIRE PULL 2 handles, and between the Convair 990 bottle installation.

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 1962 13
 Care of Hydraulic Systems
HYDRAULIC SYSTEMS on the Convair jet airliners con- Fluid samples are drawn from the bottom of the sys-
sist of two independent 3000-psi, closed-center sys- tem resorvoirs and tested to determine the level of
tems. Each system (No.1 and No.2) is powered by contamination and the particle sizes of different types
two engine-driven pumps. of contaminants.
Cleanliness of hydraulic fluid must be carefully con- Air, although not a contaminant, can cause serious
trolled to prevent damage to the components of the damage to the hydraulic system. A symptom of air in
system. The extremely close tolerances of hydraulic the brake hydraulic system is likely to be an improper
pumps, valves, and actuators demand hydraulic fluid brake response (brake release) when the anti-skid
with a low level of contamination. system is activated. Under this condition, the brake
hydraulic system is to be drained. In some cases, it
When hydraulic components are removed, ports may be necessary to bleed several gallons of fluid
should be capped to preclude the entrance of foreign from the brakes before the fluid runs absolutely clear
matter. If hydraulic system components are stored, - an indication that air is no longer in the system.
they should either be placed in polyethylene bags, or
After the emergency air brake system has been used,
wrapped in polyethylene-coated paper. Polyethylene
it is always advisable to bleed the main landing gear
bags must be heat-sealed, bundled and wrapped in
paper, and tied with cord. The packages should then brake hydraulic system.
be placed in corrugated paper boxes and the part num- On the Convair 880, the system is bled by loosening
ber of the component indicated on the outside of the the filler screw at the top of the indicator on each
box. The boxes should be further identified with the brake lockout cylinder, pumping the brake pedals sev-
hydraulic fluid applicable for these parts, such as eral times, and then depressing and holding the brake
"SKYDROL 500," stamped on the outside in purple pedals before opening the bleed port on the applicable
brake. Fluid, flowing from the "cracked" bleed port,
ink.
is drained into a container to avoid getting Skydrol
There are basically two types of contamination on tires.
that plague hydraulic fluid - chemical and foreign Fluid should flow until clear; milky fluid indicates
particle. Chemical contamination consists for the,most 10 air in the system.
part of water, fuel, grease, and oil. The ib.4able After the bleeding operation, the bleed ports are
limit of chemical contamination in the hydraulic closed first; then brake pedals are released. The lockout
fluid system is one half of one percent moisture, and cylinder bleed screw is tightened, after waiting approx-
three percent petroleum (fuel, grease, and/or oil). imately one minute for the escape of excess hydraulic
Foreign particle contamination usually consists of dirt, fluid, which may have become trapped in the lower
lint, sand, and metal particles. Ideally, there should be chamber of the lockout cylinder.
no foreign particle contamination in hydraulic fluid The lockout cylinder for the nose gear is on the
systems, but, because of the nature of metal compo- left-hand side brace; a lockout cylinder for each main
nents, this ultimate is difficult to achieve. landing gear is on the forward side of the main landing
The best assurances for maintaining clean hydraulic gear beam (aft side of wheel well).
fluid are clean maintenance habits, special care in ser- The indicator on the lockout cylinder is color-coded
vicing the system, system contamination checks, for determining condition of the brake system. If the
proper handling and storage of parts, and flushing of plunger in the indicator is in the red portion, it indi-
hydraulic systems when required . cates air in the system, or a low fluid level; if the
To further insure system integrity, filter screens plunger is in the green portion, it is an indication that
should be inspected at major overhaul, or 2500 hours, system operation is satisfactory. It should be remem-
for damage and contamination. Screens should be bered, however, that brakes must be applied when
cleaned with Stoddard solvent and dried with com- checking plunger position, since the plunger is nor-
pressed air or dry nitrogen. Rags should not be used mally in the green zone before brake application.
because of the possibility of lint being transferred to On the 880M / 990, the main landing gear brake
the screens. system is bled simply by connecting a bleeder hose to
Should the hydraulic system become contaminated the bleed valve on the brake to be bled, and draining
with any fluid other than the specified hydraulic fluid, fluid into a suitable container. The brake pedals are
the system must be drained immediately and correc- slowly pumped, then depressed and held. The bleed
tive action taken as determined by authorized inspec- valve is slowly loosened, allowing hydraulic fluid to
tion and engineering personnel. escape until it is free of bubbles. The bleed valve is
Hydraulic fluid drained from the system should not retightened, brakes released, and the hose and con-
be reintroduced into the system. The used or con- tainer removed.
taminated fluid should be poured into a clean drum, Before bleeding the nose gear brakes on the 8801
and the drum clearly stenciled to indicate its contents, 880M / 990 aircraft, certain preliminary steps in regard
such as "USED SKYDROL." to activation of the anti-skid system (outlined in the
It is advisable that hydraulic fluid be sampled every applicable Maintenance Manual) are necessary. Then,
100 flight hours or every 30 days, whichever occurs the procedure parallels that for bleeding the main gear
first (this practice is observed at Convair's facility). brakes.

14 CONVAIR TRAVELER
c The violent collapse (taking place in a very short
time) of vapor bubbles can force liquid at high veloc-
ity into the vapor-filled pores of the metal. The sudden
stoppage at the bottom of the pore can produce surge
pressures of high intensity on small areas. The process
might be called an explosion, or implosion. These
surge pressures can exceed the tensile strength of the
metal, and progressively "blast" out particles, giving
the metal a spongy appearance.
SKYDROL PRECAUTIONARY MEASURES
Following are precautions to be observed when
working with Skydrol.
Aircraft tires should be covered with polyethylene
covers during hydraulic system maintenance opera"
tions, to safeguard the rubber against possible damage
from Skydrol fluid . If tires come in contact with Sky-
drol, they should be washed with a soap or detergent
solution.
Skydrol may be irritating to the skin, and can cause
severe pain to the eyes if contacted; however, it will
not cause permanent injury. In vapor form, Skydrol is
also irritating to the nose. Individual maintenance per-
sonnel, regularly subjected to Skydrol, should be re-
880 Nose landing gear lockout cylinder. assigned at established intervals as a safety precaution,
Air in the hydraulic system may also cause engine- if they should show any allergic tendencies resulting
driven hydraulic pump cavitation - a phenomenon from contact with Skydrol 500A.
that may result in progressive destruction of the af- The following safety measures will greatly reduce
fected pump. the adverse effects of working with Skydrol.
Cavitation itself implies a cavity, or void. If, at some I. Chemical safety goggles should be worn.
point in the liquid flow, the existing fluid pressure 2. A plastic Skydrol-resistant splash apron should

c equals the vapor pressure at a particular temperature,

then the liquid will vaporize and a cavity void will
form . If the flu-id pressure fluctuates slightly above and
below the vapor pressure (this fluctuation is common),
be worn over clothing.
3. Corvicone, or a protective-glove hand cream or
skin conditioner, should be applied to hands and arms
before and after exposure to Skydrol.
there will be an alternate formation and collapse of 4. Personnel should wash frequently to prevent pro-
the vapor bubbles. Evidence shows that this alternate longed Skydrol contamination. Wash facilities should
collapse and formation of bubbles is responsible for be readily available for this purpose.
a marked drop in pump efficiency and the pitting of 5. Safety eyewash equipment should be immedi-
metal parts. ately accessible in the work area.

l Convair 880 MLG brake lockout cylinders. Bleed valves on 990 MLG brakes.

15
 \

\
Forming with Magneform
MAGNEFORM, A NEW PROCESS developed • The shaping action is so rapid that
by General DynamicslConvair, can form there is practically no change in the metal
metal parts into many shapes without structure.
physical contact during the forming The Magneform machine uses a high
process. voltage (regulated up to 20,000 volts)
What started as a requirement of re- with a fractional-second discharge. The
search at General DynamicslGeneral discharge may involve as much as 100,000
Atomics for high density magnetic fields amperes.
led to an observation that these powerful "Expendable" magnetic coils, consisting
magnetic fields were displaying mechani- of a few turns of large copper wire, may
cal forces that were capable of forming be used to create the strong magnetic
metal by magnetically squeezing the metal squeezing force involved. The current
into place. surge during the forming process is suffi-
From this observation, the Manufactur- cient to literally vaporize the copper wire.
ing Development group of GDIConvair (See action recorded by high-speed
undertook a study that resulted in a ma- camera.)
chine that uses magnetic forces of very Although the "expendable" coils vapor-
high level to form metal parts. ize from intense heat generated when the
Conventional swaging of a tube requires high density magnetic field is created, the
the use of close-fitting dies. The actual actual work is unaffected by this heat. The
shrinking of the tube is accomplished metal cover swaged over the rope may be
mechanically through repeated hammer- handled immediately.
like blows, and the process somewhat The process is also adaptable to sheet
changes the structure of the metal. metal forming, blanking, and embossing
On the Convair 990, tole ",s when used with ,a suitable flat pancake
on the ends of escape 'are aauMly work coil and a corresponding die.
"swaged" with the Magneform process to The Magneform process was developed
a firm fit over the corded shape of the late for most of the Convair 880/990
rope end - and in a fraction of a second. production; however, tests have indicated
Magneform swaging, as it is accom- that push-pull control tube ends can be
plished on the metal tips applied over the "swaged" through use of the machine,
escape ropes, is unique in several respects. with distinct value improvement. Magne-
• It is accomplished with one "blow" form-swaged tube ends can stand up
in approximately 10 millionths of a second. longer against combinations of vibration
• There are no dies involved, and the and loading. Magneform tubes, when
swaged metal molds to the shape of the tested to destruction, have produced a high
rope. yield strength that equals, or exceeds, that
• The machine does not actually touch produced by conventional swaging meth-
the work. ods, and the breaking is almost invariably
• The metal working can be controlled in the tube rather than at the swaged
as desired. fitting.

Typical metal parts formed with Magneform.

GENERAL DVNAMICS I CONVAIR

VOLUME XIV NUMBER 4 NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 1962
.

Convair raveler

IIiIIII '

In this Issue: Access Doors and Panels-880/880M/990

 ConvairTrave ler
o
OUR COVER

The rolled-u p panel this man holds with

his right hand is known in this issue as
"Fwd CC aft pan." Behind it, he evi-
dently has found what he was looking for.
This Traveler is intended to help him
find items of equipme nt in the Convair
jet airliners . The artist - Harvey Adams.

Convair Traveler
VOLUME XIV NUMBEI4 NOVEMBE R/DECEMB EI1962

MANAGER, CUSTOMER SERVICE - O. W. HAIPEI

OUEF ENGINEER ING SERVICE - L. J. BOIDELON
CHIEF, FIELD SERVICE - I . W . SOMMERS
MANAGER, SERVICE PARTS - J. DOIG
MANAGER, TECHNICAL PUBLICATIONS -
H. I. KENNEDY
EDITOR - GERTIUDE S. HUNTEI
o
ART EDITOR - J. L. HOOVER

IN THIS ISSUE

PAGE 3

ACCESS DOORS AND PANELS

880/88 0M/99 0
Hugh R. Smith

BACK COVER

INSTRUMENT "BUGS"
N. V. Davidso n

CORRECTION
In theAC power trouble shootin g chart
A digest of operation and service published monthly
by the Technical Publication s Section of GO/Conva ir on pages 8-9 ofthe July/Au gust 1962
Customer Service Departmen t in the interest of Convair Travele r, the informa tion on compas s
operaton. Communic ations should be addressed to the
Manager of Customer Service Deportmen t, General fail flags upon loss of 26-volt AC
Dynamics/ Convair, San Diego 12, California. Infor·
motion is to be considered accurate and authorita -
power is no longer applica ble to most
tive as for 01 Convair approval is concerned. FAA Convai r jet airliner s. Also (page 7),
approval is not to be implied unless specifically
noted. Recipients of this information are cautioned KW is measur ed from Phase B, KVAR
not to us. it for incorporati on on aircraft with- from all three phases.
out specific approval of their cognizant organizatio n .

COPYRIGHT 1962
 Access Doors and Panels
Convair 880/880M/990 . . . . .

Key to access doors lends help in locating

that particular valve or switch
THERE ARE OVER SIX HUNDRED exterior access doors access is identical in all three; but leading edge of
and removable panels on the Convair 880; a hundred the 880 and trailing edge of the 990 are unique. The
more on the 880M; and more than eight hundred on empennages show analagous resemblances and dif-
the 990. Finding out which one leads to a particular ferences.
valve or switch can be a chore. This issue of the Trav- Where no stenciled numbers appear on the aircraft,
eler may lend some help. the panel can be identified from the sketches by the
Convair has already provided several keys to the pattern. Many panels were never stenciled. These have
access doors. Section 12 of the Maintenance Manual been assigned letters or double letters herein, for key-
shows door patterns and fasteners. Two previous issues ing illustration to text.
of the Traveler (April 1959, and May 1960) showed Among the thousands of system components on jet
many of the panels, identified by numbers referenced transports, it is obviously impossible to list all. Also,
in engineering drawings. The intent here is to list not all the removable panels and fairings shown appear
locations of some of the items to which access is most in the lists. Some are not likely to be removed except
likely to be necessary in field maintenance, with par- at general overhaul or for major .replacements or
ticular reference to the stenciling that appears on repairs.
many of the panels themselves. Plan of presentation followed herein is based on the
Late in manufacture, most access panels were sten- assumption that the usual problem is to find where a
ciled with numbers and legends assigned under Mark- particular item is, rather than to know all the items
ing and Stenciling Reports (Drawings 22-00008 and that lie behind a panel. Therefore, the component
30-00008). Some operators had the stencils removed lists are by system-flight control, fuel, hydraulics, etc.
for the final paint coat; but the majority of aircraft Most electrical and electronic, air conditioning and
delivered still bore some or all of these identifying pressurization, hydraulic, and landing gear compo-
numbers, and they are referred to in portions of the nents are in their respective fuselage compartments.
Maintenance Manual. In these systems, the items in the compartments are
All three Convair jet airliners are included in the listed first, on pages 4 and 5. System components to be
listings herein because of their similarity, both in panel found elsewhere in the airplane are on separate lists.
configuration and in systems. Some duplication of Below is an index showing the page number where
drawings is necessary. For example, wing box section components of each system are listed.

INDEX TO SYSTEM LISTS

INDEX TO COMPONENT LISTS INDEX TO ACCESS DOOR DRAWINGS
SYSTEM PAGE AREA PAGE
Aileron-spoiler 10 Fuselage 4
Air conditioning & pressurization" " 5t Wing :
Anti-ice 6 Box section 7
Autopilot" 6t Leading edge 7
Bleed air 6 Trailing edge 8-9
Electric power" 6t Empennage:
Elevator 12 Vertical stabilizer 11
Fire protection, engine 14 Horizontal stabilizer . 13
Flap & slat, leading edge 6 Pod-pylon 14-15
Flap, trailing edge 10 tSee also page 4 for compartment list.
Fuel 7 "Electrical and electronic compartment lists include
Hydraulic 12t many units (Sperry autopilot, Doppler radar, e.g.)
Instrument" 6t not found in all aircraft .
>
Landing gear 5t * * All units in air conditioning and pressurization
Navigation" 6t lists are dual (RH & LH) unless otherwise noted.
Power plant 14 Units marked (pneu) are on Iy in aircraft with
Rainclearing 6 pneumatically powered Freon drives; those
Rudder 10 marked (elec) are in aircraft with electrically
Stabilizer trim 12 powered Freon drives.

NOVEMBER/OECEMBER 1962 3
Fuselage
Door Coding & C ompartment Lists
o
IN·FLT ACCESS WATER SERV ( RH)
ELEC a: ELEC COMPT
ELECTRICAL 8: ONDITIONED ADF-VHF
ELECTRONICS COM AIR INLET ( RH) ANTENNAS

NOSE EXT HYDRAUL I CS COMPT

--r----
I
I
I

COMPT
NWW OVHD DOOR

FWD CC OVHD

TURBOCOMPRESSOR COMPARTMENT Drier strainer Emerg release quadrant (880, 880M) (

Turbocompressor package: Pressure cutout switch Selector valve emerg control (880 , 880M)
Turbocompressor Temperature cutout switch NW brake shutoff switch (880, 880M)
Turbocompressor shutoff valve Motor overheat switch (elec) Emerg air flask (880, 880M)
Altitude flow control bias Compressor motor protector (elec) Junction box
Nozzle amplifier Lockout relay Brake adjuster (880M, 990)
Nozzle actuator Pressure relief valve Antiskid control box & valve (880, 880M)
Overspeed trip controller (pneu)
Surge valve
Surge control Purging and charging fitting ELECTRICAL & ELECTRONICS COMPARTMENT
Surge control bias Liquid level gage ELECTRICAL POWER SYSTEMS
Heat control valve Condenser minimum teHlp control Voltage regulators
Temperature limiter Condenser temp sensor Synchronous bus
Recirculating altitude shutoff control Sequencing device Sync bus protection panel
Pressure limiter control Condenser fan Diff'1 current protection transformers
Overs peed cutout actuator Crossover shutoff valve Control circuit transformers
Overspeed control Condenser coolin g air modulating valve AC contactors
Servo pressure regulator Condenser ground cooling shutoff valve External power contactor(s) & junc bo x
Servo ai r shutoff valve Condenser cooling air pressure sw (LH, elec) Rhase sequence relay(s)
Bearing temperature probes Condenser fan s/ o & press. limiting valve (pnelll Externa I pwr transformer-rectifier
Rotor speed pickup LG down-and-Iocked relay (elec) DC system transformer-rectifiers
Recirculating fan Magnetic amplifier (RH, elec) Emergency static inverter
Load controllers
Flow sensors
30 0 ambient temp switch (LH , 880 pneu)
HEAT EXCHANGER COMPARTMENT Essential bus failure relays
Air-to-air heat exchanger Transformers:
Valves : Cooling air modulating valve
Cabin air shutoff Instrument power
Recirculating air check valve Essential & emergency lighting
Bleed air shutoff Conditioned air emerg s/ o valve
Freon drive duct isolation (pneu) Cabin and window lights
Flight deck electrical heater (LH, elec) Relay panel
Recirculation Cabin electrical heater (RH, 880 elec)
Ram air Eyaporator outlet temp sensors (990) INSTRUMENT & CONTROL SYSTEMS
Turbocompressor check Warning system:
Fresh air control and check (RH, some 880's) MAIN LANDING GEAR Master warning relays, resets , & diodes
Dimming relays
Alternate pressurization source Sequence valve
Bleed air press. transmitter (RH, some 990's) Door sequence valve Warning horn timer
Bleed air high-press. warn. switch Gear actuating cylinder Interrupters
Door actuating cylinder Interphone & PA system amplifiers
FREON COMPARTMENT Priority valve Tape rep'roducer
Freon package: Brake shuttle valves Doppler tracker
Evaporator Antiskid control box & valves Audio junction box
Condenser Junction box Shelf junction box
Compressor Brake adjusters (880M, 990) Audio control panel
Expansion valve Downlock release cylinder (990) Selcal unit
Compressor turbine control valve (pneu) Uplock actuating cylinder (990) AUTOPILOT
Back pressure valve (elec) Di rectiona I gyros
Back pressure control (elec) NOSE LANDING GEAR Vertical gyros
Motor cooling expansion valve Selector valve Bendix system :
Bellows control Uplock actuating cylinder Amplifier-computer
Surge valve (elec) Door uplock sequence valve Power junc box
Solenoid shutoff valve (pneu) Door uplock actuating cylinder Air data sensor
Air pressure re gulator (pneu) Gear actuating cylinder Adapter
Inlet pressure limiter (pneu) Priority valve Three-axis rate gyros

4 CON VA IR T RAV ELER

 AIR CONDITIONING & PRESSURIZATION UNITS
(not in Turbocompressor, Heat Exchanger, or Freon Compts)

UNIT 880 880M 990

Cabin press, controller Fit eng panel Fit eng pane I Fit eng panel
Cabi n press, reg, out-
flow va lve & filter:
Forward Elec compt Elec compt Elec Compt
Aft Aft CC aft pan Aft CC aft pan Aft CC aft pan
Cond air ck valves Fwd CC aft pa n Fwd CC aft pan Fwd CC aft pan
Cabin high alt Vlarn sw Fit deck above Fit deck above Fit deck above
CB panel CB panel CB panel
Elec eq cooling fan,
valve, airflow sensor Elec compt Elec compt Elec compt
Cabin & f it deck elec-
tronic temp controllers RH MWW Fwd CC aft pan Fwd C aft pan
Thermal switches (160°)
Fit deck duct Fwd CC LH pan, Fwd CC LH pan Fwd C LH pan
Cabi n duct Fwd CC LH pan, LH cabin ovhd, LH cabin ovhd,
Sta 612 Sta 612
Elec air heaters:
Cabin (elec Freon) HE compt
Fit deck (elec Freon) HE compt HE compt HE compt
Delta T (cabin temp L&R Cabin L&R cabin
equalization sys) ovhd, Sta 612 ovhd, Sta 685
Sensors, temp control:
Fit deck supply duct Fwd CC LH pan, Fwd CC LH pan Fwd CC LH pan
Cabin supply duct Fwd CC LH pan, LH Cabin ovhd, LH Cabin ovhd,
Sta 637 Sta 715
Fit deck dischg duct RH tunnel RH tunnel RH tunnel
Cabin dischg duct Fwd CC aft pan RH cabin floor RH cabin floor
vent, Sta 630 vent, Sta 630
Freon ram air outlet Fr compts Fr compts Fr compts
Sensors, Delta T (cabin
temp equalization sys):
Supply ducts LH cabin ovhd, LH cabin ovhd,
_ DOOR CODING USED HEREIN Sta 630, 1050 Sta 715, 1135
Dischg ducts RH floor vents, RH floor vents,
Sta 630, 1050 Sta 630, 1200
Sensors, FE panel ind:
Cabin air dischg RH floor vent, RH floor vent,
Sta 630 Sta 630
Freon evap dischg L&R Fr compt
3perry system: Delta T controller Fwd CC aft pan, Fwd CC aft pan,
Flight control computer
Stabilization computer Delta T mod pwr supply Fwd CC aft pan, Fwd CC aft pan,
Torque limit switch Delta T grnd mod pwr Fwd CC aft pan, Fwd CC aft pan,
Fwd pitch & yaw accelerometers supply (elec Freon sys)
Autopilot torque limit switch
Compass autopilot interlock relay
Mach sensors:
VNE-M NE
Flap system
LANDING GEAR COMPONENTS
Computer (not in wheel wells)
Speed stability amplifier & pwr supply (990)
Structure & wing overheat control
Bleed air duct iso lation control UNIT 880 880M 990
VGH, Waste King, United Data fit recorders MLG selector valve, Hyd compt Hyd compt Hyd compt
Kollsman control chassis emerg door-open valve,
Pilot & copilot RMI servo amplifiers brake accum, brake
Pilot & copilot compass rack: met valve
Slaving amplifier
Servo amplifier MLG brake press, mod Hyd compt Hyd compt
Power supply MWW grnd access mech Hyd compt
Stabilizer trim rate limit relay
KVAR -KW resistors LG control cable quad LH tunnel LH tunnel L or R tunnel
NAVIGATION & COMMUNICATION SYSTEMS Brake press, xmtr Hyd compt Hyd compt
HF transceivers & pwr supply Brake pedal switches LH tunnel LH tunnel
VHF communication transceivers
VHF navigation receivers & accessory Brake control mixer LH tunnel
ADF receivers LG control mixer NWW ovhd door NWW ovhd ,door
LORAN receiver
DMET & computer Brake control mech L&R tunnels L&R tunnels L&R
Marker beacon receiver Parking brake control LH tunnel LH tunnel LH tunnel
Glide slope receiver
Weather radar receiver-transmitter Emerg air flask NWW NWW LH tunnel
Weather radar synchronizer Emerg air re lief valve LH tunnel LH tunnel
Terrain warning radar
ATC transponder beacon Antiskid relays Elec compt Elec compt
NLG anti-skid control RH tunnel RH tunnel NWW
HYDRAULIC COMPARTMENT
Hydraulic reservoirs LG grnd safety relays:
Hydraulic boost pumps Al c with elec Freon Elec compt Elec compt Elec compt
Supply & pressure manifolds Al c with pneu Freon Elec & Fr compts Elec & Fr compts Elec & Fr compts
High- & low-pressure relief valves
Temperature control valves NW steering cables LH tunnel LH tunnel LH tunnel
Pressure line accumulators Emerg control cables Fwd CC ovhd Fwd CC ovhd
Ground service panel
Auxiliary pump, filter, check valve Emerg release temp Hyd compt Hyd compt
Line & brake pressure transmitters compensator
Temperature transmitters NLG emerg ext assy L&R tunnels
Aileron-spoiler mi xer assembly
'See also nose & main wheel well lists) LG gear control lever NWW ovhd NWW ovhd
Emerg MLG ext seq Cabin floor,
shaft Sta 918

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 1962 5
 INSTRUMENT SYSTEM ELECTRICAL SYSTEM (cont)
(not in Flight or Electrical & Electronics Compartments) UNIT 880 880M 990
Static exciters (cont)
UNIT 880 880M 990
Generator No . 3 Wing TE 76 Wing TE 76 Wing TE 147
Pitot tubes L&R tunnels L&R tunnels L&R tunnels Generator No.4 Wing TE 78 Wing TE 78 Wing TE 149
Static sys press. ftgs. Fwd CC RH side, Fwd CC RH side, Fwd CC RH side, Fuel tank feedthroughs-see Fuel System
Sta 460 Sta 460 Sta 477 (For electrical components in other systems, see system involved)
Drains:
Copilot's pitot sys Elec & Hyd Elec & Hyd Elec compt AUTOPILOT
compts compts
(not in Electrical & Electronics Compartment)
Copilot's static sys Elec & Hyd Elec & Hyd Elec & Hyd
compts, Fwd compts, Fwd compts, Fwd 880M 990
UNIT 880
CC RH side CC RH side CC RH side
Accelerometers (Sperry):
Pilot's static sys Fwd CC LH side, Fwd CC LH side, Fwd CC LH side,
Sta 451 Sta 451 Sta 451 Fwd pitch & yaw Elec compt Elec compt Elec compt
Autopilot static sys Elec compt, Fwd Elec compt, Fwd Elec compt, Fwd Aft pitch LH Freon LH Freon LH Freon
CC LH side, CC LH side, CC LH side, Aft yaw LH Freon LH Freon RH Freon
Sta 451 Sta 451 Sta 451 Lower roll LH Freon LH Freon LH Fr€on
Alternate static sys Fwd CC floor, Fwd CC floor, Fwd CC floor, Upper roll Cabin ovhd Cabin ovhd Cabin ovhd
Sta 436 Sta 436 Sta 436 Sta 721 Sta 721 Sta 797
Aux equipment Fwd CC LH side, Trim rate solenoid & sw Aft fus
Sta 432, & Elec
compt Control surface servos:
Alt static press. source Aft fus Aft fus Aft fus Aileron Hyd compt Hyd compt Hyd compt
VNE·MNE warning bell NWW ovhd door NWW ovhd door NWW ovhd door Rudder Aft fus Aft fus Aft fus
Warning horn Fit compt ctr Fit compt ctr Fit compt ctr Elevator Tail cone Tail cone Tail cone
ovhd panel ovhd panel ovhd panel Stabilizer trim LH tunnel LH tunnel LH tunnel
Ram air bulb RH tunnel RH tunnel LH air Cond
inlet LEADING EDGE FLAPS & SLATS
Altimeter thumper, con· NWW ovhd door NWW ovhd door NWW ovhd door
trol unit, transducer UNIT 880M & 990'
Fuel flow amplifiers, LH tunnel Drive, motors, gearbox, Fwd CC aft pane I
static inverter control valve
Flight recorders: Reduc & angle LE Q, R, 237·8
gearboxes
LAS Hyd compt Hyd compt MWW, LH side
Offset gearbox LE K, S
Waste King, Elec compt Elec compt
Torque tube coupl ings LE K, L, Q, R, 185·6, 211·2, 237·8, 243·4, 245·6, 247·8
United Data
Flap actuators LE 275·6, 277·8, 279·80, 281·2, 283·4, K, J
VGH Elec compt Elec compt Elec compt
Slat tracks Slat 159·60, 161·2, 163·4, 165,6, 167·8, 169·70, 171·2,
VG MWW, RH side 173·4
Remote fit recorder Slat guide hook rollers LE 187·8, 193·4, 197·8, 199·200, 205·6, 209·10, 213·4,
accelerometers: 219·20, 223·4, 225·6, 231·2, 245·6
VHG LH Freon LH Freon LH Freon Slat bearings LE 189·90, 195·6, 201·2, 207·8, 215·6, 221·2, 227·8,
Others MWW 233·4
Remote compasses Wingtip J, Y Wingtip J, Y Wingtip 181 , 183 Slat extend switches LE 189·90, 201·2, 215·6 , 227·8
'Before 990 LE modification

NAVIGATION & COMMUNICATION SYSTEMS BLEED AIR, WING ANTI·ICE & RAINCLEARING SYSTEMS
(not in Electrical & Electronics Compartment) UNIT 880 880M 990
Ducting:
UNIT 880 880M 990
Pylon bleed air Pylon 6, 7, 48 Pylon 6, 7, 48 Pylon 17, 18,21,
HF ant couplers, relay, V Stab Z5 V Stab Q1 V Stab Q1 22 , 29, 50, 53
tuners, lightning arrest Slat te lescoping Wing LE 121·2, Wing LE 121·2,
Weather radar antenna Radome Radome Radome 203·4, 217·8, 203·4. 217·8,
Glide slope antenna Radome Radome Radome 229·30 229·30
ADF sense ant couplers ADF sense ADF sense ADF sense Bellows, wing duct Wing LE 61·2, Wing LE 185·6, Wing LE 185·6,
ant. fairing ant. fairing ant. fairing 63·4, 65·6, 211·2, 237·8, 211 ·2, 237·8,
67·8, C, E, F 239·40 , 241·2, 239·40, 241·2,
Doppler system: 243·4, 247·8, 243·4, 247·8,
Antenna Wing TE 151, Wing TE 145, Wing 89, 59, 253·4 253·4
145. 147, 149 145. 149 61. 63 Bleed air valves:
Receiver·tra nsm itter Aft cargo compt Aft cargo compt Aft cargo compt Bleed air press. reg Pylon 3 Pylon 3 LH pod door
Anti·ice press. reg Wing LE B, H Wing LE 185·6, Wing LE 185·6,
211·2 211·2
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM Eng anti·ice Pod 27 Pod 27 Vi a pod doors
(not in Electrical & Electronics Compartment) Emerg wing isolation TC compts TC compts TC compts
Freon drive isolation TC compts TC compts TC compts
UNIT 880 880M 990
Vortex destroyer Pod 28 Pod 28
DCPT LH pod LH pod LH pod
Battery; reverse cur· NWW ovhd door NWW ovhd door NWW ovhd door Ice detectors Pod 25, 45
rent relay, TR charg· Temp sensors:
er, bus, & limiters
DC sys rev cur relays Fit compt be· Fit compt be· Fit compt below
Pod duct lip Pod 27 •
low CB panel low CB panel CB panel Wing LE skin Wing LE 0 , E, F Wing LE 0 Wing LE 0
Emp de ·ice control box Aft fus Aft fus Aft fus Slats Slats U, W Slats U, W
Wshld anti·ice, anti·fog: Wing LE duct space Under wing LE Under wing LE Under wing LE
Control boxes L&R tunnels L&R tunnels L&R tunnels Fuselage duct space Fwd CC fwd &
aft side panels
Relays LH tunnel LH tunnel LH tunnel
Wing LE skin temp ampl Elec compt Elec compt Elec compt
Retainer plate sensor NWW ovhd door NWW ovhd door NWW ovhd door
Excess heat & isolation Elec compt Elec compt Elec compt
Grnd sw & junc box MWW MWW MWW control box
Pylon harnesses Pylon 4, 20, 41 Pylon 4, 20, 41 Pylon 14, 52 Rainclear s/ o valve RH tunnel 22·1 Fwd CC aft pan Fwd CC aft pan
Pod harnesses Pod 29, 30 Pod 29, 30 Fwd CC aft
Static exciters: pan 22·2
Generator No.1 Wing TE 77 or Wing TE 77 or Wing TE 89 Rainclear ovht control RH tunnel RH tunnel RH tunnel
151 151 Rainclear ramp act., R&L tunnels R&L tunnels R&L tunnels
Generator No . 2 Wing TE 75 or Wing TE 75 or Wing TE 89 press. relief & vent
151 151 valves, duct thermo sw

6 CONVAI R TR AVELER
 VVing Leading Edges and Box Section

NOTE: All panels LH and RH except as

noted. Where two numbers are given,
odd number is LH, even number is RH .

LOWER SURFACE

880

x-a

LOWER SURFACE

(APPLICABLE TO 880/880M/990)

FUEL SYSTEM
UNIT 880 880M 990 UNIT 880 880M 990
VALVES, elec operated: Stop-fuel solenoid (cant)
Refuel pilot Center section RH MWW· RH MWW
Inboard Box sect 1-2 Box sect 1-2 Inbd ASB S Defuel TE 85-6. Box TE 85-6, Box TE 95-6, Box
Outboard Box sect 57-8 Box sect 57-8 Outbd ASB W sect 25-6* sect 25-6* sect 25-6*
Center section Ctr tank panel Ctr tank panel Ctr tank refuel sel MWW MWW
Refue I sh utoff Eng line shutoff
I nboard tank Inboard TE 85-6, Box TE 85-6, Box TE 89, 147,
Box sect 25-6 Box sect 25-6 Box sect 9-10
sect 25-6* sect 25-6* Box sect 25-6*
Outboard tank Box sect 29-30 Box sect 29-30 Box sect 29-30
Outboard TE 93-4, Box TE 93-4, Box TE 105-6, Box
Center section Ctr tank panel Ctr tank panel sect 29-30* sect 29-30* sect 33-4*
Stop-fuel solenoid Eng line emerg shutoff
Inboard tank TE 85-6 , Box TE 85-6. Box Inbd ASB N, P Inboard Pylon 8 Pylon 8 TE 93-4. Box
sect 25-6 * sect 25-6 * sect 9-10'
Outboard tank TE 105-6, Box TE 105-6, Box TE 105-6 , Box Outboard Pylon 8 Pylon 8 TE 109-110, Box
sect 57-8* sect 57-8* sect 33-4* sect 33-4'
'Valve motor and gear train (or solenoid) and valve gate are accessible through TE; valve body through box section panels. (Conti nued)

NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 1962 7

 VVing Trailing Edges

SSO/SSOM

UPPER SURFACE

*LH ONLY , ON Al e W ITH DOPPLER

RH TIP

(
LOWER SURFACE

NOTE: All panels LH and RH except as

noted. Where two numbers are given,
odd number is LH, even number is RH.

FU EL SYSTEM (co ntl

UNIT 880 880M 990 UNIT 880 880M 990
VALVES, elec operated (cant) VA LVES, pressure reg :
Crossfeed Refuel line wing tank Box sect 9·10, Box sect 9·1 0,
Inboard engine TE 85·6 . Box TE 85·6. Box TE 95·6, Box 29·30 29·30; ctr
sect 25·6 ' sect 25·6 ' sect 29·30 ' tank panel
Outboard engine TE 89·90, Box TE 89·90, Box TE 99·100, Box VALVES , check:
sect 29·30' sect 29·30' sect 29·30 ' Overwing refuel Box sect 1·2, Box sect 1·2, Box sect 1·2,
Emergency crossfeed TE 89·90, Box 51 ·2 51·2 9·1 0, 57·8; ASB
sect 25·6 ' S, W
Aux ctr tank & wing TE 85·6 , Box TE 99·100 , Box Pressure refuel Box sect 25·6, Box sect 25·6, Box sect 53·4
sect 25·6 ' sect 29·30 ' 29·30 29·30
Boost & trsf pump inlet
Jettison shutoff TE 105·6, Box TE 105·6, Box Outbd ASB U, V and outlet
sect 55·6 ' sect 55·6 ' Inboard Box sect 1·2, Box sect 1·2, Box sect 1·2,
Jettison ctr tank & TE 97·8. Box TE 103·4, Box 9·10 9·10 9·10
wing selector se ct 37·8' sect 29·30 ' Outboard Box sect 23·4, Box sect 23·4, Box sect 23·4,
VALVES, hydraulic: 25·6, 37·8 25·6. 37·8 25·6, 37·8
Jettison pump motor TE 119·20, TE 119·20 , TE 93·4, 131·2 , Center se ct Ctr tank panel Ctr tank panel
sol·operated control 125·6 125·6 133·4 ASB's (outbd is dual ) ASB S, W
' Valve motor and gear train (or solenoid ) and valve gate are accessible through TE ; valve body through box section panels.

B CONV A IR TRAVELER
)

990

RH WIN!3

X -3

UPPER SURFACE

176

183
1
RH TIP
RH WING

(
LOWER SURF AC E

FUE L CAP PROBES

FUEL SYSTEM (cont)

UNIT 880 880M 990 UNIT 880 880M 990
VALVES, check (cant) PUMPS:
Flapper (in tank wells) Box sect 9-10, Box sect 9-10, Box sect 9-10, Boost Box sect 11-12, Box sect 11-12, Box sect 11-12,
25-6 25 -6 25-6 13-4, 19-20, 13-14, 19-20, 13-14, 19-20,
21-2; 9-10, 21-2; 9-10, 21-2; 9-10,
Center tank T Ctr tank panel Ctr tank panel 25-6" 25-6" 25-6"
Jettison line Bo x sect 55-6 Box sect 55-6 Outbd ASB U, V Transfer Box sect 3-4, Box sect 3-4, Box sect 3-4,
7-8, 15-16, 7-8, 15-16, 7-8, 15-16, 41-2;
Float·actuated fuel (on Box sect 1-2, Box sect 1-2, Box sect 37-8, 41-2; 1-2, 9-10, 41 -2; 1-2, 9-10, 1-2, 9-10, 23-4,
main tank side of blkhd) 9-10, 37-8, 45·6 9-10, 37-8, 45-6 45-6, ASB S, W 23-4, 25-6*' 23-4, 25-6" 25-6*' ; ASB 261-2,
263-4, U, S, W
VALVES, vent, float·act : Boost/jettison MWW, Ctr tank MWW, Ctr tank
Inboard Box sect 1-2, Box sect 1-2, Box sect 1-2, panel" panel**
9-10 9-10 9-10 Jettison: MWW, Box sect MWW, Box sect MWW, Box sect
Outboard Box sect 35-6, Box sect 35-6, Box sect 35-6, Inboard 9-10" 9-10" 9-10**
43-4, 57-8 43-4, 57-8 43-4 Outboard TE 89-90, Box TE 89-90, Box TE 89-90, Box
sect 25-6" sect 25-6 " sect 25-6*'
Center tank Ctr tank panel Ctr tank panel
Scavenge (inboa rd) MWW , Box sec t MWW, box sect MWW, Bo x sect
Anti·shock bodies ASB S, W 9-10** 9-10** 9-10**
l ( (Continued )
"Impeller and hydraulic motor assembly accessible from below or through TE; pump housings and check valves through wing box panels.

NOVEMBER /DEC EMBER 1962 9

 FUEL SYSTEM (cont) TRAILING EDGE FLAPS

0
UNIT 880 880M 990 UNIT 880 880M 990
DRAINS, external: Flap drive motors; gear Hyd compt Hyd compt Hyd compt
Vent (1 ea repl tank) Box sect Z-l Box sect Z-l box ; se l & phase valves
Crossfeed (1, LH inbd) Box sect Z-2 Limit switch Hyd compt Hyd compt
Low point (1 ea repl & Box sect Z-3 Box sect Z·3 Box sect Z-3 Warn & safety switches Hyd compt
main tank) Angle drive gearboxes TE 83-4 TE 83-4 TE 95·6
Ctr sect low point (L&R) Ctr sect Z-3 Ctr sect Z-3 Flap interior mech Flap A, D Flap A, D Flap A, D
Boost pump (1 ea main) Box sect Z-4 Box sect Z-4 Box sect Z-4 Asymmetry switches:
Boost/jett pump (1 ea) Ctr sect Z-4 Ctr sect Z-4 Torque tube TE 101-2 TE 101-2 TE 117-8
Ctr sect dr plugs (5, LH) Ctr sect Z-5 Ctr sect Z-5 Individual flap TE 113-4, 131-2
Ctr sect cavity (1 only) Ctr sect Z-6 Ctr sect Z-6

SWITCHES: AILERON·SPOILER SYSTEM

Pump low·press, warn:
UNIT 880 880M 990
Outbd boost pumps TE 83-4 TE 83·4 TE 93-4
Inbd tank outbd pump TE 75-6 (151 LH TE 75-6 (151 LH TE 89, 147 Aileron·spoiler mixer Hyd compt Hyd compt Hyd c9mpt
with Doppler) with Doppler) Aileron bellcranks:
Inbd tank inbd pump MWW MWW MWW Forward L&R tunnels L&R tunnels L&R tunnels
Transfer pump : Aft Hyd compt Hyd compt Hyd compt
Outbd tank outbd TE 103-4 TE 103-4 TE K Outbd interconnect TE 91-2 TE 91-2 TE 97·8
Outbd tank inbd TE 93-4 TE 93-4 TE 105-6 Aileron hinge line TE 91-2 TE 91-2 TE 101-2
Inbd tank repl & main TE 75-6 (151 LH TE 75-6 (151 LH TE 89, 147 Flight tab TE 89-90, 91-2 TE 89-90, 91-2 TE 101-2
with Doppler) with Doppler) Intercon idler cranks TE 81-2 TE 81-2 TE 135-6
Outbd ASB TE 105-6 Inbd idlers Hyd compt
Inbd ASB ASB N Idlers TE 83-4 TE 83-4 TE 93
Ctr tank beost/jettison MWW MWW Balance bds & seals TE 125·6, 127-8, TE 125-6, TE 123-4, 125-6,
Refuel ditt'l pressure TE 107-8, 157-8, 129-30 127-8, 129-30 127-8
MWW Aileron hinges TE C
TE C TEC
Fuel level float: Tab rod fairings TE B TE B TE B
Wing tank Box sect 5-6, Trim control jack TE 87-8 TE 87-8 TE 97-8
17-18, 39-40
Gust damper TE 83-4 TE 83-4 TE 93-4
ASB (40·gal) ASB W
Aileron flutter damper TE 101-2, 93-4
ELEC FEEDTHROUGHS: Fit tab flutter damper TE F TEF TE F
Fuel tank probe: Spoilers:
Inbd main MWW MWW TE 89, 147 Actuators TE 95-6, 97-8, TE 95-6, 97-8, TE 109-110, 113-4,
99-100, 101-.2, 99-100, 101-2, 133-4, 135-6, K
Outbd main TE 91-2 TE 91-2 TE 99-100
121-2 121-2
Outbd rep l disc TE 103-4 TE 103-4 TE 117-8 Retract actuators TE 89-90, 123-4 TE 135-6, 109-10
TE 89-90, 123-4,
Feedthrough panels: Sel valves TE 121-2, 97-8 TE 97-8, 121-2
A
J
B, L
TE 99
TE 100
TE 85
TE 99
TE 100
TE 85
TE 109
TE 110
TE 95
Sel valve & control
bellcrank assy
Followup linkage TE 81-2, 99-100, TE 81-2,
123-4 99-100, 123-4
TE 109-10, 135-6
0
H, T TE 86 TE 86 TE 96
C, D, F, G, M, S MWW MWW MWW
N, V TE 105
U, W TE 106 RUDDER SYSTEM
P TE 129 UNIT 880 880M 990
R TE 130
Bellcranks:
Forward L & R tunnels L & R tunnels L & R tunnels
FUEL GAGING SYSTEM:
Aft Aft fus Aft fus Aft fus
Dripsticks-see drwg
Control quadrant V Stab 155 V Stab 9 V stab 15
Capacitance probes:
See drawing Upper V Stab 15 V Stab 15
Wing tanks See drawing See drawing
Ctr sect X-1, Air feel V Stab 155 V stab 15 V Stab 15
Center sect cells Ctr sect X-1,
X-2 X-3 Mixer V stab 7, 9
Anti·shock bodies ASB X-3 Flight tab V Stab G5 V Stab 13
Compensators Box sect 9-10, Box sect 9-10, Box sect 9-10, Idler V Stab 155 V Stab 9
25-6 25-6 25-6; Ctr tank Balance boards V Stab P5-a6, V Stab J1-K2,
panel R5-S6, T5-U6 , L1-M2, N1-P2
V5-W6, X5-Y6
MISCELLANEOUS:
Balance board mech V Stab A5-B6, V Stab A1-B2,
Refuel control line Box sect 23-4, Box sect 23-4, ASB W, Box sect C5 -D6, E5-F6, C1-D2, El·F2 ,
strainers 57-8 57-8, Ctr tank 129-30, Ctr lank G5-H6, J5·K6, G1-H2
panel panel L5-M6
Jettison nozzle TE 105·6 TE 105-6 Outbd ASB tail Bal wts (upper rudder) V Stab 169-70 V Stab 19-20 V Stab 97-8
cone Bal wts & curtains V Stab AC, AD,
Refuel panel Pylon 11 Pylon 11 TE L AG, AH, J1·K2,
L1-M2, N1-P2
Temperature bulb TE 83 TE 83 TE 93
Restrictors V Stab 149-50 V Stab 15-16,
Fuel flow inverter & 17-18
reset relays Elec compt Elec compt Elect compt
Hinges :
Eng fuel ground drain Pod 17 Pod 17 Rudder Rud 185, 187, Rud 53, 55, 59, Rud 53 , 55 ,
Ctr sect refuel line Ctr sect panel Ctr sect panel 189, 191, 193, 61, 63, 91 59, 63, 91,
nipples & Box sect 9-10 & Box sect 9-10 197 301, 303
Wingtip vent line disc Tip 285-6, 287-8 Tip 285-6, 287-8 Tip 175-6, 179-80 Tab Tab 131, 133, Tab 29, 31, 33, Tab 29, 31, 33,
135, 137, 139, 35 , 37, 39 35, 37, 39
Vent airscoop Tip 289-90 Tip 289-90 Tip 177-8 225
Hinge pins Rud 173, 177, Rud 41, 45, 47, Rud 41, 45 , 47,
179, 181, 195 51, 95 51, 95, 305,
STRUCT ACCESS & INSP: 309, 311, 313,
Wing attachment Root fairings Root fairings Root fairings 315
Outbd trailing edge TE E TE E TE E Tab rods Rud 141, 143 Rud 21 , 23 Rud 21, 23
Aileron Ail G Ail G Air feel (beta) bo x V Stab 155, 157
(Continued )

10 CONVAIR TR A VELER
Vertical Stabilizer
880

880M/990

NOTE: Where two numbers are given, odd

number IS lH, even number is RH.

NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 1962 11

 RUDD ER SYSTEM (cont) ELEVATOR SYSTEM (cont)
UNIT 880 880M 990 UNIT 880 880M 990
Pitot tube V Stab 25 V Stab 25 Scissors cranks Alt Ius Aft Ius
Q cylinder V Stab 9 V stab 15 Balance boards H Stab A1 -B2 H Stab A1-B2
C1-02, E1-F2, C1-02, El -F2,
Actuator V Stab R1-S2 V Stab V5-W6,
307-8 A3-B4, C3-04, A3-B4, C3-04,
E3-F4 E3 -F4
Hyd control valve V Stab 9 H Stab J1-K2,
Balance board mech H Stab J1-K2,
Boost shutoff' valve Aft Ius Ll -M 2, P1-Q2, Ll-M2, P1-Q2,
Control shutoff valve Aft Ius J3 -K4, L3-M4, J3-K4, L3-M4,
Hyd shutoff valve NWW ovhd door P3-Q4 P3-Q4
Control bypass shutoff V stab 7 Balance board pivots H Stab 29-30, H Stab 29-30,
and reliel valves 33-4, 35-6, 33-4, 35-6,
39-40 , 41-2 , 39-40, 41-2,
Control low-press. sw V Stab 43-4, 47-8, 43-4, 47-8,
Control cam lever V Stab 9 49-50 49-50
Hyd stop actuator V stab 7, 9 Balance weights H Stab 129-30,
131-2, 133-4,
Pedal lorce limiter V Stab 155 V stab 9 135-6, 263-4,
265-6, 267-8,
Pedal lorce amplilier NWW ovhd door
269-70
Walking beam V Stab 7, 9
Restrictors H Stab 31 -2, H Stab 31-2,
Cont cable turnbckl Fwd CC alt pan 37-8 , 111-2, 37-8, 111-2,
Gust lock LH tunnel 113-4 113-4
Gust damper V Stab 145, V stab 27, V Stab 99, Hinges:
L5-M6 G1-H2 G1-H2 Elevator H Stab 25-6; H Stab 25-6; Elev 137 thru 148,
Flutter dampers: Elev BA, BB , Elev BA. BB, 271 thru 282
BC, BO, BE, BH , BC, BO, BE, BH,
Upper Rud 183, 223 Rud 49, 89
BJ , BK, BL, BM BJ , BK, BL, BM
Lower Rud 175 Rud 43 Tab Elev 67-8 , Elev 67-8,
Fit tab Rud 205 Rud 65 69-70, 71-2, 69-70 , 71-2,
Trim jack V Stab J5 V Stab E1 V Stab E1 75-6, 117-8, 75-6, 117-8,
119-20, 121-2 119-20, 121-2
Trim jack pulleys V Stab 155, L5 V Stab 9, G1 V Stab 9, G1
Flight tab rods Elev 73-4 Elev 73-4 H Stab 127-8,
Fit tab centering spg V Stab 155 V Stab 13 261-2; Elev
Autopilot rudder servo Aft Ius Aft Ius Aft Ius 287-8
Aux tab rods H Stab 125-6,
STRUCT ACCESS & INSP: 259-60; Elev
Rudder Rud 199 thru Rud 65 thru Rud 65 thru 285-6
221 87 87 Elevator stop H Stab 261-2,
Vertical stabilizer V Stab 147, 151, V Stab 5, V Stab 5, 7, 9, Elev 273-4
153, 171, AA 7,9, 11, AA 11, 15, AA Gust damper H Stab 27-8 H Stab 127-8,
H Stab 27-8
261-2
STABILIZER TRIM SYSTEM Flutter dampers:
UNIT 880 880M 990 Elevator-inbd Elev BA, BH Elev BA, BH H Stab 261-2,
Stabilizer screwjack
Normal trim motor
Emerg trim motor
Aft Ius
LH tunnel
RH tunnel
Aft Ius
LH tunnel
RH tunnel
Alt Ius

Aft Ius
Elevator-outbd
FI ight tab
Fit tab cent spring
Elev BE. BM
H Stab 23-4
Tail cone
Elev BE . BM
H Stab 23-4
Tail cone
269-70
H Stab 269-70
H Stab 261-2 0
Emerg trim torque tube: Fit tab cent & leel spg Tail cone
Vertical & Iwd sect RH tunnel RH tunnel H Stab 253-4
Aux tab static lever
Intermediate sect Elec compt, Elec compt, H Stab 253-4
Aux tab spg cartridge
cabin Iloor cabin Iloor
Elevator downspring Hyd compt ovhd
Alt section Aft Ius Aft Ius
Crossover tube Tail cone
Emerg trim torque tube Aft Ius
Elev autopilot servo Aft Ius Aft Ius Aft Ius
Stabi I izer pivot H Stab 17-18, H Stab 17-18, H Stab 253-4
19-20, 105-6 , 19-20, 105-6, Elev tip attachment H Stab BF, BG H Stab BF, BG
107-8 107-8 Pre ssu re boards H Stab 225-6,
Torque tube universal H Stab 21-2 , H Stab 21 -2, 229-30, 227-8
109-110 109-110 Pre ssure bd mech H Stab 149-50,
Hydraulic valves: 151-2, 229-30,
231-2, 233-4 ,
Shutoff Hyd compt Aft Ius Aft Ius 235-6
Trim rate Hyd compt Alt Ius Aft Ius H Stab 251-2
Ram air duct
Trim check Hyd compt Hyd compt
Autopilot trim rate Hyd compt Alt Ius
(Bendix system) STRUCT ACCESS & INSP:
Trim rate Q switch Hyd compt Hyd compt Elevator Elev 51 thru Elev 51 thru Elev 219 thru
Autopilot trim servo Aft Ius Aft Ius Aft Ius 66 66 224
Speed stab i lity system: Horizontal stabilizer H Stab H Stab 1 thru H Stab 101, 103,
1 thru 16 16 , 101-2, 105, 107 , 109,
Amplilier, motor, Aft Ius Aft Ius 101-2, 103-4 103-4 201, 203 thru
leedback pot, monitor 218
Mach computer, pwr Elec com pt
supply, pwr amplilier HYDRAULIC SYSTEM
(not in Hydraulics Compartment or Wheel Wells)
ELEVATOR SYSTEM
UNIT 880 880M 990 UNIT 880 880M 990
Bellcranks: Emerg shutoff valves Pylon B Pylon B Pylon 19
Forward T L & R tunnels L & R tunnels L & R tunnels Sup line restrict valve Pylon 2 Pylon 2 Pylon 39, outbd 0
AftT Aft Ius Line lilters Pylon 2 Pylon 2 Pylon 11 , 39
Lower aft Tail cone Tail cone Pylon disc panel lines Pylon 3, 15, 16 Pylon 3, 15, 16 Pylon 19
Upper & Iwr aft Aft Ius & Pod-pylon tubing Pylon 4 or 49, Pylon 4 or 49, Pylon 31 , 33 , 49,
tail cone 6, 15, 16, 20, 6, 15, 16, 20, 51 , underwing
21, underwing 21 , underwing lairings
Idler Alt Ius lairings lairings
Elev inbd H Stab 253-4 Pump lo-press. warn sw Pylon 4 Pylon 4 Pylon 11 , 39
Elev outbd H Stab 257-8 Temp bulb transmitter Hyd compt Hyd compt Wing TE 93-4
Aux tab H stab 259-60 , Fluid quan amplilier Elec compt Elec compt Elec compt
Elev 271-2
Fit tab Elev 261-2 ,
275-6 For hydraulic components in other systems , see system involved.

12 CONVAIR TR AVEL ER
 Horizontal Stabilizer

SSO/SSOM

UPPER SURFACE L.OWER SURFACE

PL.AN VIEW

(
UPPER SURFACE L.OWER SURF AC E
PL.AN VIEW

990

NOTE: All panels lH and RH except as

noted. Where two numbers are given,
odd number is lH, even number is RH .

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 1962 13
 Pod and Pylon SSO/SSOM

?
13 (LH)
47
___________________________'tJ__ 13 ( LH )

t7 ( LH) LOWER TAIL CONE

POD (ALL 4) e. NO.1 e. NO.2 PYLONS

1
t

NO.3 e. NO.4 PYLONS For electric, hydraulic, bleed air, or fuel components, see system lists_

ENGINE FIRE PROTECTION SYSTEM

UNIT 880 880M 990 NOTE: On aircraft modified to 990A configuratiori, listings
Ovht & fire warn bell Fit compt ovhd Fit compt ovhd Fit compt ovhd are not applicable aft of the wing leading edge_
aft ctr panel aft ctr panel aft ctr panel
Pod fi re doors Pod 13 (2 LH) Pod 13 (2 LH) Pod 31 (1 LH)
Eng fire ext bottle Pylon 8, 9 Pylon 8, 9 Pylon 15, 46 POWER PLANT SYSTEMS
Flasher unit, bell control RH tunnel RH tunnel RH tunnel
box, power relay UNIT 880 880M 990
Control unit, test relays Pylon 32 Pylon 32 Wing TE 93-4, Controls:
117-9 Pwr lever advance- L&R fus tun L&R fus tun L&R fus tun
Dischg valve & cart Pylon 8 Pylon 8 Pylon 15, 46 retard sw
Double-check T valve Pylon 7 or 48 Eng control linkage L&R tunnels L&R tunnels L&R tunnels
Three-way check valve Pylon 8 Pylon 15, 46 Cable tension reg Fwd CC aft pan Fwd CC aft pan Fwd CC aft pan
Low pt line drain valve Pylon 23 (inbd) Pylon 23 (inbd) Pylon torque box Pylon 5 Pylon 5 Pylon A
&8 &8 Thrust reverser:
UNIT 880 880M 990 Interlock control sw LH pod door LH pod door L&R fus tun
Frangible blowout disc Pylon 35 Pylon 35 Rigging doors Pod 19 Pod 19
Overflow port Under Pylon 18,
53 (Continued)

14 CONVAIR TRAVELER
 990

X(LH)
6

POD (ALL 41 II< INBOARD PYLONS

\:::=-:--
H

OUTBOARD PYLONS
I \
48 U

POWER PLANT SYSTEMS (cont)

UNIT 880 880M 990 UNIT 880 880M 990

Thrust reverser (cont) Oi l tank Pylon 33 Pylon 33

Hoist lugs Pylon 1, 31 Pylon 1, ·31
Actuators & mech Pod Iwr tail Pod Iwr tail Pod W, 37-8,
cone (Iwr cone (lwr 47-8 Nose cowl elec disc Pod 39 Pod 39
actuator only) actuator only)
Starter duct disc Pod 42 Pod 42
Ign start & en box relays Elec compt Elec compt Elec compt
Vortex destroyer valve Pod 28 Pod 28
Pane l disc fluid lines Pod 15, 16; Pod 15, 16; Vort valve o' ride relay Elec compt Elec compt
Pylon 3 Pylon 3
Eng RPM adjustment Pod 47 Pod 47 Pod X
Panel di sc elec lines Pod 29, 30; Pod 29, 30 ; Engine mounts Pod U, V
Pylon 3 Pylon 3
Door hinges Pod 15, 16 Pod 15, 16
Oil quan disc (Oage) Win g TE 85-6 , Win g TE 85-6, Wing TE 95-6,

L Oil fill
101-2

Pod 14
101-2

Pod 14
117-8

Pod Y
STRUCT ACCESS & INSP:
Pylon & di ag attach Pylon 23 Pylon 23 Pylon 23 , 41 , 43

NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 196 2. 15

 6 32

Instrument IIBugs"

A SIMPLE EXTERNAL INDEXING POINTER, or position Checking engine pressure ratio and fan rpm involv-
marker, has been designed by Convair for use on in- ing eight instruments, although not difficult, is time-
struments that are not equipped with internal adjust- consuming and attention-arresting. With installation
able markers, or a "bug," as it is. commonly called. of the "bug" this checking of instruments is simplified
The external bug, designed to snap over the outer rim and facilitated.
of standard, round, clamp-mounted type instruments, The indexing device, for installation on standard,
is adjustable. These external indexing pointers can be round, clamp-mounted instruments, consists of an arc
attacKed to various instruments as an assist for quick of stainless steel wire to which are attached three
instrument reading. small lugs. Two of these, black in color, protrude to
On the Convair 990, for example, the aft fan provide finger grips for adjusting; the third, painted
engines permit a "rolling" takeoff, in which no stop white and slightly pointed, becomes the "bug".
is made on the runway or taxi strip for individual To install an indexing bug on a standard, round,
engine runup and check. Instead, the pilot rolls from clamp-mounted instrument, all that is necessary is to
the taxi strip onto the takeoff run. At 80 knots, he loosen the instrument clamp on the back of the panel,
checks engine pressure ratio and fan rpm for engine and slightly ease the instrument out of the panel until
power performance for each engine. If engine power the lugs on the indexing device can engage the bezel
output for the four engines is satisfactory, he accel- around the rim of the instrument. Then the instrument
erates to V 1 and makes his takeoff. clamp is retightened .

INSTR
PANEL.
INDEXING POINTER "BUG"

FINGER GRIPS
ADJUSTABLE INDEX
POINTER
STAINLESS
STEEL
WIRE
INDEX POINTER
INSTALLED

J INSTRUMENT MOVED
OUT SO THAT L.UGS
CAN GRIP FLANGE

GENERAL. DVNAMICS I CONVAIR

VOLUME XIV NUMBER 5 JANUARY/FEBRUARY 1963

Convair raveler

EFFECTS

P!IIlJ£crs
III. BIAl GROWTH IN JET FUEL
M/C 0 CONTAMINANTS IN HYDRAULIC FLUIDS

In this Issue: Microbial Contamination & Corrosion in Integral Fuel Tanks

 Convair Trave ler

-- OUR COVER

GD [Convair 's test facility is continu-

ing research into the effects of micro-
bial growth in integral fuel tanks, the
feature article in this issue. Margare t
Fahlstro m, General Dynami cs chemist, is
studying bacteria l growth from jet fuel
sample taken from tank of Convair jet
airliner operatin g in the Middle East.
An added attractio n - Willis Goldsmi th,
cartooni st, is back! See pages 12-15.

Convair T ra ve le r
VOLUME XIV NUMBER S JANUARY/FEBRUARY 1963

MANAGER , CUSTOMER SERVICE - O. W. HARPER

CHIEF ENGINEER ING SERVICE - L. J. BORDELON
CHIEF, FIELD SERVICE - R. W. SOMMERS
CHIEF, SERVICE PARTS - J. DOIG
CHIEF, TECHNICAL PUBLICATIONS -
H. R. KENNEDY
EDITOR - GERTRUDE S. HUNTER

IN THIS ISSUE

PAGE 3

MICROBIAL CONTAMINATION AND

CORROSION IN INTEGRAL
FUEL TANKS
G. S. Hunter

Page 12

WINTER WISDOM
Sam Urshan

A digest of operation and service published monthly

by the Technical Publications Section of GD/Conva lr
Customer Service Department in the int.rest of Conyoir
operoton. Communications should b. addressed to the
Manager of Customer Service Department, General
Dynamics/Convair, San Diego 12, California. Infor·
motion is to b. considered accurate and authorita-
tive as for as Conyoir approval is concerned. FAA
approval is no' to b. implied unless specifically
noted. Recipients of this information are cautioned
no. to use it for incorporation on aircraft with ..
out specific approval of th.ir cognizant organtzation.

COPYRIGHT 1963
 Microbial contamination of jet fuels with resultant corrosion
in integral fuel tanks is a problem facing all operators
of jet aircraft, and the petroleum industry as well. The purpose of
this article is to familiarize operators with the problem and
to specify means of controlling and preventing further
problems in this area. The data presented reflect the current state
of the art. Since the technological picture is ever changing,
Convair is alerting operators that microbial attack
can be drastic, yet "quiet" in its action.

Microbial Contamination and Corrosion in

Integral Fuel Tanks FUNGUS OR MICROBIAL GROWTH in integral fuel tanks,
when first discovered , was considered only as a trou-
blesome problem - it interfered with fuel quantity
indication; it was detected in fuel screens and filters;
and it required periodic draining and flushing of tanks.
Fungus, bacterial growth , microbiological contami-
nation, sludge, microbial slime, green slime, brown
slime - call them what you will - have become a
severe industry-wide problem. The buildup of micro-
organisms not only can interfere with fuel flow and
quantity indication, but, more important, it can start
corrosive action which, in some cases, is difficult to
detect.
Microbial growths in fuel tanks consist of micro-
organisms that live and multiply in the water inter-
faces of jet fuels, where the upper surface of the water
meets the lower surface of the fuel. More than 300
species are known to grow and flourish in fuel, the
more common varieties carrying such names as hor-
modendrum, pseudomonas, acomycetes.
These microorganisms are present in the air we
breathe, in unchlorinated water, and in the soil. Thus,
it can be seen that relatively clean water-free fuel
pumped into aircraft integral tanks can become con-
tamin ated by air during the fuel transfer operation
and by air entering through the tank vents .
When refueling aircraft tanks, slime on the bottom
of the integral tanks and fungus growth on the sides
and bottom are agitated sufficiently to break up some
of the growths and they become intermixed with the
fuel. Upon settling, the microorganisms attach them-
selves to new areas to again begin their corrosive
action. This agitation of fuel and growths is also pos-
sible during flight, but to a lesser degree.
Microorganisms have a tendency to mat, generally
appearing as a "brown blanket." This mat acts as a
blotter to absorb more moisture ; this moisture in turn
accelerates the growth of the orga nisms. Scotch weld,
used for sealing and as a protective coating in Convair
jet aircraft integral tanks, is impervious to water and,
of course, to jet fuels ; however, if the coating has been
broken or is damaged , corrosive action can be started.
Once the fungus has "dug in," it concentrates in this
one area, and the normal sloshing of fuel will not
dislodge it. (Continued on page 6)

JANUARY / FEBRUARY 1963 3

Study of Microbial Growth
Tests to determine if microbiological growths illustrate the prolific growth of microorganisms in
have any deteriorating effects on integral fuel tanks kerosene.
have been under way since May 1961 in GDICon- Panels simulating construction of various fuel
vair's Test Laboratories in San Diego. Both JP4 tank areas and accessories - some with Convair's
and kerosene were used in the tests, with various Scotchweld prime - others with candidate coat-
combinations of water media and additives. ings - were subjected to tests in various fuel/water
1n the two jars at the left, note the comparison media. (See photos on pages 5 and 6.) These tests
of microbial growth in kerosene and JP4 for the are discussed in further detail on page 7.
same period of time. These samples graphically

Bottle on left contains kerosene! water medium; on JP4 contaminated and Bushnell-Haas medium be-
right, JP4! Bushnell-Haas medium. Note the increase fore and after insertion of prepared panel. Note
in growth of bacteria in kerosene in only three months. how red dye has leached out of EC 776.

Typical immersion tests are shown in the six jars. Jars 1 and 2 contain
JP4 with and without specimen; jars 3 and 4 contain JP4! Bushnell Haas
medium; jars 5 and 6 contain kerosene. Note the growth of fungus in
the kerosene specimen after only six months of immersion testing.

4 CONVAI R TR AV ELER
o

Test panels with Scotch weld (RH) and two candidate

materials. Scribe marks were made in Scotch weld and
in EC 776 (center) to determine corrosive action in
fuel/water medium. Note extent of microbial growth
after only six months of immersion testing.

Typical test panels are shown in the LH column.

All panels were prepared with various candidate
materials, plus Scotchweld. All panels are of
typical fuel tank construction some with
fuel probes attached; others with cadmium-
plated screen, simulating pump intake screen.

Large jar containing seven specimens in a solution of

JP4 fuel and Bushnell-Haas prepared culture. Panels
in left-hand column, plus other prepared panels, are
contained in jar. Jar is then placed in large tank.

J A NUARY / FEBRUARY 19 63 5
(Continued from page 3) Surfact ants are another cause of bacteria and fungi
The corrosive action is electrolytic. Electrolyte is a in fuel. These foreign materials - detergents and
combination of water, mineral salts, and impurities agents in the form of polyethylene glycols and naptha-
which can enter the tank through poorly maintained nates or other compounds found in fuel- reduce
dispensing systems and! or water-entrained fuels. As interfacial tension between fuel and water, and the
stated previously, even clean, relatively water-free fuel coalescing ability of filters and separators. Because
(approximately 7.5 mg water per U.S. gallon) can the minute surfactants are almost undetectable, they
become "infected" with water and microorganisms can result in the delivery of free water and other con-
through fuel tank vents. It would seem that the tanks taminants to the aircraft fuel tanks.
are "bugged" regardless of housekeeping procedures, Both IP4 and kerosene are blends of heavy distil-
but service experience with military and commercial lates and are hygroscopic - tending to absorb water.
aircraft indicates that strict compliance with good The specific gravity of jet fuels - especially kerosene
maintenance, housekeeping, and fueling methods and - is closer to water than is aviation gasoline; thus,
procedures provide effective control of microbiolog- any water introduced into the fuel- either through
ical growths and corrosion in integral tanks of Convair refueling or condensation - will take an appreciable
jet aircraft. time to settle out.
Although all of the more than 300 organisms have At high altitudes, when this water freezes, water
not been positively identified through microbiological droplets combine with the fuel to form a frozen sub-
studies, it is known that they are nourished by the stance referred to as "gel." Through tests conducted
oxygen and mineral nutrients in water, and by the at General Dynamics lConvair in San Diego, this gel
hydrocarbons in jet fuel. Salt water, particularly, has been found to contain as much as 20 per cent
contains mineral nutrients to sustain and promote water. The mass of "icing" that may be generated
microbial growth. In fact, one to ten microorganisms from moisture held in suspension in kerosene can be
in a mixture of water and fuel will trigger growth much greater than with gasoline, and somewhat more
in three to five days when conditions - temperature than with IP4. Thus, it can be said that kerosene will
and environment - are conducive to such growth. support more microbial growth than will IP4.
Warm, humid areas have the proper environment for Screens and filters are more likely to become clog-
such growth, as evidenced by microbial contamination ged in jet aircraft than in reciprocating engine aircraft,
found in fuel tanks of aircraft operating in tropical not only because jet fuels support more microbial
and semi-tropical zones. However, instances have been growth but because the rates of fuel consumption and
reported in temperate climates, thus making evalua- consequently the rate of fuel flow through filters and
tion of the problem even more difficult. screens is higher for jet engines.
Other promoters of microorganisms are iron par- Microbial growth and subsequent corrosion are the
ticles and rust. Unlike aviation gasolines, jet fuels results of a long chain of events. It can begin with the
have inherent qualities that can dislodge rust in fuel fuel refinery and the tanks that supply the fuel storage
storage tanks. Thus, it can be seen that fuel supply tanks; then, via the truck that draws the fuel from the
tanks should be kept as free as possible from con- storage tank, and dumps it into the airplane; and
taminants such as rust and water, so as to reduce through poor maintenance of controls and equipment
the threat of infecting airplane integral tanks. in the airplane fuel tank system.

Progress of growth of micro-

organisms, and deterioration
of specimens were recorded
until trend was established.
Specimens were kept at tem-
perature of 95 0 to 105 0 F,
and tank was agitated to
simulate in-flight condition.
Temperature and agitation
apparatus is shown at right.

6 CONVAIR TRAVELER
 GDIConvair research has verified the seriousness In other tests, panels were prepared for immersion
of the problems and determined its relationship with to determine the most effective repair material. (See
Convair integral tanks, utilizing Scotchweld. Briefly, photos on pages 8 and 9.) All panels were given a
the wing tank of Convair jet aircraft is constructed spray coat of Scotchweld prime. The center of each
of spars, intercostals, ribs, and roll-tapered skin. All panel was then masked off to protect the Scotchweld
parts, before assembly, receive a spray coat of Scotch- prime in this area. Scuff marks 0.5 inch wide and
weld prime and are then precured at 150°F. After 0.005 inch deep were made in the panels, exposing
precuring, the individual parts are riveted or otherwise the bare metal. The panels were subjected to corrosive
assembled, with Scotchweld film placed between fay- attack by standard 20 per cent salt spray exposure.
ing surfaces and structural members. The complete After the environment test, the damaged coating (scuf-
wing is then cured in a large oven at 320°F for one fed area) was slightly abraded with #400, or finer,
hour. grit garnet paper; all loose particles were removed with
A typical fuel tank containing JP4 fuel with red clean cheese cloth. Three scuff marks on the right-
dye added was exposed to five years of salt water hand side were untreated. Fillets of EC 1293 were
atmosphere at San Diego bay. The fuel mixture was applied to one scuff mark on each side of the panel,
changed every 60 days. A careful inspection of the and topcoated with EC 776. (Fillets of EC 1293 are
tank structure was conducted at each fuel change. used in Convair fuel tanks, and EC 776 is used as a
Tests indicated that Scotchweld has excellent salt coating over the EC 1293.) Each panel was then
water, humidity, and fuel resistance. These tests were sprayed with a candidate material on each side of the
made prior to delivery of the first 880 and the tests, masked Scotchweld area to simulate typical field re-
as conducted, were very gratifying. However, when it pair touch-up. After spraying, masking was removed.
became e*ident that microbial slime and subsequent The panels thus prepared were subjected to the
corrosion were becoming a problem in other aircraft following tests in order to obtain conclusive data on
in service, GDIConvair conducted additional tests. repair materials: 1) 20 per cent standard salt spray
Some of these tests are still in progress. exposure at 92° to 97°F for ten days; 2) 100 per cent
Tests were conducted to determine under what con- humidity exposure at 110° for ten days; 3) immersion
ditions microorganisms flourish in JP4 and kerosene dry cycling with JP4 plus toluene in ten cycles of 16
fuels; to determine the extent of corrosive attack hours immersion and 3 hours drying; 4) low tempera-
attributed to microbial growths in JP4; to develop an ture flexibility; 5) heat resistance; and 6) long term
effective repair system for integral fuel tank corro- microorganisms immersion.
sion protection. In the microorganisms immersion test, panels were

o Test panels of typical riveted aluminum alloy struc-

ture, and some panels with fuel probes attached, were
subjected to more than 20 months of extensive testing.
Some test panels were spray-coated with Scotchweld
immersed in a mixture of JP4 with 30 per cent by
volume of toluene, and a medium (1/3 the volume of
the fuel mix) consisting of 5 cc sea water, 95 cc dis-
tilled water, 10 cc Bushnell-Haas (prepared culture),
prime; others with candidate materials. Immersion and 5 mg iron particles. Less than one-third of the
tests were conducted in various combinations of JP4 panel was submerged in the water medium; approxi-
fuel: JP4 with 30 per cent by volume of toluene, and mately another third in the fuel medium; the remain-
a medium (113 the vol ume of the fuel mix) consisting der of the panel was exposed to the atmosphere. Only
of 5 cc sea water, 95 cc distilled water; 10 cc Bush- fuel medium was added as the level in the tank
nell-Haas (prepared culture), and 5 mg iron particles; receded.
JP4 with and without corrosion inhibitor additive; These panels have been immersed for a little more
JP4 with storage bottom water and slime; some with than a year. The Scotch weld panel shows no pene-
laboratory-grown microorganisms. Kerosene was also tration; some of the other panels show leaching, blis-
used in various combinations. See photos on pages tering, and l or softening of the candidate materials.
4 and 5. The only coating that appeared to offer protection
Glass jars were used for some of the test specimens. comparable to that of Scotchweld was PR 1560 (Prod-
About one inch of fuel/water medium was used in the ucts Research). Some of the test results are shown in
jars. The jars were covered and placed in an enclosed the photos on page 9.
tank with a plexiglas lid, and kept at a temperature of The tank in which the specimens are immersed
95° to 105°F. The tank was agitated for long periods simulates a typical Convair integral tank. (See. photo
of time, simulating an in-flight condition. It was inter- on page 8.) The interior of the tank is coated with
esting to note that microorganisms multiplied much Scotchweld ; voids are sealed with EC 1293 and top-
faster when agitated. Visual progress of growth was coated with EC 776. Of particular interest - no pene-
recorded as was deterioration of specimen materials, tration of the tank coating has been noted in the more
until a trend was established. (See page 6.) than 13 months that it has held the specimens in the
After more than 20 months immersion, there was fuel/water medium.
no corrosion underneath Scotchweld cured primer, An important feature of Scotch weld is that, because
indicating that it is unaffected by JP4 fuel/water of its thin coating, any corrosive attack underneath
medium. After three months, there was slight-to- is easily detected . It should be noted that, unless
moderate attack of some protective coatings in the Scotchweld coating is damaged , the fuel/water med-
fluidsl water media in the form of leaching, softening, ium has no ingress to the parent material; thus corro-
and blistering. The uncoated non-cadmium plated sive attack cannot begin.
steels were severely corroded. Under some of the heavy viscous coatings tested -

JANUARY ! FEBRUARY 19 53 7
epoxy thiokol and polysulphides - corrosive attack
can be well under way before it can be detected, be-
cause of the "hiding" nature of these materials.
Having established the possibility of microbiolog-
Evaluat.ion of Fuel Tank
Repair Coatings o
ical contamination in integral fuel tanks and its rela- Tests are continuing in GDIConvair's San Diego
tionship to corrosion, let us discuss ways of obviating test facility to develop an effective corrosion repair
the growth of these organisms, and methods of elimi- system in integral fuel tanks. The objective is to
nating them once they have matted or adhered to the evaluate various candidate materials (coatings), and
tank structure; and inspection for, and repair of, to determine procedures for field repair of damaged
corrosion.
Scotchweld. The present state of the art is discussed
Water and contaminants can be introduced into fuel
in several ways: 1) through water-contaminated fuel
on page 7.
delivered to the bulk storage tanks; 2) through im- Only JP4 fuel/water medium has been used. It
proper functioning of fueling controls at the storage is interesting to note that, in no instance, has -there
tanks and at the fueling truck; 3) through defective been any penetration of the Scotchweld prime. Be-
seals at the storage tank; 4) through water conden- cause unforseen conditions are being encountered
sation in the storage tanks, tank trucks, and integral in service, and the tests as conducted do not simu-
tanks; and 5) through tank vents. late all of the conditions experienced in tropical
Let us begin with the fueling pits, or storage tanks, and subtropical zones, Convair is continuing re-
where the fueling trucks pick up and subsequently search in this field.
deliver , to the airplane water-saturated fuel, and fuel Note the four sets of test panels on page 9. Al-
contaminated with rust, iron particles, dirt, salt, sur- though 11 test specimens were used, only those
factants.
four, which utilize candidate materials commonly
Usually the storage tanks and refueling trucks are
the responsibility of the petroleum company which used in integral tanks, are shown.
supplies the fuel. It is the responsibility of every air- The center portion of each test panel was treated
line employee in the fueling sequence, however, to be with Scotchweld prime. Observe how well this por-
alert to the hazards of water and contaminants in fuel, tion of each panel has withstood imersion in the
and to know the importance of proper fuel handling fuel/water medium.
techniques.
All fuel, before dumping into the storage tanks,
should be tested for water content. Water content
should also be tested before pumping fuel into the air-
craft tanks (water tolerance limits are specifically
noted in the General Electric Fuel Specifications).
There are several methods for checking fuel; three
of these are described in the June 1961 issue of the
Convair Traveler. Because of the importance of this
first step in eliminating, or at least minimizing, this
threat of infection of fuel tanks, we quote from the
referenced issue.
"Jet fuels are either colorless or straw-colored, mak-
ing it difficult to detect water after it has settled out.
A cloudy fuel it not necessarily an indication of a satu-
rated fuel. Perfectly clear fuel can contain three times
the volume of water considered to be tolerable.
"Several field methods for checking water content
have been devised. One consists of adding a food col-
oring that is soluble in water, but not in fuel. Colorless
fuel samples acquire a definite tint if water is present.
This method was developed by one airline and is used
as a regular part of their sump drain procedure.
"Esso Research and Engineering Company has de-
vised a test kit, "Hydro kit," which utilizes a gray
chemical powder that changes color to pink through
purple, if 30 ppm or more of water is contained in a
fuel sample.
"A third method, developed by Shell Petroleum
Company, Limited, employs a hypodermic syringe to
draw a 5-milliliter fuel sample through a chemically- Tank contalntng test specimens for determining ef-
treated filter. If the sample changes the color of the fective repair materials, simulates typical Convair inte-
filter from yellow to blue, the fuel contains 30 ppm or gral tank. Test specimens have been under test for more
more of water." (Continued on page 10) than 13 months with no penetration of Scotch weld.

8 CONVAIR TRAVELER
c Test Panels with Candidate Repair Coatings

First photo of each set was taken before immersion

in JP4 fuel/water medium. Second photo in each
set shows effects of 13 months immersion in the
fuel/water medium. Note how the center panel of
Scotch weld prime in all specimens has shown no
deterioration during this extended test period.

c Panels prepared with EC776. The same panel after Panels prepared with Sherwin Williams E42AP7.
thirteen months immersion shows some leaching Note blistering in lower panel after only thirteen
of color and softening of the candidate coating. months immersion in the JP4 fuel/water medium.

PR1560 (Products Research) a poly urethane coating. PR1432 (Products Research), a polysulphide coating.
Note excellent condition of this coating after thirteen Note extensive blistering of the poly sulphide coat-
months immersion in the JP4 fuel/water medium. ing after thirteen months immersion testing.

JAN U ARY / FEBRUARY 19 6 3 9

(Continued from page 8)
Periodic inspection of seals, fi lters, and dehumidi-
fiers, and regular operation of sumps will keep the
fuel relatively water-free.
fail -safe feature cannot be bypassed unless a mechan-
ical ad justment is made. To prevent a complete shut-
down in the middle of a fueling operation, flow stop-
ped by excessive pressure drop, resulting from heavily
o
If an operator is having continuing problems with contaminated fi lters, can be restarted by reducing
aircraft tanks being serviced with fuel from a certain pressure and flow. Flow stopped by a high water level
storage tank and this has been known to happen - can be restarted by draining the sump.
he can insist on certain controls and safeguards.
Poor maintenance of storage tanks and pipe lines
may be indicated by red and brown slimes, usually
associated with rust. Dark colored water, drained from
refueler and aircraft sumps, is usually an indication
of the presence of surfactants.
Filters, screens, and fueling controls require fre-
quent inspection for early detection. These inspections
are to be thorough - filters and screens are not merely
to be inspected for contam ination, but closely in-
spected for deterioration and deformation. Proper
maintenance of these items is necessary for control
of the problem. Maintenance includes regular cleaning
of storage tanks, regular replacement of filters and
Typical truck-mounted Perma-Dry filter unit.
screens; regular cleaning of trap drains.
PhD/a courtesy oj Permanent Filler Corp.
Varying temperatures and humidity can cause con-
densation in the truck tanks and in the fueling equip- Truck- or Jeep-mounted Perm a-Dry units are capa-
ment. If equipment filters are kept clean and sumps ble of providing flow rates of 600 gpm of clean dry
and traps are drained and cleaned regularly, this prob- fuel, removing water to a level of 10 to 15 ppm below
lem can be minimized. the saturation point, and contaminants down to less
Foll owing tests of several different filtration de- than two microns.
vices, GD IConvair at Fort Worth determined that the The importance of good maintenance of storage
Perm a-Dry multi-stage filter had greater dirt holding tanks and fue ling trucks cannot be overstressed.
capacity than other units considered. The first stage Proper filtration of fue l to remove water and con-
of the filter can rupture without endangering the air-
craft being serviced. The sintered bronze elements
used in the second stage filter are considered more
durable than other types of element media used in
taminants, plus good maintenance will preclude the
possibility of pumping contaminated fuel into aircraft
tanks.
Fungus, once it has formed, is not easy to remove.
o
similar units. Stainless steel, aluminum, and brass are Tanks must be drained and completely purged of
used throughout the unit because these metals are residual fuel ; then flushed with a detergent water,
relatively resistant to the corrosiveness of jet fuels. followed by a fresh water rinse and thorough air
The Perm a-Dry uni t breaks tight water-fue l emul- drying.
sions. Karl Fischer titrations of Perma-Dry outlet fuel Some operators, serving areas of high exposure,
indicate that all free water is separated by the filter. make it a practice to "deslime" tanks every three
The filter has a fail-safe design that is simple and ef- months. This is accomplished by completely draining
ficient. When water exceeds a preset level in the sump, the tanks and then steamcleaning with a detergent
a float is displaced , and pressure from the filter tank solution to loosen and flush contaminants from the
closes a dome type check valve in the outlet line of tank. Low undrainable areas are thorough ly evacuated
the filter. The same valve is also closed by in let pres- of fluid and the tank air-dried to permit precise inspec-
sure when the inlet pressure exceeds outlet pressure tion for corrosion. Fi lter elements, screens, and pumps
by 15 psi, indicating overloaded filter elements. The are thoroughl y cleaned, and then inspected for fungus
residue and corrosion .
Some aircraft manufacturers are experimenting with
_ - - - PRESS URE DROP 21/2 PSI- - - - - . an aqueous solution of 2 per cent potassium · dichro-
SYNTHETIC BONDED BRONZE FIBERGLASS
mate for flushing sludge from tanks. It is felt that this
FABRIC PERMA·MAZE biocidal wash may have the added advantage of re-
moving any bacteria remaining in the tank . As of this
writing GD IConvair has not conducted tests on this
solution .
Wherever slime was present - usually in the lower
portions of the tank - the area should be thoroughly
inspected for corrosion because these are the most
CONTAMINANTS CONTAMINANTS INERT WATER susceptible areas.
(10 MICRONS) (1.6 MICRONS) AND Corrosion under Scotchweld prime will usually be

o
AND WATER SUBMICRONIC
CONTAMINANTS indicated by blistering. By rubbing a bare finger
over a suspected area, the pips and bumps are easily
Coalescing process of Penna-Dry unit . detected. The Scotch weld prime in the suspected area

10 CONVAI R TRAVELER
 can be scraped off with the fingernail, or with a plastic appears to be a major contributing factor. Even
tooL Screwdrivers or other metal objects should not though the storage tanks which supply the aircraft are
be used for initial inspection. The underlying parent buried, the fuel in them becomes warm, and humid
metal can then be examined for corrosion products, from condensation- contributing to the rapid growth
using a lOX glass and an explosion-proof light. of bacteria and fungi. As the contaminated fuel is
If corrosion is found, it may be removed with an transferred to the aircraft tanks, it can pick up addi-
aluminum aHoy brush - or even better, with alumi- tional microorganisms from the air and from further
num wooL The area is then wiped with MEK, and condensation.
treated with Alodine 600. During refueling, and in flight, the fuel in the air-
craft tank sloshes around, water in the fuel becomes
Note emulsified, and clings to the bottom and sides of the
When inspecting the tank for corrosion, tank. Thus, the stage is set for corrosive attack.
precautions should be taken not to damage
Microbial growth and associated problems were not
the Scotch weld prime. Even a pin hole foreseen when Convair began extensive testing on ·the
through the prime to the parent metal can
corrosion inhibiting properties of Scotchweld. Since
provide a path for corrosive attack.
Convair tests did not duplicate some of the more
Better methods and procedures are continually severe conditions encountered, an ultimate solution
being sought to forestall the effects of microbiological has not been reached. The tests as conducted, how-
contamination. Considerable testing and qualification ever, proved without a doubt that, under normal con-
by the USAF and all industries concerned, including ditions, Scotchweld could not be penetrated to start
GDIConyair, indicate that currently PR 1560 (Prod- corrosive action. This premise is true today, but only
ucts Research) appears to be the best material for if good maintenance, housekeeping, and servicing pro-
repair touch-up. Application of PR 1560 requires cedures are followed, and fuels meet the requirements
curing at controlled temperatures of 90°F for two of the General Electric Fuel Specfication.
hours, and an additional eight hours drying time This article is not intended as a criticism of opera-
before the tank can be refueled. Detailed procedures tors' practices. It has been the intent to apprise the
for cleaning, flushing, corrosion treatment, and repair operator of the magnitude of the microbial contamina-
with PR 1560 will be submitted to Convair operators tion problem; of the precautions the operator can take
through Service Engineering Reports. to arrest the problem; and the steps that GDIConvair
In summary, condensation is a problem under the and the industry are taking to solve the problem.
best of circumstances, but under the described condi- GD IConvair will continue research into the prob-
( tions of extreme heat and humidity, the problem is
worsened. Microbial growth and subsequent corrosive
lems of microbiological contamination and corrosion
in integral fuel tanks. Research data will be correlated
attack have been reported only on those Convair jet with all industries concerned, and with such organi-
airliners operating in tropical and sub-tropical cli- zations as ATA, AlA, and CRC. As new ideas and
mates, indicating that the latitude of operation is sig- procedures are developed and proved, the information
nificant. Excessive condensation in fuel storage tanks will be made available to all operators.

FUEL TRUCK SIMPLIFIED SCHEMATIC - FILTRATION

PERMA·DRY UNIT

PR IMARY STAGE SECONDARY STAGE

FI LTERED FUEL POLISHED FUEL

UNFILTERtD
POW ER FUEL
CHECK
VA LVE

PRESSURE
REGULATOR
WATE R DRAINS I

HYDRANT

JANUARY /FEBRUARY 1963 11

THE ARRIVAL OF WINTER in areas susceptible to ex- chemists have devised antl-lcmg and deicing fluids.
treme cold weather conditions calls for a persistent These fluids are used for anti-icing as well as for
campaign to keep airplanes operating smoothly and deicing. Deicing removes ice and / or frozen deposits
efficiently. The maintenance and operation of aircraft after they have formed; anti-icing prevents the forma-
in subzero temperatures impose situations not present tion of ice.
in temperate zones. Pneumatic and hydraulic leaks, It is important that snow and / or loose deposits be
ice in the fuel , sluggish operation of control systems, removed from the surface of the airplane before the

o
and snow and ice on aerodynamic surfaces are some deicing solution is applied, because most solutions, in
of the problems accompanying Old Man Winter. combination with snow, form a slush that is difficult
With Convair jet airliners penetrating as far north to remove; after a period of time, the slush refreezes.
as Kotzebue, Alaska, it might be timely to review A soft brush or mop - never hard or sharp objects
certain cold weather operations, and to draw attention - may be used to clear the surface.
to some of the factors that are peculiar to "wintering"
A satisfactory course to pursue when deicing or
the Convair jet airliners. Reference to the October
defrosting an airplane is to start at the top of the
1960 Traveler will familiarize readers with the basic
fuselage and work down to wing level. On the top
information applicable to successful cold weather
surface of the wing, work in from the wing tip and
operations.
proceed in toward the fuselage. When clearing the tail
Fortified with adequate knowledge, preparedness,
surfaces, it is advisable to position the horizontal
and resourcefulness, the problems encountered in
stabilizer leading edge to the full up position and the
adverse weather conditions can be effectively over-
elevator to the full down position to minimize entry
come, allowing airline operations to continue at a
of snow and / or water into the un pressurized tail com-
near normal pace. As with any plan of action, a
partment. Start at the top of the vertical stabilizer, and
knowledge of what to expect, and acting accordingly,
work out toward the horizontal stabilizer tips.
will prevent the awkward situation of being caught
off guard . When working on wings and horizontal stabilizer,
A knowledge of meteorology will be of value to care must be exercised to avoid damaging vortex
those associated with the maintenance and operation generators.
of aircraft during the cold season. The ability to antici- The final areas to clear are the lower surfaces of
pate weather conditions - even to a limited extent - the wings, horizontal stabilizer, fuselage, and the land-
will payoff when it comes to taking the necessary pre- ing gear doors.
cautionary measures to protect and preserve the air- Care should be taken to prevent deposits from being
craft from the elements, and in performing subsequent swept into control surface openings, vents, and hinges.
preflight duties. If water and slush are allowed to accumulate within a
While the appropriate weather agency should be control surface cavity, or within the unit itself, the
consulted for more accurate weather forecasts, a accumulation may freeze solid at colder altitudes, and
thumbnail what-to-expect chart is presented as a basic result in locked controls. If the accumulations of ice
pattern of winter conditions and the formations that are excessive, they could cause differential surface
will likely result. (See page 14.) loads leading to difficult, if not impossible, control
The era when ice could be removed from aircraft of the airplane. Ice formations on the leading edges
surfaces with a rubber hose went out with high-speed of control surfaces or servo tabs could induce dynamic
high-altitude aircraft. In place of the rubber hose, instability of the surface with resulting flutter.

12 C ONVAIR TR A VELER
 Should water enter the tail compartment and freeze, Glycol solutions have no damaging effects on wind-
it may be dried out or evacuated by use of heated air shields and plastic windows; however, the solution
blown in through the access door in the tail. An appli- leaves a distorting film over the surface of the windows
cation of deicer fluids on the cable drum in the tail and must be removed before flight. The usual care
compartment will prevent the formation of ice. The must be exercised to prevent scratching the windows
drain holes at the bottom of the tail compartment when working around them.
should be kept clear of ice and debris to allow un-
restricted run-off of the accumulated water.
Within 15 minutes of departure of the airplane,
during wet snowfall, all critical areas of the airplane
should be completely covered with deicing solution,
regardless of whether falling snow is melting or ad-
hering to the surface of the aircraft.
The following chemical solutions when mixed with
20 to 40 parts water have been successfully used as
deicing/ anti-icing fluids; Misco, Avylene 400, and
Glycol (either ethlene or propylene glycol) . In con-
centrated form, glycol has a freezing point of only
lOoP ( - 12.2°C). If it is properly mixed with 40 per-
cent water, however, its freezing point drops to
-55°P (-48.3°C) .
Glycoi is toxic, and personnel should avoid breath-
ing its vapors, and should prevent the solution from Glycol solution may be by spray, mop,
getting into their eyes and onto their skin. Personnel, brush, or broom. A fan-shaped spray pattern of fairly
when applying glycol solution, should stay upwind large drops will cover the surfaces faster with less
of their operation to minimize the possibility of con- waste than will a solid stream.
tacting the solution resulting from splashing or over- Application of the anti-icing solution is facilitated
spray. Glycol splashed on clothing is an additional if fluid temperature is maintained at 140 0 P (60 0 e).
hazard that should be avoided. Storing the glycol tank in a heated area, and then
Because of the rapid evaporation characteristics of positioning it near a heated duct outlet when in use
glycol deicing fluid, and its ability to destroy the in- is an accepted procedure.

o sulating qualities of absorbent material such as cloth-

ing, handlers of the solution should exercise great care.
Particular care should be taken to prevent glycol from
All available ramps, stands, ladders, and extensions
should be utilized in the deicing operation to position
personnel as close as possible to the aircraft surfaces
contacting the skin when the temperature is very low. they are preparing and thereby minimize their walk-
The evaporating liquid could lower the temperature ing on slippery surfaces.
of the skin to a point where frost bite could occur in After the deicing solution has been applied to the
a very short time. Glycol should be washed from the airplane, the loosened ice accumulations may be
skin immediately with copious quantities of water. brushed from the surfaces by the use of medium-hard
bristle brushes. Here again, care must be excercised
to prevent damaging the aircraft skin and vortex
generators. Ice picks, scrapers, and other sharp ob-
jects are, of course, taboo.
Particular care should be given to aluminum honey-
comb sandwich panels when removing frozen deposits
from their surfaces. Honeycomb panels should never
be walked upon.
If the ice or hard snow remains on the aircraft after
the deicing solution is applied, repeated applications
may be required to soften and loosen the accumula-
tions so that they may be brushed away. After all
traces of ice or snow are removed from the surfaces,
a fresh coating of deicing solution should be applied.
If an aircraft is being readied for takeoff from a
slushy runway, anti-icing solutions should be applied
to the lower surface of the ailerons, horizontal sta-
bilizer, and elevators. This will prevent slush, thrown
or blown from the runway, from sticking to the ex-
posed surfaces.
During snow, sleet, or rainy conditions, protective
covers fitted over all airplane and engine external
openings will safeguard the associated systems and
ensure subsequent satisfactory operations. Before take-
off, these covers must be removed.

J A N UA R Y / FEBRU A RY 1 963 13
 Cold weather plays freak tricks with equipment. The
contraction of metal and hardening of seals during
very cold conditions often causes leaks in fuel, hy-
draulic, and pneumatic systems. Hardened seals and
cold stiff hoses can be damaged very easily while in
such a brittle condition. The application of localized
heat will return these components to their normal
resilient state.
An airplane may be successfully preflighted inside
a warm hangar, but when moving the aircraft into
extreme cold temperatures, the effect of cold upon
both metals and seals may disclose problems. Leaks
which will not be evident inside the hangar may sud-
denly develop in -20°F ( - 28.9 °C ) and below.
Low temperatures harden hydraulic O-ring seals,
and they lose their resilience. Some seepage may re-
sult, but such seepage does not generally cause a great
loss of fluid and is not always serious.
A slight leakage may be noted from the hydraulic
filter at the point where the external filter cup is fas-
tened to the filter body. This may be caused by metal
contraction or hardening of O-ring seals. Unless this
condition is severe, the leakage will stop when the filter
temperature rises from the passage of warmed hy-
draulic fluid through the filter unit.
Since low temperatures tend to cause sluggish hy-
draulic action, hydraulic controls should be activated
whenever possible before flight to warm up hydraulic
fluid. The controls must first be moved manually from
stop to stop before operating them from the flight
compartment. It must be determined that the controls
are not frozen or restricted before moving them manu- If struts are partially collapsed, there should be
ally. If they are bound by snow or ice, the accumula- no cause for alarm. It often happens in cold weather.
tions must be removed and the area dried out. Shock struts, hydraulic pistons, valve plungers, gear
Points where leaks occur include the nose and main position switches, and torque arms, where the gear
landing gear struts. Towing the aircraft over rough scissors switch roller rides, must be kept free from
ice and snow, or in cold temperatures when the dirt, snow, and ice. Snow and frozen accumulations
grease in the wheel bearings is stiff, imposes strain on may be removed first by brushing and then applying
the nose wheel strut and results in leakage. Heating deicing fluid. A preventive coating of deicer fluid will
the grease in the wheel bearings is not recommended preclude the formation of snow and ice on these units.
because it may cause moisture condensation, thus Before applying the deicer fluid, the units should be
impairing lubrication. Too, this moisture may subse- cleaned with a lint-free cloth soaked in MIL-H-5606
quently freeze, resulting in locked wheels. fluid.
The use of tow cables attached to the main landing Entrance and service doors may be prevented from
gear struts will eliminate excessive strain on all struts. freezing closed, or may be opened if they are frozen,
by the application of deicing fluid around their peri-
phery. The door hinge slide tubes should be well
greased to ensure their satisfactory operation. Care
Air temperature near but nat necessarily below must be taken to prevent deicing fluid from reaching
freezing. the slide tubes and diluting the grease.
FROST Clear, cold nights or only partial sky coverage Door mechanisms, emergency release mechanisms,
of high thin clouds.
and sequence valve actuating mechanisms may be
Small dew point, temperature spread.
Calm or very light winds. lubed with SAE lOW motor oil if deicing operations
have obviously caused loss of normal grease lubrica-
Air between 25° (- 3.9° C) and 32°F (O°C)
FRE EZING tion; otherwise, they should be left dry.
Uniform ly ove rcast wintry sky.
RAIN May be proceded or followed by sleet. To prevent freezing of water fill caps and to facili-
tate their removal, one operator lightly coats the ex-
terior of the nipple and the interior of the cap with
medicinal glycerin. If applied sparingly with a brush,
DRY SNOW Temperatures below 30° F (-1.1 0C). glycerin will not enter the system water supply when
the tank is filled. Only medicinal glycerin , available
Temperatures below - 10°F ( - 23.3°q. at any drug store, should be used. Deicing fluids
ICE FOG Clear nights. should not be used - they are poisonous when
No wind.
swallowed.

14 CONVA I R TRAVELER
c Braking action is greatly reduced on surfaces cov- .... Don't allow deicing fluid to contact bearings be-
ered with ice and snow. Wheels should be securely cause the solution may dilute the grease and disturb
chocked, particularly during engine runup, to preclude the bearing action.
movement of the airplane on icy surfaces. If Don't apply undiluted glycol for deicing; it is
The inherent advantages of jet engines being less more effective if properly diluted.
troublesome than reciprocating engines in cold weather 1Jt. Don't walk on glycol-coated wings and surfaces
is somewhat offset by the fact that water has a greater unless absolutely necessary, and then only if precau-
affinity for jet fuels than it has for aviation gasoline. tions are taken to prevent falling on the slippery sur-
Water will stay suspended in kerosene much longer face. This same rule applies to ice- and film-covered
than it will in JP4, resulting in a greater chance for surfaces.
ice to form on fuel screens, valves, pumps, and meter- Don't walk on honeycomb sandwich panels.
ing devices, and to clog them under freezing condi- ·if Don't allow anti-icing fluid to contact eyes or
tions. In Convair jet airliners, however, this does not skin, and avoid breathing its toxic vapors.
pose a serious problem. Fuel system evaulation tests
demonstrated the reliability of the fuel system at maxi-
mum icing for longer periods than would normally
*. Don't allow anti-icing fluid to spill on clothing.
Don't let glycol come in contact with engines,
and do not let the solution get into air intake ducts.
be encountered in actual operation. (See May/June Don't use an excessive amount of deicing fluid
1962 issue of Traveler.) around heater and ventilator air intake ducts just
It is a good practice to drain fuel sumps before prior to takeoff. Toxic fumes could enter the aircraft
refueling. Any water at the bottom would otherwise
become stirred up and would mix with the fresh un-
contaminated fuel. After allowing sufficient time for
*.
interior during taxi or takeoff.
Don't release the airplane for flight until all
primary and secondary flight controls have been
water separation and settling, it is advisable to drain thoroughly checked out to see that they are not frozen
the sumps again. There are nine drains for tanks, lines, and do not bind.
and pumps. Should any of them become frozen, they Don't operate primary and trim controls from
may be opened by applying low heat over an area the flight compartment until they have been manually
large enough to thaw any ice that may have ac- moved from stop to stop.
cumulated. -jf. Don't heat the airplane interior before remov-
The best prevention against water-contaminated ing snow from the fuselage. This could cause the snow
fuel is to halt the water at its source of entrance into to melt with subsequent refreezing - a condition
the fuel system. Particular attention should be directed that could be worse than before.

c to fuel storage and dispensing facilities to ensure that

water content is held to an absolute minimum.
It is recommended that all couplings, filler parts,
Don't use too much tension when tightening
nuts, cables, etc, when temperature is -20°F
(-28.9°C), or below. Installations tightened under
these conditions could fail when the airplane warms
and any exposed portion of the fueling system that
contacts the fuel be wiped dry of water and moisture up and expands.
before transferring fuel. It behooves all personnel whose responsibilities lie
in maintaining and preflighting the airplane to be ex-
Summed are a few of the precautions to observe ceptionally critical of the condition of the airplane
when maintaining aircraft in very cold weather. during precipitation and freezing weather conditions.
Don't use hard or sharp instruments to remove Under very cold conditions, exposure to the elements
ice or frost accumulations from aircraft surfaces. just naturally results in a slow-down of operation, and
.'fr. Don't allow loose snow or sl ush to enter control there is a tendency to short-cut a job while sacrificing
surface openings and hinges where it could become quality. With the right kind of clothing, physical con-
packed and frozen. dition, knowledge, and mental attitude, a man work-
Don't leave even the slightest amount of frozen ing in severe cold need not trade competence for
residue on wings and stabi lizer. comfort.

u
 6 40.

days*

990s ordered by ROJ

880Ms sold to J AL

880M sold to VJASA

ROI (Republic of Indonesia) will use its three 990s The third 880M ordered by VIASA (Venezolano In-
on routes connecting Djakarta, Singapore, Bangkok, ternational de Aviacion S.A) will be used on the
Hong Kong, Manila, and Tokyo. ROI is a government- airline's routes between the United States, the Carib-
owned airline operated by Garuda Indonesia Airways. bean and South America. VIASA's present fleet serves
New York, Miami, New Orleans, Santo pomingo,
The three 880Ms purchased by Japan Air Lines bring Curacao, and Caracas.
to eight the number of 880Ms on JAL's domestic
routes, connecting the cities of Tokyo, Sapporo,
Osaka, and Fukuoka. These aircraft will have five- • D ecember 4, 1962 10 January 4, 1963
across economy class seating throughout, an arrange-
ment designed specifically for domestic routes. Each
aircraft will carry a total of 119 passengers. GENERAL. DVNAMICS I CONVAIR
 VOLUME XIV NUMBER 6 MARCH/APRIL 1963

1
i
!
Convair raveler

'.

In This Issue: Corrosion and its Control

 Convair Traveler
c

OUR COVER

Norm Rutherford's cover depicts the bom-

bardment of the many types of corrosion
to which an airplane is subjected during
normal operation. The identification, treat-
ment, and removal of the various types
are discussed in the lead article this issue.

Convair Traveler
VOLUME XIV NUMBER 6 MARCH/APRIL 1963

MANAGER, CUSTOMER SERVICE - O. W. HARPER

CHIEF ENGINEERING SERVICE - L. J. BORDELON
CHIEF, FIELD SERVICE - R. W. SOMMERS
MANAGER, SERVICE PARTS - J. DOIG
MANAGER, TECHNICAL PUBLICATIONS -
H. R. KENNEDY
EDITOR - GERTRUDE S. HUNTER

IN THIS ISSUE

PAGE 3

CORROSION AND ITS CONTROL

G. S. Hunter

Page 10

IN-FLIGHT TROUBLESHOOTING OF
AIR CONDITIONING AND
PRESSURIZATION SYSTEM
Hugh R. Smith

A digest of operation and service published monthly

by the Technical Publications Section of GD IConvair,
primarily for the interest of Convair operators. Per-
mission to reprint any informat ion from this periodical
must be obtained from the Chief of Technical Publi-
cations, General Dynamics IConvair, San Diego 12,
Calif. Information is to be considered accurate and
authoritative as for as Convair approval is concerned.
FAA approval is not to be implied unless specifically
noted. Recipients of this information are cautioned not
to use it for incorporation on aircraft without the
specific approval of their cognizant organization .

COPYRIGHT 1963 GENERAL DYNAMICS I CONVAIR

..
The January/February 1963 issue of the Traveler covered corrosion in fuel
tanks resulting from microbial growths. This article, while it does not
cover the entire spectrum of corrosion control, gives examples of the
types of corrosion likely to be encountered, how to identify them, and methods
for treatment and control.

DURING THE COURSE OF A SINGLE FLIGHT, a high alti- For practical purposes, corrosive attack on airframe
tude airplane is subjected to atmospheric, climatic, structures may be generally classified under the fol-
and temperature extremes. In fact, a jet airliner may lowing headings: Uniform Etch (chemical), Pitting,
take off where the ground temperature is high, climb Exfoliation, Intergranular (Local Cell), Galvanic
through air that drops rapidly to zero or below, and (Bi-Metallic), and Concentration Cell (Crevice)
subsequently encounter rain, snow, or damaging hail. Corrosion.
In addition to the elements, such foreign substances
as salt-laden air, mud, exhaust gases, and runway soil
may impinge on the surfaces before the airplane even
leaves the ground.
Uniform Etch
All of these substances contribute to corrosion. Cor-
rosion, in spite of the many variables at work in its
operation, is not a particularly difficult process to Uniform etch results from the application of chemi-
understand. Of consequence, however, are proper cals, such as battery acids or cleaning chemicals, to
understanding of corrosion and effective preventive bare metal surfaces. If the etching agent is permitted
measures. to wet the surface constantly, the action results in
All metals will corrode, the type and condition of complete erosion of the metal. The continued presence
the corrosion depending on a complex of environ- of these agents can provoke more severe forms of
mental conditions and maintenance practices. The corrosive attack. The application of acid-resistant
best assurance for maintaining the airworthiness and paint to potentially affected areas, and! or frequent
appearance of aircraft is a consistent and regular in- and thorough cleaning procedures and inspection will
spection routine, supplemented by corrective mainte- retard or minimize corrosion action.
nance action when necessary.
Corrosive attack may be difficult to detect in terms
of structural damage; however, it usually presents
early warning of its presence, by the appearance of
corrosion deposits.
Nearly all corrosion depends on the presence of
moisture for propagation. The following conditions
contribute to corrosion: dirty water, salt water, atmos-
pheric moisture, exposure of unprotected metal to
caustic solutions (or acids), and exhaust gas residues.
All corrosive attack starts on the surface of the
metal where it is exposed to the corrosive environment.
If allowed to progress, the corrosion will work into
the base material and destroy the mechanical and
physical properties of the metal. Since corrosion
originates on the surface, there is evidence on the Uniform etch is a more or less uniform attack.
surface when the attack is in progress. The identifica- It conveys little in signifying intensity of the
tion of corrosive attack is a matter of close observation attack, which may range from surface dulling to
of the area of attack and of its surroundings. a substantial reduction in thickness of the part.

M A R C H / APRIL 1953 3
 On a polished metal surface, uniform etch is seen
as a general dulling of the surface, indicating corrosive
action is underway. Prompt remedial action is recom-
mended to forestall the onset of serious damage.
presence of an electrolyte (such as dirty water) ; cor-
rosion is the product. In this case, the four elements
of a battery are present, namely: a positive pole
(anode), a negative pole (cathode), an electrical con-
o
Not all etching is detrimental. Chromic acid, for nection, and an electrolyte. This "battery," being short-
instance, produces a uniform oxide under controlled circuited, exhausts itself in useless destructive action.
conditions on the surface of aluminum and its alloys.
This tough coating of the oxidized parent metal acts
as a barrier to corrosion.

Pitting

Pitting, the most common type of corrosion, occurs

on aluminum and magnesium alloys where galvanic Intergranular corrosion.
action occurs between individual crystals of the various
and different constituents. It is first evidenced as white This phenomenon, when enhanced by high stress,
or gray powder which blotches the surface. When the is known as stress corrosion. Stress concentrations at
deposit is cleaned away, tiny pits or holes are observed the base of tiny fissures, initiated principally in a
on the surface. direction perpendicular to the tensile stress, cause the
fissures to open further, thus exposing fresh metal to
corrosive attack. Failure results from the mutually
accelerating effects of stress and corrosion.
Poor heat treatment of high strength aluminum
alloys makes metal more susceptible to intergranular
attack. Too, the coupling of adjacent dissimilar metals
appears to aggravate this type of corrosion.

Stress corrosion cracking - magnified lOX.

Depth of holes in pitting attack is measurable

when gray (also white) deposits are removed.

"
Intergranular Corrosion

Intergranular corrosion is insidious because it is not

readily visible in the early stages. This type of cor-
rosion attacks the grain boundaries of a crystalline
structure or alloy. Each of the grains has a clearly Photo courtesy Alcoa.
defined boundary which can, in the presence of mois- Stress corrosion cracking is a result of tensile
ture, set up galvanic action, whereby the crystals stress - magnitude of stress affects time re-
react with each other as anode and cathode in the quired for cracking to begin. Magnified lOOX.

4 CONVAIR TRAVELER
 Exfoliation

Exfoliation corrosion is the lifting up of the surface

with an indication of severe propagation of inter-
granular corrosion. It is most likely to be encountered
on extruded sections and on rolled or sheet stock
wherein the material has been extended through partial
or extensive work-forming. In some cases, faulty heat
treatment can be clearly established as the cause.

lntergranular corrosion results from poor heat-

treat or overstress in service. Magnified 200X.

Local Cell Corrosion

Severe corrosion conditions, over long periods,

Local cell corrosion occurs on the surface of an unpro- or of extreme severity, may cause exfoliation.
tected piece of metal exposed to the elements. It is
the simplest form of corrosion and the easiest to cor-
rect or forestall. Plating, metal-spraying, or painting
the surface offers protective treatment. If the protec- Galvanic Cell Corrosion
tive coating is not possible, preventive maintenance
such as routine washing with fresh water at regular
intervals will preclude buildup of corrosion deposits.
Wax films offer little protection on high-speed aircraft. Galvanic corrosion is a faster than normal corrosion
Because these wax films are relatively thin, they have that takes place when two metals having different
a tendency to sublime in the airstream. Regular clean- electro-chemical potentials are in physical contact,
ing and washdowns with fresh water offer the best and both are exposed to an electrolyte, such as smog,
assurance against corrosion. salt atmosphere, and/ or salt water.
Local cell corrosion may be described as galvanic Under these conditions the less noble metal cor-
corrosion acting on a microscopic scale. Its origin rodes more rapidly than it would if exposed by itself,
resides in the grain structure of the metal itself. Attack while the more noble metal corrodes more slowly,
takes place irregularly at separate points on the sur- securing anodic protection from the less noble metal.
face and penetrates into the interior of the metal. It The greater the difference in potential between the
is always provoked by local cell action which is caused two metals, the stronger the tendency for galvanic
by the presence of heterogeneous alloy crystal surface cell corrosion.
impurities, or simply to an uneven oxygen distribution While this corrosion is going on, an electrical cur-
on the surface of the metal. The corrosive agent does rent is generated by the two metals in electrical con-
not act in an oxide dissolving manner in this case but tact. The strength of the current produced is a good
serves as an electrolyte of couples formed locally; if measure of the rate of corrosion taking place on the
the corrosion products are insoluble in the corrosive less noble metal. The general reacti"on taking place is
media, they further decrease the oxygen diffusion of similar to a dry cell battery or a similar galvanic cell
the anodic points. The attacked areas covered by the where a zinc anode (less noble) suffers accelerated
effluent thus remain anodic and enhance the corro- corrosion, while a graphite cathode (more noble)
sive action. suffers not at all. The battery exemplifies generation
Deposits of soot, metallic dust, etc., will set up local of the electric current associated with galvanic cell
cells that enhance the progress of this form of corro- corrosion.
sion. The absence of rainfall to wash off contaminants The electrolyte is brought into the electrical circuit
and accumulations of dirt and soot will tend to in- for galvanic action when moisture is present. A wide
crease corrosion of clad aluminum alloys in a period variety of substances converts the water into an elec-
of one month's exposure to atmospheric conditions. trolyte. It can be seen then that to prevent the forma-

M A RCH / A PRIL 196 3 5

 Potential Tendency For Galvanic Corrosion o
.. . .. .. .
End (Less Noble) (Noble) Protected End- CATHODE ......

CATEGORY '" M M
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'"'2 3 CLAD 75S 0 0 1 1 1 1 1 2 3 3 3 4 4 5 6 6 7 8 8 8 9 9 9 9 10 10 10 10 10
'0 3 CLAD 61S 0 1 1 1 1 1 2 3 3 3 4 4 5 6 6 7 8 8 8 9 9 9 9 10 10 10 10 10
t0 4 52S 0 0 0 0 0 1 2 2 2 3 3 4 5 5 6 7 7 7 8 8 8 8 9 9 9 9 9

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4 CLAD 24S 0 0 0 0 1 2 2 2 3 3 4 5 5 6 7 7 7 8 8 8 8 9 9 9 9 9

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4 75S - T6 0 1 2 2 2 3 3 4 5 5 6 7 7 7 8 8 8 8 9 9 9 9 9
5 CADMIUM 0 1 1 1 2 2 3 4 4 5 6 6 6 7 7 7 7 8 8 8 8 8
6 A17S - T4 0 0 0 1 1 2 3 3 4 5 5 5 6 6 6 6 7 7 7 7 7

6 24S - T4 0 0 1 1 2 3 3 4 5 5 5 6 6 6 6 7 7 7 7 7
6 14S - T6 0 1 1 2 3 3 4 5 5 5 6 6 6 6 7 7 7 7 7

7 WROUGHT STEEL 0 0 1 2 2 3 4 4 4 5 5 5 5 6 6 6 6 6

o
7 STEEL CAST 0 1 2 2 3 4 4 4 5 5 5 5 6 6 6 6 6
8 50 - 50 SOLDER 0 1 1 2 3 3 3 4 4 4 4 5 5 5 5 5
9 LEAD 0 0 1 2 2 2 3 3 3 3 4 4 4 4 4

9 TIN 0 1 2 2 2 3 3 3 3 4 4 4 4 4
10 MANG. BRONZE 0 1 1 1 2 2 2 2 3 3 3 3 3
11 BRASSES 0 0 0 1 1 1 1 2 2 2 2 2

11 ALUM. BRONZE 0 0 1 1 1 1 2 2 2 2 2

11 COPPER 0 1 1 1 1 2 2 2 2 2
:0 12 NICKEL The larger Ute number the greater the tendency 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 1 1
0
6 12 INCONEL
for galvanic corrosion.
0 0 0 1 1 1 1 1
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12 TYPE 431 0 1 1 1 1 1
15 13 18-8 CRES 0 0 0 0 0

13 TITANIUM 0 0 0 0

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*
tion of corrosion, it is important to have, initially, a bility. The difference is not arithmetic, however . .. a
good protective coating to protect the metals and to combination with a difference of "4" does not indicate 1

keep them both clean and dry if at all practical. twice the corrosion rate of those with a difference
The control of corrosion is doubly difficult when of "2".
operating aircraft in humid tropical and subtropical The areas of two materials forming a galvanic cell
areas . . . there is the constant presence of moisture, have much to do with the rate of corrosion. For
and the chemical action is speeded by increased example, a strong tendency towards galvanic corro-
temperatures. sion exists if a proportionately small area of mag-
The accompanying chart is a presentation of the nesium is attached to an aluminum alloy airplane.
potential tendency for metals to corrode by galvanic The rate of corrosion would be less, however, if the
cell action. Metals with the same group number have areas were the same. Thus, it can be seen that a
slight tendency to produce galvanic corrosion on each strong tendency towards galvanic corrosion exists if
other (shown on the table by "0" difference); how- aluminum rivets are used to attach stainless steel; it
ever, the larger the difference, the greater the possi- would be safer to use stainless steel rivets in aluminum.

6 CONVAIR TRAVELER
 with a metallic surface has a "solution potential" that
actually can be measured in millivolts. The magnitude
of this voltage at a given point depends upon the con-
centration of the metal ions at that point. Solutions
which contain "dissolved" oxygen also develop the
same kind of potentials at their points of contact with
metallic surfaces. The relationship between "solution
potential" and both metal ion and dissolved oxygen
concentrations is like that of an elevator and its coun-
terweight .. . as one goes up, the other comes down,
and vice versa. Thus, an increase of metal ions or of
dissolved oxygen in a solution over a metal surface
reduces the millivolts of solution potential while the
lowering of these concentrations sends the voltage up.
There are essentially three types of concentration
cells of direct interest: metal ion cells, oxygen cells,
and active-passive cells.
Galvanic corrosion, an electrochemical phenom- Metal Ion Cell. A typical example of metal ion cell
enon, involves flow of electric current wherein
battery energy is used up in corrosive action in- corrosion is that found around riveted lap joints. Such
stead of useful work. Shown are two examples. effects are caused by the relatively high-ion concen-
trations in fairly stagnant areas within the lap joint,
Many ' other factors influence the intensity of gal- due to intermittent evaporation of liquid entrapped
vanic cell corrosion. One of the most important factors therein by deposits or due to lack of fluid flow suffi-
is the conductivity of the complete circuit. One classic cient to wash away the metal ions as they enter
example is the mooring of an aluminum alloy boat to a solution. Lower ion concentrations are encountered
steel floating dock with a steel cable. The corrosion at the outer surface of such joints or around deposits;
of the aluminum alloy boat was rapid, although the therefore, corrosion of this type is usually found at
boat was protected in the best possible manner. The the outer edges of deposits or joints since electro-
situation was corrected by insulating the mooring chemical forces try to make the concentration uni-
cable, thus indicating that partial or complete insula- form by forcing metal into solution at the point of
lower concentration. A possible example of this metal

c
tion of metal at the point of contact or connection
is effective. ion corrosion was discovered when magnesium was
Another effective means is the plating of dissimilar used as a stringer in contact with a soundproofing
metals. For example, a copper-brazed joint in steel material. Moisture was absorbed and considerable
forms a galvanic cell, whereas if the assembly were edge corrosion of the magnesium was noted.
cadmium-plated, no overall dissimilar junction would Oxygen Cell. Oxygen cells are typically associated
exist. However, the plating material should be anodic with crevices or deposits which hinder diffusion of
to both the brazing alloy and the base material. oxygen into the solution under the deposit. This tends
to give rise to differences in dissolved-oxygen concen-
trations and causes oxygen concentration cells. In this
instance, the lower concentration and hence the cor-
Concentration Cell rosive effect is found under the deposit or within a
crevice of a lap joint as opposed to the metal ion effect
Corrosion at the outer edges. It is to be noted that these two-cell
effects oppose and thus tend to neutralize each other.
The end result and the location of the corrosion are
determined by which cell is the stronger.
Concentration cell corrosion is a type of metal destruc-
tion associated with crevices, scale, deposits, or with Active-Passive Cells . This type corrosion is similar but
any means by which differences in solution concentra- generally more powerful than normal oxygen cell cor-
tion or composition are established over a metal sur- rosion. It is most likely to be found in stainless steel
face. This is the type of corrosion that causes difficulty - alloyed with chromium and other metals - ' though
between faying surfaces of similar metals and explains other metals, chemically treated to form a protective
the necessity of insulating between lap joints although coating, may also be affected. Certain metals form
the metals are of the same alloy. a tight, tough, protective oxide film which normally
If a metal alloy is exposed to a corrosive electrolyte resists corrosion and which is automatically repaired
and the electrolyte varies in concentration from one when any breakthrough of the film occurs by re-oxida-
area to another area, the zone of most attack will be tion in the presence of sufficient oxygen.
in the area of the weaker concentration. This principle Metals protected by such films are said to be in a
also explains a similar rapid corrosion of metal by a passive state, and, in the absence of such protection,
solution containing an unequal distribution of air in the active state. In the case of oxygen-passivated
(oxygen) content. metals, depletion of oxygen from a liquid within a
G Corrosive liquids dissolve metal which then enters
the solution as metal ions. Such a solution in contact
crevice or under a deposit favors an active state for
these hidden surfaces. Thus, the high oxygen concen-

M A R C H / APRIL 196 3 7
tration area which is still protected starts to act like
the positive pole of an ordinary dry cell and the dam-
aged area acts like a negative pole. Then, like the
oxygen cell, the current flow is similar, and pitting
carrying oxygen to the bottom. This, of course, will
be consumed in the local cell actions, so it may be
seen that a chain reaction, in effect, is in operation.
Two devices help in averting crevice corrosion:
o
occurs within the joint or under the deposit. 1) insulating the metals to prevent electrolytic action,
Concentration cell corrosion is often noticed in and 2) filling the crevices with inert materials such as
sealed areas of lap joints where the joint has been catalyzed rubber compounds.
sealed with zinc chromate tape and the seal has dete-
riorated and permitted the entrance of moisture.
Phenolics, glass, and other non-metals that permit
moisture to enter the joint will cause this type of Treatment and Removal
corrosion, if moisture is permitted to enter. Exposed
voids in metal cementing are another source of trouble.
That is why it is essential to have a small fillet of the
sealant exposed at the edge of faying surfaces and a
of Corrosion
j
Small space provided between butt joints to provide
an area for the sealing material. Frequent and careful cleaning, immediate and com-
Corrosive attack in areas of breakthrough on metal plete removal of corrosion, and treatment of the
surfaces protected by coatings such as paint, sealers, affected area is most important in the control of cor-
protective oils, and greases, are usually severe because rosion. Corrosion may be retarded and minimized
of the ion form of concentration cell attack. If by alert maintenance and inspection practices. Except
adjacent areas are exposed on a painted surface, metal for corrosion of faying surfaces, which is difficult to
ions build up rapidly and the corrosive energy is con- inspect because of inaccessibility, most corrosive
centrated in these small areas, usually resulting in pin attacks originate in areas which are visible.
holes through sheet surfaces. This local attack is more Early corrective measures permit continued use of
severe than if the entire metal area were exposed. parts or sections, provided that the strength of parts
or area has not been reduced to a point where struc-
tural limitations are exceeded. In most cases, where
corrosion is detected in the early stages, removal of
Crevice Corrosion corrosion products and treatment of the area makes

o
the part satisfactory for continued service. If corro-
sion is not detected in the early stages, reinforcing
plates or sections may be required to ensure proper
Crevice corrosion, another form of concentration cell load distribution, or the whole part or section may
corrosion, is found between faying surfaces of similar require replacement.
metals, at lap and butt joints, and at rivet heads. The following general facts and precautions are
When this type corrosion occurs, its action manifests important to remember in the chemical removal of
itself most acutely in the interior or bottom of a light corrosion products from clad aluminum alloys,
crevice. This takes place because the oxygen is con- and in the treatment of the material.
sumed deep in the crevice in the corrosion reaction Mask off the area to be treated so as to keep
and, because of the inaccessibility of replenishment the acid etchant confined to that particular area.
sources, falls to a low level in the locality. At the other Apply a phosphoric acid etchant with a brush
end of the crevice, however, oxygen is plentiful. or cloth, scrubbing the area as necessary so that the
Since a state of unbalance occurs at the inner and etchant can penetrate to the depths of the pitted areas.
outer ends of the crevice, balance will be sought by Do not permit the etchant to stay in contact with the

Crevice corrosion manifests itself more acutely in the interior or bottom of a crevice where the
oxygen is consumed deep in the crevice. Shown are photomicrographs of areas around rivet holes.

a CONVAIR TRAVELER
 c surface for more than 10 minutes.
Sponge the area frequently with water-saturated
wiping cloths until all corrosion products are removed.
If surface is to be painted , the protective paint is
applied immediately after the chemical surface treat-
ment. The surface must be absolutely clean and dry
before paint is applied .
The following precautions should be taken in the
Note handling of chemicals in the corrosion removal and
If material dries before etch ant can be treatment processes.
removed, apply another coating, and re- Toluene is flammable and explosive at room tem-
move it immediately with a wet cloth. perature. The fumes are toxic. Good ventilation is
required.
Cleaner/ brighteners contain acid and should be
If necessary, apply several coatings to obtain a handled accordingly.
bright shiny surface. The bottom of each pit should Paint strippers will damage eyes., s.kin, and
appear bright and clean, and the metal should be uni- clothing, and should be handled accordingly.
formly etched. Examine with 8X glass, if necessary.
After all corrosion products are removed, thor-
oughly rinse the treated area with water, and dry with
an airblast. Retarding Corrosion
Treat the surface with Alodine 600 or 1200,
applied with a brush. Then, thoroughly rinse with
water.
Special attention and constant vigilance are required
to guard against corrosion. Corrosion can attack
CAUTIONS metal, even when it is painted, since, under prolonged
Do not use metal brushes. The bristles exposure, moisture can penetrate the paint. Affected
have been known to become lodged in areas are characterized by a scaly or blistered appear-
lap joints and crevices, causing galvanic ance, missing paint, and paint damaged by cracks,
corrosion. scratches, or abrasion.
Do not scrape or abrade clad surfaces, Following are some maintenance and inspection tips
because there is a possibility that the pro- to remember:
tective cladding may be removed from the Maintain the aircraft in a clean condition.
) adjacent area.
Do not use power tools for removing
Thoroughly check painted surfaces and touch
up as required at each inspection period. Carefully
corrosion products because it is difficult check seams, lap joints, crevices, and other areas where
to control and determine the depth of moisture or dirt can collect.
penetration into the material. Establish and follow a frequent routine cleaning
schedule for critical areas.
Prescribe careful cleaning procedures to remove
When removing light corrosion products from mag- dirt and dust particles because moisture tends to col-
nesium alloy, the procedures and precautions are lect where these are present.
much the same as for aluminum alloy except that Since moisture energizes corrosive action, thor-
a 10-percent chromic acid solution is applied to the oughly inspect areas where water is apt to collect after
surface and agitated for approximately five minutes. washdown. Wipe these areas dry, or dry them with an
Then, the surface is treated with a chrome pickle air hose.
solution. Mask off magnesium parts when using bright-
Heavy corrosion may be removed by rubbing with ening agents. These agents contain chemicals that
aluminum wool, using kerosene as a lubricant. If attack magnesium alloys.
aluminum wool is not available, a fine grade of garnet When inspecting areas containing control rods,
paper or other inert abrasive may be used . Caution bellcranks, quadrants, actuators, and sealed bearings,
J. must be exercised to avoid complete removal of the check for breaks in corrosion-preventive treatment.
I clad surface. Under no circumstances should steel Maintain protective barriers in good condition.
wool be used. Do not apply corrosion preventives over corro-
On all non-clad aluminum and magnesium alloys, sion products.
the mechanical method of removal is recommended. If battery acids are spilled,' wash immediately
Corrosion products are removed with carbide-tipped with a dilute solution of sodium bicarbonate in
tools. After all corrosion products are removed, the water. After allowing it to dry, remove all traces by
area should be checked with an 8X magnifying glass; thoroughly rinsing with water.
if there is no corrosion visible, an additional amount Treat corrosion as soon as it is detected .
(approximately .002 inch) should be removed to Thoroughly inspect all plated bolts before re-
ensure that no corrosion remains. After all scraping installation. Scored bolts should not be reinstalled.
is completed, the area is polished with a coarse grit When sealing faying surfaces, be sure a small
abrasive paper, followed by a fine-grit paper. From fillet of the sealant is exposed at the ends of the faying
) C this point on, the finish treatment is the same as for
light corrosion product removal.
surfaces; when sealing butt joints, be sure that the
space provided between joints is sealed.

M ARC H /A PRIL 1963 9

 u v ln-Flight Troubleshooting
of Air Conditioning and
Pressurization System

A PASSENGER BOARDING A JET AIRLINER for a thousand- on a simplified schematic on page 13.
mile flight usually adjusts the "eyeball" air inlet to his It is the control pattern that becomes complex.
comfort, and then , typically - unless his neighbor Meteorologically, jet flights go to the poles and back,
blows cigarette smoke at him - forgets it for the rest up Mt. Everest and down again. Operating in air fr:om
of the flight. sea-level density to one-fifth that at 40,000 ft, the
That he can forget it is a tribute to an engineering turbocompressor may have to run at any speed from
achievement that is noteworthy, if not as spectacular, 20,000 to 49,000 rpm to keep up with the require-
as that represented by the jet power that flies him, or ment. Heat exchanger overflow and Freon refrigera-
the radar-computer that lands him safely. The aircraft tion must be exactly tailored to cabin temperature.
systems that make this possible are not simple, nor Cabin altitude may range from sea-level to 8000 ft,
are they standardized. Several means of heating and and may have to change much slower than the air-
cooling oabin air are in use today in high-flying air- plane changes altitude ; but it is of the utmost impor-
craft, with system elements interconnected by complex tance that airplane internal pressures never rise too
temperature control systems. Flight engineers prob- high above nor fall too far below external.
ably spend more time learning about the environmen- All controls operate automatically; however, auto-
tal control system for the particular aircraft than about matic control must be capable of being overridden
any other single system. It is remarkable that in spite from the cockpit. One turbocompressor, or one refrig-
of the complexity, few flights run into delays or real eration unit, must be capable of being shut off by
emergencies because of component malfunction. itself, leaving the rest of that system available for use.
Though we are here concerned with specific opera- It must be possible to use engine bleed pressure for
tional matters, it will do no harm first to take a

o
pressurization, by cooling hot bleed air for cabin use,
perspective view of the basic environmental control or to open the cabin to ram air pressure if necessary.
system for the Convair 8801 880M / 990 - essentially Pressurization is so essential for high-altitude flight
the same in all versions. The commonly used term that most system elements have not just one, but two
is "air conditioning and pressurization." While some or more backup provisions.
control panels reflect an effort to separate the two
The flight engineer must understand not only his
functions, it is one process in which compression
control panel, but the system itself, in detail. The panel
supplies in-flight cabin heat and also pressurization,
can reflect only an approximate pattern of system
and airflow is continuously cooled, dehumidified, and
operation; the engineer must know exactly which
metered to cabin requirements.
switch operates which valve or relay and the resulting
Flow is supplied by two almost identical systems,
effect on system operation.
labelled "cabin" and "flight deck," with either one
capable of supplying all airplane needs. Normally, In the Convair jet airliners, after the system is
80% of the flight deck system output goes into the familiar, troubleshooting can be surprisingly easy,
passenger cabin. from the flight engineer's viewpoint and also on the
Each of these dual systems has three operating ground. One reason is that the intricacies are pack-
package units - turbocompressor, heat exchanger, aged. Since the controls are complex, Convair fol-
and Freon package, all manufactured by Hamilton lowed the design philosophy of making it possible to
Standard. They are not basically complicated in con- interchange complete packages with a minimum of
cept. The turbocompressor is an air turbine centrifugal airplane down time. Then, the specific malfunction
compressor, driven by engine bleed air, which heats can be traced by bench check and the component re-
ram air by compressing it. The heat exchanger is a placed, usually with less overall expense than by
standard air-to-air type, using ram air flow to cool a making an exhaustive checkout on the airplane.
core through which the compressed air passes. The The flight engineer's job is to identify the probably
Freon package is a vapor cycle refrigeration unit, faulty package (or other major component) , and to
cooling cabin air further, if required. report fully enough for the ground crew to be able to
Many Convair jet airliners have, in addition, electric locate the malfunction quickly. There is more perti-
heating elements for heating cabin air, in one or both nent information to report than in most other systems.
outlets of the air conditioning units, and 1 or in cabin The engineer should log the flight time-table with
overhead ducting. Add to this list the fans for use in reference to the malfunction - time elapsed and pre-
special circumstances - recirculating, electronic cool- liminary indications - airspeed, altitude, tempera-
ing, and Freon condenser cooling - and the air valves,
and we have all the basic operating elements, apart
from the controls. Their place in the system is shown
tures inside the airplane and out, pressurization
readings and clock position of the temperature con-
trol, and all the manipUlations effected or attempted. o
10 CONV A IR TRAVELER
 c
evaporator. Temperature rise across the compressor
is about 60°F at sea level. The temperature rise in-
creases as differential pressure between cabin and am-
bient goes up, even with no recirculation through the
temperature control valve (Valve 36 in the schematic).
Only when outside temperature approaches zero, at
low altitude or on the ground, is extra heating via
Valve 36 required.
This offers one clue as to why cabin temperature,
when something goes wrong, is more often too hot
than too cold. A malfunction is more likely to dimin-
ish cooling than to overstimulate it. At high altitude -
J. 15,000 to 20,000 ft and above - where ambient air
is cold, the heat exchanger absorbs most of the· heat
of compression. At low altitude and low speeds, and
on the ground, Freon refrigeration usually does most
of the cooling.
It is not always apparent which system, cabin or
flight deck, is at fault, since flight deck system output
Turbocompressor, with attached control valves is mostly to the cabin. Flight deck or cabin inlet air
and other components, is installed as a unit. may feel noticeably warmer or cooler than it should
be, for one clue. Experimenting with the panel con-
trols may be the only way to identify the malfunction-
ing system. Some aircraft have an indicator for Freon
evaporator temperatures; comparison of the two sys-
tems would indicate if only one is carrying the cool-
ing load.
It should be recognized, however, that it is normal
for one Freon system to provide cooling under some
conditions. If the flight deck is selected cooler than
) c the cabin, it is possible the cabin temperature control
could be calling for heat to make up for the 80%
excess flight deck air that mixes with the cabin sys-
tem. Conversely, on training flights with the cabin
empty, the flight deck Freon may come on alone be-
cause the cockpit tends to be warmer from body heat.
When output from one system is too warm, the
first manipulation, if turning the temperature selector
knob toward cold does not work, is to switch to
manual operation and toggle MAN COLD. Since the
Freon pack is being removed. Some items, such sequencing device moves through its full range in 80
as the sequencer, can be removed separately. seconds, toggling the switch for a half-minute or so
should move it to where a distinct change in tem-
This is a chore that should not be skimped. Too perature will be felt. After 30 seconds, the tempera-
often, the final writeup by the ground crew is a mere ture will probably be too cold, and the sequencer can
"unable to duplicate malfunction on the ground." The be inched back, two or three seconds at a time, to
ground crewman may make a guess and replace one or the desired setting. After each toggling of the switch,
two components. If he guessed wrong, he can only it will be 20 or 30 seconds before the change in cabin
hope that next time he will get a report full enough inlet air will be felt.
to enable him to run down the trouble.
Following are some background data and some When cabin air is too hot at high altitude, par-
results of service experience, that may be useful in ticularly if it gets hotter as the airplane climbs, a heat
flight operation of the Convair jet airliners. exchanger is not doing its job, possibly because the
cooling air valve (Valve 19) is not open sufficiently.
Likely sites of the malfunction are the temperature
sensors or controller, sequencing device, or Valve 19
Heating and Cooling itself. If it is any of the control components - sen-
sors, selector, or electronic control box - and if turn-
ing the selector knob toward cold does not work, all
that is necessary is to continue in manual operation.

o
In flight, there is one primary means of heating cabin With a malfunction of a sequencing device, manual
air - the turbocompressor - and two means for operation of that system should be possible; the
) cooling it - the air-to-air heat exchanger and Freon manual switch operates the sequencer through a dif-

MARCH / APRIL 1963 11

 ferent circuit than that from the controller, and also
operates Valve 19 directly. If Valve 19 is stuck,
manual switching will position the sequencer to oper-
ate other components.
titude where · the heat exchangers alone normally
handle the cooling, to return the panel to normal
configuration - selector switch to BOTH ON, turbo-
compressors ON, temperature control to AUTO. On
o
There are, of course, other possible causes of cabin descent, when temperatures start to rise, it will be
overheat : malfunction in the turbocompressor con- necessary to return to manual or one-system operation.
trols, an open Valve 36, electrical heater controls, or When cabin air is too cold, the malfunction is likely
failure of a Freon pack. An open recirculating heat to be similar, but in reverse: Valve 19 stuck open,
control valve (Valve 36) would result in compressor Valve 36 closed by sticking or by an open altitude
rpm higher than the other turbo compressor and / or cutoff switch, or the sequencing device, sensors, or
rpm fluctuations through action of the temperature temperature controller malfunctioning. Initial pro-
limiter control. If the flight engineer can tell, either by cedure is generally the same: identify which system
evaporator outlet temperature indication or from am- is at fault; try selector switch to full hot; then try
meter readings, that the associated Freon pack is not manual operation. It is not, however, advisable· to
running when it ordinarily should be, this would indi- toggle MAN HOT at any time for more than three
cate the sequencer is stuck, and manual operation seconds at most, with a one-minute wait period. "Full
should be attemped. hot" can be pretty warm. Under some circumstances
When toggling MAN COLD does not lower cabin the manual switch may change airflow temperature
temperature at high altitude, it is best to turn off the 15° or 20° in one second of toggling.
turbocompressor. Before turning off the compressor, If manual operation is not effective, first check the
it is a good idea to close the electronic cooling shut- Freon pack by placing the selector switch to FLT
off valve and turn on the electronic cooling fan. This DECK OFF or CABIN OFF. If temperature is still
will help to prevent a pressure surge, or momentary too cold, the heat exchanger valve is probably failed
rise in cabin altitude. open and the turbocompressor will have to be shut
If desired, the recirculating fan can be turned on down.
to provide more airflow and cooling, provided both Delayed response or cycling of temperature in
Freon systems are operative. The fan output will be AUTO is often due to blocked or partially blocked
cooled by the Freon evaporator of the system where cabin air outlets at the sensors, or accumulation of
the turbocompressor is cut off. lint or contaminants, such as tobacco tars, on outlet
Alternate pressurization should never be turned on sensors. In the first units in the field, erratic tempera-
ture cycling or cycling of Freon packs sometimes

o
because cabin air is too hot. Although there is less
airflow to cool (approximately half that of the turbo- occurred under certain conditions when the sequenc-
compressor), bleed air is always high-temperature, ing device would hunt between two sequence modes.
and depends on the heat exchanger for the major part The "deadband" between the modes was widened on
of the heat absorption. If the system cannot cool later units. If earlier ones are still in service, a slight
turbocompressor output, it will be even less effective movement of the temperature selector knob should
in cooling bleed air. stop the cycling. Cycling from a malfunctioning tem-
With too much heat at low altitude, Hamilton perature controller or sequencing device can nearly
Standard recommends that the next step after trying always be stopped by going to manual operation.
MAN COLD, rather than stopping the compressor, Alternate pressurization - use of bleed air for
should be to move the selector switch to CABIN OFF cabin air - always adds to the cooling load . Maxi-
or FLT DECK OFF. This closes Valve 10 and opens mum bleed air temperature is, theoretically, 867°F
Valve 18, directing turbocompressor output through (470°C) at the engine ports. While bleed air seldom
the other Freon evaporator. The heat exchanger may reaches this temperature, it is stilI several hundred
be assumed to be still effective, and the output of both degrees at high power settings. Alternate pressuriza-
compressors will use both heat exchangers and one tion should never be turned on with the turbocom-
Freon pack. They should handle the load if turbo- pressor on the same side operating; turbocompressor
compressor output is normal. would promptly overspeed and probably trip out.
If cooling is still inadequate, the turbocompressor Within the Flight Manual envelope of limitations,
should be turned off. At low altitude, the recirculating as long as the heat exchanger is open to ram air,
fan should not be turned on. The cause of excess heat there is no danger of the core overheating. The
at low altitude, as stated before, is likely to be Freon Manual forbids use of alternate pressurization on the
failure. The Flight Manual expressly forbids opera- ground, or below 10,000 ft with power settings above
ting the recirculating fan with one or both turbocom- 85 % .
pressors on and one Freon pack inoperative. This Also, The Flight Manual advises turning the tem-
would probably result in fan damage. perature selector to full cold for 15 seconds before
Should it be necessary to deactivate the recircula- turning on alternate pressurization. This opens Valve
ting fan for a flight, it is best to remove the limiters 19 and prepares the heat exchanger for handling the
(on the ground and with power off) . Pulling the extra heat. Otherwise, light smoke may show up in
circuit breaker would also cut off power to the cabin the cabin. There is some argument as to just "what's
temperature controller and would deactivate auto- burning" when alternate pressurization causes smoke.
matic temperature control for the cabin side.
If cabin overheat occurs at low altitude during
climb, it is often possible, upon reaching cruise al-
There is reason to believe that the smoke often comes
from volatile deposits in the core or ducting, pre-
cipitated from contaminants in ambient air. Such de-
o
12 CONVAIR TR A VELER
 Typical Airflow Schematic

, #r
ELECTRONICS -
COOLING VALVE •

-+---""L.-__ • ..J..._ _ _ _ _ _....:::J

"
PRESSURIZED
FUSELAGE

FLIGHT "
COMPT"
__ CABIN
'---/ /'
,.
TEMPEQUAL'N/
HEATERS
1-8- - - - -8-1 •

TO RH (CABIN) SVSTEM

TURBOCOMPRESSOR

RAM

o
AIR

) c 19

RECIRCULATING
HEAT EXCHANGER
10 FAN

GROUND ELEC
HEATER

TO RH SYSTEM

18

.. Schematic shows principal system compo-

COMPRESSOR
nents and valves. LH (flight deck) system
is shown; RH is similar. Valves are num-
bered in accordance with practice
in Hamilton Standard and Convair manuals.
Valve nomenclature is as follows:
1 Turbocompressor shutoff
8 Cabin air check
10 Cabin air emerg shutoff
BLEED AIR OR 14 Cabin air recirculating control
EL.ECTRIC POWER
17 Cabin ram air shutoff
31 18 Crossover shutoff
19 Heat exch cooling air modulating
30 Condenser cooling air shutoff
31 Condenser cooling air modulating
36 Heat control moduloting
37 Emerg cobin pressurization
38 Bleed air emerg wing isolotion
/ 201 Turbocompressor surge
OVERBOARD 213 Turbocompressor nozzle actuator

M A RC H / APRIL 196 3 13
 o
posits are common on heat exchangers and compres- - within a second - there is not much point in trying
sor outlets, whether of aircraft type or not; the typical to reset it again until corrective action has been taken.
hydrocarbon air contaminants likely to precipitate The trip is from the motor protector, usually caused
are always present in an airport environment. by a loss of phase, or from the motor winding overheat
Convair has recommended that the ducting be switch. Loss of a phase, frequently with a blown
"burned out" occasionally on flights when no pas- limiter, will likely be signalled by the light blinking
sengers are aboard, such as in periodic transition off, then on again immediately; the ammeter needles
flights, by turning on alternate pressurization and flicker to reflect the inrush current and immediately
toggling MAN HOT for 20 seconds, then back to · return to the prior indication.
AUTO. This should be done only above 10,000 ft. A trip from the motor overheat switch is similar
enough to be impossible to distinguish definitely from
a phase loss. Inspection will show if a limiter is blown;
if not, the trouble is phase loss from some other cause
Freon Trips (not very common) or from an overheated motor.. In
the latter case, it might be possible to reset the unit
when the motor cools down, which might take up to
an hour; but reset is not recommended . An overheated
Lack of refrigeration with no positive panel indication motor is not just temporarily overloaded; a system
of failure has been mentioned. More common is a overload would have tripped the lockout from other
tripout with an accompanying FREON FAIL light. causes before the windings heated enough for the
Freon compressors and condenser fans on some thermal switch to actuate. Motor overheat indicates
Convair >8801 880M I 990 aircraft are driven by bleed trouble that should be corrected.
air turbines, on others by three-phase induction If a unit apparently resets, starts operating, and
motors. In all versions, the lockout relay, which cuts then trips after a few seconds, the motor protector is
off the power, whether electric or pneumatic, trips probably sensing excessive current. Though malfunc-
when Freon compressor outlet gas exceeds 160 psig, tion is strongly implied, another reset might be tried
or 300°F (l48.9°C). Electrically driven units can after a few minutes. But a second similar trip indicates
also be tripped by a motor overtemperature switch damage in the motor or elsewhere.
or by a motor protector, which is actuated by loss When a unit operates as long as a minute and still
of a phase or by excessive current. trips out again, the chances are that Freon overpres-
Most electrically powered aircraft have a reset sure or overtemperature is the direct cause - usually
switch for the Freon lockout relay. Used with proper
precautions, it not only provides a chance of keeping
the refrigeration unit in operation, but also furnishes
a tool for diagnosis.
overpressure. This could be from a transient overload
or some other set of temporary conditions. A longer
delay before a second reset may give the system a
chance to stabilize, or the airplane may fly out of
o
The precautions are these: that particular regime.
1. Do not hold the switch button down - just Condenser cooling modulating components can be
push and release. Holding it for more than a second suspected if the trips occur either in ordinary flight,
may result in failed limiters or motor damage. or on the ground, but not under both circumstances.
2. After the initial trip, wait one minute before When ram air differential pressure is 0.5 psig or more
resetting. If the package trips again within five min- - above approximately 160 knots lAS - ram air
utes, wait at least two minutes before resetting. flow is modulated by Valve 31. This is fully closed
3. Don't overwork it. Most of the time, one or below 65°F ambient, fully open above 85 °F. On the
two resets either should get the unit running again, ground and at low speed, Valve 31 closes, Valve 30
or should show that something is wrong requiring opens, and the condenser fan comes on. When the
correction. lockout relay trips in flight but does not trip on the
Let us elaborate on these points one by one. The ground, Valve 31 or its controls are probably mal-
reset buttons on all 880 / 880M/ 990 aircraft, when functioning ; a trip on the ground that can be success-
they left the factory, overrode the protective devices, fully reset during cruise probably means Valve 30 or
so that even with a major malfunction, current flowed the fan is not working.
to the motor as long as the button was held down . A unit low on Freon will trip after a few minutes
Some aircraft have since been modified in the field by at any altitude or on the ground when the cooling load
replacing the reset switch with one that automatically approaches capacity requirements.
cuts off when the lockout relay is reset. Service Bulle- Even in these cases where reset is successful under
tins 21-10 (880M) and 21 -49 (990) accomplish this certain conditions only, there is no occasion for re-
change. peated resets, and seldom any reason for a third reset
A reset one minute after the FREON FAIL light in a flight. A unit that trips out repeatedly requires
comes on is more informative for diagnostic purposes, working on, even if the unit operates 10 or 15 minutes
since it can usually be taken for granted that the between times.
sequencer is still calling for Freon operation. The Another aspect of repeated resets is the possible
one-minute delay will generally allow any Freon over- effect on limiters. More or less nuisance tripping from
pressure to subside and prevent an immediate re-trip blown limiters has been associated with the electri-
from this cause. cally powered units; "more or less" because, for rea-
When a unit then trips out immediately after reset sons unknown, some operators have not reported it.

14 CON V AIR TRAVELER

 suspect. Some transient surging is normal, as when

c The compressor motor limiters are rated at 70 am-

peres; they protect the wire from prolonged exposure
to excessive current and still allow motor starting
inrush at considerably more than 70 amperes.
a turbocompressGf is turned off or on. If the compres-
sor is turned on with the recirculation fan running,
there may be cyclic surging because of the opening
Repetitive starting inrush heats the limiters, and and closing of the surge valve and check valves down-
heat tends to deteriorate them through alloying of stream of the compressor, or even an overs peed trip
the silver element with the tin. If the motor is cycled if the surge valve remains open. The fan should never
on and off more than once every three or four minutes, be operated with both turbocompressors running.
heat may build up until the limiter loses capacity An indication of turbocompressor rpm when it has
rapidly. This should not occur under automatic control been turned off is a sign that the flapper check valve
except in case of malfunction, but it is very easy to downstream of the compressor is open .. An indicated
bring about if the flight engineer does not allow suf- loss or fluctuation in airflow with no corresponding
ficient time between resets. An improved motor pro- drop or fluctuation in compressor rpm, and no per-
tector has been provided by Hamilton Standard (HS ceptible pressure change, is likely to mean a flaw in
Service Bulletin EC-41), which would trip the lockout the indicating system, usually in the flow sensor.
before the limiters fail. It does not guard against In this particular case, it will do no harm to leave
repetitive resets. the system alone a few minutes, watching to be sure
Condenser fan limiters proved to be somewhat mar- that the indication is the most likely malfunction. But
ginal at their original 30-ampere rating. A 35-ampere a compressor bearing overheat indication should not
limiter (AMC-35 Bussmann) , now available in the be ignored. If the pointer reaches the red line (250°F),
same barrel size, has solved this problem. the turbocompressor should be stopped immediately.
Every Freon trip should be logged, whether reset The bearing may be already damaged, but a quick
is successful or not, with all the circumstances listed. shutoff may save several thousand dollars' worth of
repair to turbine and compressor wheels, scrolls, and
nozzles.
A compressor overspeed trip may be caused by
system malfunction or by malfunction in the tripping
Cabin Pressure mechanism. In either case, the trip cannot be reset
in flight and the unit must be removed eventually for
repair. Instances of an isolated "freak" trip have been
Since air circulates through the cabin and exhausts known, with no recurrence after reset for some time.

o overboard all the time during flight, cabin pressure

represents a balance between input and outflow. Either
of the two outflow valves should handle any airflow
Where the unit has not been previously logged as
overspeeding, Hamilton Standard recommends one
reset of an overs peed trip. If the trip reoccurs soon,
possible through the system. There are multiple safe- the unit should be removed for leak checking and
guards against overpressure; any unscheduled major repair if necessary.
change in cabin pressure is more likely to be toward The pressurization warning lights protect against
the low-pressure side. extremes - a cabin altitude of more than 10,000 ft,
A drop in input could come from power failure, or complete closing of the outflow valves. A malfunc-
such as a bleed duct failure in wings or pylons; from tion of the outflow valves toward open would be
turbocompressor troubles; or from a break in the duct assumed when cabin altitude rises and pressure differ-
or valve malfunction downstream of the compressor. ential falls with no indication of insufficient airflow.
If cabin pressure drops rapidly, a glance at the flight Manual operation of the outflow valves will quickly
engineer's and overhead panels would indicate the determine whether automatic regulation is at fault.
probable cause. Loss of bleed air pressure would The electronic cooling valve, normally open to
promptly drop turbocompressor rpm and airflow in ambient during flight, allows enough flow to slightly
both systems, at least momentarily. Wing duct space lower electrical and electronic compartment pressure.
. temperature or automatic closing of a bleed air isola- At high altitudes and maximum differential pressure,
tion valve (Valve 38) would point toward the area both outflow valves are nearly closed. It is not unusual
of trouble. Some aircraft would show such a failure for the forward outflow valve to close enough for the
on a bleed duct pressure gage in the cockpit. valve-closed light to blink or remain on, even. though
If turbocompressor rpm, and possible airflow, drop no malfunction is present. If, however, one turbo-
in only one system, malfunction in the turbocompres- compressor is off, with or without the recirculating
sar or its controls is indicated. The only course is to fan on, it is advisable to close the electronics cooling
cut off the compressor. That system's bleed air pres- valve and turn on the cooling fan.
surization can be used. Uncontrollable decompression, whether rapid or
Cabin pressure surging usually shows only on the slow, constitutes an emergency, requiring immediate
panel indicators and is rarely of sufficient intensity efforts to close the outflow valves and to identify the
to cause passenger discomfort. It may forecast turbo- cause. If pressure cannot be recovered, the measures
compressor or outflow regulator troubles. If turbo- prescribed in the Flight Manual must be taken -
compressor rpm also fluctuates , the unit should be immediate oxygen for crew and passengers and rapid
turned off. Any sizable fluctuation in cabin altitude descent if necessary. The ram air switch can be actu-
)0 should be reflected in the flow of air from the inlets;
if no variation is perceptible, the indication itself is
ated immediately; the valves (Valve 17) will not open
until ram air pressure is greater than duct pressure.

MAR C H /A PRIL 196 3 15

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c

.l

Value Control ... an organized approach to cost reduction

General Dynamics I Convair, as a part of an intensive 25 percent. By the use of five programmed texts, the
cost reduction effort, has designed its Value Control Value Control subject is virtually self-taught to a large
program to space age specifications. Convair's Value number of employees in minimum time.
Control effort (also known as value engineering and Information on Value Control training may be ob-
value analysis) concentrates on teaching all decision- tained by contacting H . P . Williams, Manager-Value
making employees to use an organized approach to Control, General Dynamics I Convair, P.O. Box 1950,
eliminate unnecessary costs from products and services. San Diego 12, California.
The new auto-instructional device of Programmed
Instruction, used to streamline Value Control train-
ing, reduced cost and classroom time by more than GENERAL. DYNAMICS I CONVAIR