ea-6b hand signals & launch procedures...

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Cover Page

Jay Moors

Civilian Contractor/Author2010

EA-6B Hand Signals & Launch Procedures Manual

Table of Contents iii

Table of Contents

Introduction....................................................................................................................................v

Hand Signals..................................................................................................................................3

Launch Procedures.........................................................................................................................9

Index............................................................................................................................................17

Introduction v

Introduction

Welcome

Welcome to the EA-6B Prowler Hand Signals and Launch Procedures Manual. This manual is designed to provide information strictly for the EA-6B platform with the basic hand signals for all EA-6B maintenance personnel. The manual also provides launch procedures for all plane captains, troubleshooters, and trainees.

This manual is intended to provide all applicable personnel with the basic hand signals and launch procedures needed to launch an EA-6B. This manual provides signals for the EA-6B that are not provided by the basic hand signals manual (NA-00-80T-105). All trainees are encouraged to read it. In order to be fully qualified, all plane captains and troubleshooters must know the hand signals and standard launch procedures provided by this manual.

What’s Included in the Manual

This manual includes every hand signal applicable to the EA-6B community. Every hand signal listed has the signal name, description and applicable photo needed. It also includes a brief description of the basic areas to look at before and/or during the procedure.

The manual also includes a step-by-step launch procedure to standardize launch procedures for all EA-6B squadrons. Every squadron will train with this manual in order to reduce confusion amongst the squadrons and community. The step-by-step procedures have the steps for plane captain, troubleshooters, ordnanceman, ground crew, and QAR’s. Even though this manual is not intended for aircrew, it includes steps for the pilot.

Fly Page Chapter 1

Hand Signals 3

Hand SignalsThe hand signals below should be used by all maintenance personnel. The steps below are not to be used with any other type of aircraft except for EA-6B Prowlers. The applicable hand signals are not listed in any particular order.

Signal & Description Photo What To Look For

Signal: open canopies.

Description: hold your left palm facing up pointed to whoever you want to open the canopy. Have your right hand resting on your head then raise it up.

What to look for: ensure the applicable aircrew is ready to open their canopies.

Signal: close canopies.

Description: Hold your left palm facing up, pointed to whoever you want to close the canopy. Have your right hand facing up, and then bring down to the top of your head.

What to look for: ensure all applicable aircrew is ready to close canopies and all hands and feet are clear of the area.

Signal: apply air.

Description: open your left palm and your right middle, ring, and pinky fingers. Bring your right hand to meet your left palm.

What to look for: ensure the ground crew is ready to apply air as well as the pilot before you apply the air.

Signal: start starboard engine.

Description: use any two fingers on both hands. Hold out your left hand and move your right forearm up and down.

What to look for: ensure the air hose is full of air and the pilot is ready to start before starting engine. Check that is starts normal and all personnel are clear of the exhaust and intake when the engine is fully online.

4 EA-6B Hand Signals & Launch Procedures Manual

Signal: remove electrical power from aircraft.

Description: open your left palm and have two fingers on your right hand out. Hold your fingers against your left palm then push your right hand away from your left.

What to look for: ensure the electrical power unit is turned off before removing electrical power from the aircraft.

Signal: pull landing gear pins

Description: Hold your left forearm up. Open two fingers on your right hand and touch your left elbow and then push your right forearm away from your left elbow.

What to look for: ensure that all troubleshooters see the signal when given. No troubleshooter can remove any landing gear pins unless told to.

Signal: raise RAT

Description: Open both of palms. Hold your right arm out to your side. Hold your left hand in front of your waist and then bring the left hand up toward your chest.

What to look for: ensure the rat is clear to open before opening. Also ensure the RAT opens normally to a full upright position.

Signal: lower RAT

Description: Open both of your palms. Hold your right arm out to your right side. Hold your left hand in front of your chest and then push your left hand down toward your waist.

What to look for: ensure the rat is clear of obstructing anything before you closing. Also check and make sure the rat closes properly and is flush with the aircraft.

Signal: start port engine

Description: touch your left pointer finger to your right elbow and hold your right pointer finger out and then move your right forearm up and down repeatedly.

What to look for: ensure the air hose is full of air and the pilot is ready to start before starting engine. Check that is starts normal and all personnel are clear of the exhaust and intake when the engine is fully online.

Hand Signals 5

Signal: remove external air unit power from aircraft.

Description: open your right middle, ring, and pinky fingers and hold them up with your inside palm facing you. Then turn your hand 180° down counterclockwise.

What to look for: ensure the external air unit is shut off before removing it from the aircraft.

Signal: Raise tail hook

Description: Open your left palm and make a “thumbs down” with your right hand. Then bring your right thumb down to meet the bottom of your left palm.

What to look for: Ensure the tail hook area is clear before lowering the tail hook. Then check that the tail hook comes down normally and all hardware is accounted for.

Signal: Raise tail hook

Description: Open your left palm and make a “thumbs up” with your right hand. Then bring your right thumb to meet the bottom of your left palm.

What to look for: Ensure the tail hook is rising normally and becomes flush with the skin when it is fully raised.

Signal: Spin assist

Description: Open both of your palms. Push one hand out while keeping the other hand by your chest and then pull back your hand while pushing out the other. Repeat three times.

What to look for: ensure both the horizontal and vertical stabilizers are making their normal maximum throws.

Signal: Cut.

Description: open your right palm and make one sweeping motion below your chin.

What to look for: this signal precedes many other signals when asked to disengage the system. During the launch procedures, if the word “cut” is used with the hand signal, this signal will be used first before using the other.


Signal: small wipeout.

Description: open up your left palm and with your right hand clench in a fist, make a counterclockwise stirring motion in the palm of your left hand.

What to look for: ensure the flaperons, horizontal stabilizers and vertical stabilizer are making their normal maximum throws.

Signal: pressure.

Description: stick out your pointer and middle fingers on both hands then bring both sets of fingers together in front of your face and then bring your left arm down.

What to look for: when the system is pressurized, ensure there are no leaks coming from any of the fuel probes. When the system cuts the pressure, check to make sure air comes out of the drop tanks and the tail skag.

Signal: open flaps/slats to 30°.

Description: Hold both arms in front of you with your palms touching and then separate your arms moving your right arm up and left arm down.

What to look for: ensure the flaps and slats open up fully to 30° and that all hardware is accounted for.

Signal: open speed brakes.

Description: Hold both of your arms together in front of you with both palms pressed against each other and then slowly make spread your forearms from each other, separating the palms.

What to look for: ensure the speed brakes are clear before opening the speed brakes. Then check to make sure the speed brakes open normally.

Signal: close speed brakes.

Description: Hold both of your arms out with your palms facing inward then make a closing motion until both of your palms meet in the middle.

What to look for: ensure the speed brakes are clear before closing the speed brakes. Then check that the speed brakes close normally and are flush with each other when fully closed.

Hand Signals 7

Signal: large wipe out.

Description: make a fist with your right hand while holding your left arm behind your back and then with your right fist, make a big circular stirring motion. Repeat three times.

What to look for: ensure the flaperons, horizontal stabilizers and vertical stabilizer are making their normal maximum throws.

Signal: move flaps and slats to 20°.

Description: make a “V” shape with both hands open. This signal can be made from the closed signal or the 30° signal.

What to look for: ensure the flaps move to 20° and the slats move to 30°.

Signal: close flaps and slats to 0°.

Description: Hold both arms in front of you with your palms touching. This signal is usually made from the move 20° or 30° signal.

What to look for: ensure that the flaps and slats close properly and are flush with the aircraft.

Signal: belly check.

Description: Open both palms and slide each hand down your chest to your waist, one at a time. Repeat three times.

What to look for: ensure that the underside of the aircraft is checked for leaks and all compartments and doors are closed.

Signal: pass control.

Description: Open both palms and place each palm on the side of your head and then point your palms to whomever you’re passing control of the aircraft to.

What to look for: ensure that the pilot has seen you pass control of the aircraft.


Signal: accept control

Description: Make a fist with your right hand and hold it up to your chest while holding your left arm behind your back.

What to look for: ensure the pilot has seen that you have accepted control of the aircraft.

Signal: arm stations.

Description: Hold both hands held up in the shapes of guns.

What to look for: ensure all aircrew has your attention and has their hands up and away from all controls in the cockpit. Also ensure nobody is around the aircraft except for qualified ordnance personnel.

Signal: pull pins.

Description: Hold your right pointer finger and have it touching the inside edge of your clenched left fist and then pull both hands apart away from each other.

What to look for: ensure everyone stays away from the aircraft except for qualified ordnance personnel. Also make sure all pins are removed from the stations and the stations are armed.

Signal: check tools.

Description: Take your right hand and pat your right thigh and give the “thumbs up” signal.

What to look for: ensure that a QAR has looked at everyone’s tools and confirmed it with you before the signal is given to the pilot.

Signal: insert chocks.

Description: Stick your thumb out in each clenched fist and then move the thumbs inward to each other till they touch.

What to look for: ensure that the aircraft has come to a complete stop before inserting chocks.

Hand Signals 9

Signal: remove chocks.

Description: Touch the bottoms of your fists together with your thumbs pointed to the side and then separate the fists.

What to look for: ensure that the aircrew is ready to remove chocks before giving the signal.

Signal: brakes off.

Description: hold both hands in front of you, clenched into a fist and then open your fists so your palms are showing.

What to look for: ensure nothing is in front of the aircraft and the chocks are removed before you give the signal to release brakes.

Signal: taxi aircraft.

Description: hold your hands in a diamond shape, showing your palms. Separate your hands until they’re fully extended then bring them back together and repeat the steps.

What to look for: ensure all ground personnel and equipment are away from the front of the aircraft when taxiing the aircraft.

Signal: brakes on.

Description: Hold both of your hands in front of you, showing your palms and then clench your hands into fists.

What to look for: when performing a shock strut test on the aircraft and the signal for brakes on is given, look to ensure the nose landing gear strut absorbs the weight of the aircraft.

Index 13

Launch ProceduresEquipment & Personnel Required to Perform an EA-6B Launch

1 Halon fire bottle 1 external electrical power cart/power supply 1 external air start unit (huffer) 1 Flight Line Coordinator 1 QAR (Quality Assurance Representative) All applicable troubleshooters:

o 1 AE (Aviation Electrician Mate)o 1 AD (Aviation Machinist Mate)o 1 AM (Aviation Structural Mechanic)o 1 AME (Aviation Structural Mechanic Safety Equipment)o 1 AT (Aviation Electronics Technician)o 2 AO’s (Aviation Ordnanceman)o 1 PR (Aircrew Survival Equipmentman)*

1 plane captain 2 plane captain trainees

*For the many EA-6B squadrons, PR troubleshooters are not required. However, some squadrons allow/require PR’s to participate.

EA-6B Launch Procedure

The pilot is going to arrive with the other aircrew. They will perform a preflight inspection of the aircraft before they climb into the cockpit. All ground personnel will ensure that they are ready to go and assist any aircrew with discrepancies that they notice. When all aircrew is in the aircraft, the plane captain will signal to the ground crew to warm up the air start unit. The plane captain, troubleshooters, and ground crew will all stand by. When the aircrew is ready, the pilot will give the plane captain a “thumbs up” signal.

Note: These launch procedures are standard among all EA-6B squadrons. Although most pilots use the standard launch procedures to go through aircraft checks, there are some pilots that may want to change applicable steps. As long as it doesn’t damage any systems or cause harm to aircrew or ground personnel, you may alter the order of the steps.

Index 14

Note: These launch procedures are color coded to help distinguish every position and job.

AO’s Ground crew

Pilot Plane Captain

QAR Troubleshooters

1. Plane captain signal to pilot: close canopies.Pilot and aircrew: close canopies.Plane captain signal to ground crew: apply air.Ground crew: press the START button on the external air start unit and allow the air to bleed into the aircraft to start the engine.

2. Plane captain signal to pilot: start starboard engine.Pilot: start starboard engine.Troubleshooters: confirm starboard engine starts.

3. Plane captain signal to ground crew: remove electrical power from aircraft.Plane captain signal to troubleshooters: pull all 3 landing gear pins out of the landing gear.

4. Ground crew: turn off external electrical power and remove power from aircraft.Troubleshooters: Both left and right side troubleshooters pull the main landing gear pins from main landing gear (2 total). The left side troubleshooter will then hand their landing gear pin to the right side troubleshooter and proceed back to the left side of the aircraft to perform RAT check. The right side troubleshooter will remove the nose landing gear pin while the RAT check is being performed.

5. Plane captain signal to pilot: raise ram air turbine (RAT). Pilot: pull ram air turbine (RAT) handle up.Left side troubleshooter: confirm ram air turbine (RAT) raises.

6. Plane captain signal: lower ram air turbine (RAT)Pilot: push ram air turbine (RAT) down.Left side troubleshooter: confirm ram air turbine (RAT) closes. Figure 1

Works Cited 15

7. Right side troubleshooter: should now have the nose landing gear pin removed and have all 3 landing gear pins in your hand. Hold them up for the pilot to confirm the 3 pins were removed (figure 1).Plane captain: point and confirm each pin is removed for the pilot.Pilot: confirm 3 pins are removed.Right side troubleshooter: store the 3 landing gear pins in the left side boarding ladder compartment and walk back to the right side of the aircraft.

8. Plane captain signal to pilot: start port engine.Pilot: start port engine.Left side troubleshooter: confirm that port engine starts.

9. Pilot signal to plane captain: pull external air unit power from aircraft.Plane captain signal to ground crew: shut off and pull external air unit power.Ground crew: shut off and pull external air unit power from aircraft.

10. Pilot: perform cockpit checks then give plane captain “thumbs up” signal.Plane captain signal to pilot: drop tail hook.Pilot: drop tail hook.Troubleshooters: confirm tail hook drops.

11. Plane captain signal to pilot: raise tail hook.Pilot: raise tail hook.Troubleshooters: confirm tail hook raises (figure 2).

12. Plane captain signal to pilot: spin assist.Pilot: flip spin assist switch to ON position then move control stick forward and aft. Also alternately push left and right rudder pedals forward and aft. Troubleshooters: confirm both the horizontal stabilizers and vertical stabilizer is performing full throws.

13. Plane captain signal to pilot: cut spin assist.Pilot: flip spin assist switch to OFF position then move control stick forward and aft and alternately push left and right rudder pedals in. Troubleshooters: confirm both the horizontal stabilizers and vertical stabilizer is performing minimum throws.

14. Plane captain signal to pilot: small wipeout.Pilot: move control stick in circular motion and alternately push left and right rudder pedals in.

Figure 2


Troubleshooters: confirm both the flaperons are raising and lowering. Also ensure horizontal stabilizers and vertical stabilizer is performing minimum throws.

15. Plane captain signal to pilot: pressurize, open flaps and slats to 30°, and open speed brakes.Pilot: flip the pressurization switch to PRESSURE, move the flaps/slats handle to 30°, and move the speed brake switch aft to OPEN position.Troubleshooters: confirm that the flaps and slats lower to 30° (figure 3) and the speed brakes open fully. Confirm all the hardware on the flaps, slats, and speed brakes is present and installed correctly. Confirm that the underside of the aircraft is free of leaks.

16. Plane captain signal to pilot: close speed brakes.Pilot: move speed brake switch forward to CLOSED position. Troubleshooters: confirm speed brakes close.

17. Plane captain signal: cut pressure.Pilot: flip the pressurization switch to OFF.Troubleshooters: confirm that pressure is released from drop tanks.

18. Plane captain signal to pilot: large wipeout.Pilot: move control stick in circular motion and alternately push left and right rudder pedals in.Troubleshooters: confirm both the flaperons are raising and lowering. Also confirm horizontal stabilizers and vertical stabilizer is performing minimum throws.

19. Plane captain signal to pilot: close flaps and slats to 20°.Pilot: move flaps and slats handle to 20°. Troubleshooters: confirm that flaps and slats close to 20°.

20. Plane captain signal to pilot: close flaps and slats to 0°.Pilot: move flaps and slats handle to 0°.Troubleshooters: confirm that flaps and slats fully close. Then confirm that hydraulics systems are full of hydraulic fluid.

21. Plane captain signal to pilot: open flaps and slats to 30°.Pilot: move flaps and slats handle to 30°.Troubleshooters: confirm that flaps and slats open to 30° while simultaneously confirming that the horizontal stabilizers lower.

Figure 3

Works Cited 17

Left side troubleshooter: after confirmation, walk to the plane captain to accept control of the aircraft.

22. Plane captain signal to pilot: perform plane captain belly check and pass control to the left side troubleshooter.Left side troubleshooter signal to pilot: accept control of the aircraft.Plane captain: confirm underside of aircraft is free of leaks and all compartments are closed. After confirmation, walk to the left side troubleshooter to accept control of the aircraft.Left side troubleshooter signal to pilot: pass control to the plane captain.Plane captain signal to pilot: accept control of the aircraft.

23. Plane captain signal to pilot: arm stations.Plane captain signal to pilot: pass control to the AO’s.AO’s signal to pilot: accept control of aircraft, clear area of all personnel and signal aircrew to keep their hands free from everything.AO’s: pull pins (figure 4) and arm stations.AO’s signal to pilot: count applicable number of pins and pass control to the plane captain.Plane captain: accept control of the aircraft.

24. QAR: check tools.Plane captain: confirm tools are checked.Plane captain signal to pilot: tools are checked.

25. Plane captain signal to pilot: pull chocks.Pilot signal to plane captain: pull chocks.Ground crew: pull chocks.

26. Plane captain signal to pilot: brakes off and taxi aircraft.Plane captain signal to pilot: brakes on.Plane captain: ensure shock strut absorbs weight of aircraft.Plane captain signal to pilot: brakes off, taxi aircraft, and salute.

Figure 4


Works Cited

Works Cited 19

Naval Air Systems Command. Aircraft Signals NATOPS Manual. San Diego, California: Naval

Air Technical Command Publications, 2001.

Index


0°, 8, 1720°, 7, 8, 16, 1730°, 6, 7, 8, 16, 17accept control, 8apply air, 3arm stations, 8belly check, 8brakes off, 9brakes on, 10check tools, 9close canopies, 3cut, 6flaps, 6, 7, 8, 16, 17ground crew, v, 3, 13, 14, 15insert chocks, 9landing gear pins, 4, 14, 15large wipe out, 7lower RAT, 4open canopies, 3ordnanceman, v

pilot, v, 3, 5, 8, 9, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18plane captain, v, 13, 15, 17, 18pressure, 6pull pins, 9QAR, v, 9, 13, 14, 17raise RAT, 4RAT, 4, 14, 15remove chocks, 9remove electrical power from aircraft, 4remove external air unit power, 5slats, 6, 7, 8, 16, 17small wipeout, 6speed brakes, 7, 16spin assist, 6start port engine, 5start starboard engine, 3tail hook, 5, 15taxi aircraft, 10thumbs up, 5, 9, 13, 15troubleshooters, v, 4, 13, 14

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