Tailhook

A fishing hook is a device for braking the aircraft by means of a hook catch system. The application of this method comes when landing on aircraft carriers due to the small landing distance available or in emergencies when using airfields with devices on the runway.

The catch hook is mounted on the underside of the aircraft and the tail is in the form of a curved forefinger. It is triggered by the pilot if necessary, falls down or is extended and hooked itself into a strained right angles to the direction of flight on the flight deck or runway safety rope.

History

Eugene Burton Ely was the first pilot to land on a ship, where he used the tail hook system by Hugh Robinson. On January 18, 1911, he landed his plane on a platform on the heavy cruiser USS Pennsylvania, which was in San Francisco at anchor.

Use on airfields

Most Western fighter aircraft are equipped with a safety catch. This also applies to patterns that were never intended for a carrier insert, for example, F -104, Tornado, F -16, Euro Fighter, F- 22nd The catch hook can be extended in cases of emergency when the corresponding airfield on a fishing hook system, ie a steel cable system at the beginning and / or end of the runway has. By using a capture system, among other things Einrollgeschwindigkeit and Einrollgewicht are limiting factors. For this purpose, maximum values ​​for the structures of the fishing system and the aircraft are fixed

Possible intervention in emergencies are:

• Fishing hooks at startup: use of fishing facility at the end of the runway during a rejected take-off at high speed, for example in case of serious problems such as an engine failure or fire
• Hooks catch when landing: The aircraft is in front of the rope and is delayed after a short taxi route through the trap system to a standstill. Use of fishing facility at the end of the runway to / the case of serious emergencies in the air ( for example, hydraulic failure / problems, failure / malfunction of the nose wheel steering )
• Use of fishing facility at the end of the runway when landing at high speed, for example, the failure of the braking or landing with tilted wings.

In addition, the catch hook is used in other cases, for example when reversing into Flugzeugschutzbau pulling or holding means during braking cycles.

Use on aircraft carriers

F 18 with hook

All Safeties missed the catch hook grinds go-around on the deck

Fishing hooks