New hot-pit refueling point pumps up pilot flight hours
Story by Cpl. Michael R. Whitnel, Desert Warrior Staff
After just four months, the new fixed-wing refueling station has saved thousands of man-hours and increased the number of daily flights here.
The fuel point reduce the amount of time aircraft spend refueling by allowing pilots to refuel fixed-wing aircraft with their engines still running, hence the name "hot-pit."
It could take 2-3 hours to cold fuel an AV-8B Harrier and get it back in the air, said Lance Cpl. Nick Stamm, Marine Attack Squadron 214 hot-pit technician. The hot-pit allows a Harrier to refuel in 15 minutes and be ready to taxi back to the runway.
The hot-pits can accommodate more than just Harriers; even a KC-130 can be refueled at the hot-pit. More than 183,000 gallons of fuel have been pumped into 199 fixed-wing aircraft at the hot-pits, according to station fuel's records.
VMA-214 has saved a vast amount of time due to the hot-pits, said Gunnery Sgt. Justice Haggard, squadron maintenance controller. Without the pits, the squadron would be pressed for time to complete required maintenance before the plane could take off again.
A squadron that would normally fly five sorties a day could increase to eight if its aircraft used the hot-pits. Before, aircraft had to fly the extra distance from the range to Naval Air Facility El Centro, Calif., to be hot-pit refueled.
Pilots have been able to dramatically increase the number of sorties every day by using the pits for "hot-seating" and "hot-pitting," said Capt. Andrew Kano, VMA-214 pilot.
Hot-seating means pilots switch without shutting down the aircraft.
VMA-214 has doubled its flight hours in preparation for an upcoming deployment.
The hot-pits have unquestionably helped VMA-214 make the number of sorties and the more than 100 flight hours needed for predeployment training every week, said Maj. Roger Hardy, squadron operations officer.
"It's a force multiplier for us. Our struggle is to get the flight hours in. The pits help us get the job done," said Capt. Joel Knutson, VMA-214 pilot.
The hot-pits will be used during the semiannual Weapons and Tactics Instructors course in the upcoming weeks.
Source
http://yuma.usmc.mil/?PgId=desertwarrior,2008,09,18,feature2
Story by Cpl. Michael R. Whitnel, Desert Warrior Staff
After just four months, the new fixed-wing refueling station has saved thousands of man-hours and increased the number of daily flights here.
The fuel point reduce the amount of time aircraft spend refueling by allowing pilots to refuel fixed-wing aircraft with their engines still running, hence the name "hot-pit."
It could take 2-3 hours to cold fuel an AV-8B Harrier and get it back in the air, said Lance Cpl. Nick Stamm, Marine Attack Squadron 214 hot-pit technician. The hot-pit allows a Harrier to refuel in 15 minutes and be ready to taxi back to the runway.
The hot-pits can accommodate more than just Harriers; even a KC-130 can be refueled at the hot-pit. More than 183,000 gallons of fuel have been pumped into 199 fixed-wing aircraft at the hot-pits, according to station fuel's records.
VMA-214 has saved a vast amount of time due to the hot-pits, said Gunnery Sgt. Justice Haggard, squadron maintenance controller. Without the pits, the squadron would be pressed for time to complete required maintenance before the plane could take off again.
A squadron that would normally fly five sorties a day could increase to eight if its aircraft used the hot-pits. Before, aircraft had to fly the extra distance from the range to Naval Air Facility El Centro, Calif., to be hot-pit refueled.
Pilots have been able to dramatically increase the number of sorties every day by using the pits for "hot-seating" and "hot-pitting," said Capt. Andrew Kano, VMA-214 pilot.
Hot-seating means pilots switch without shutting down the aircraft.
VMA-214 has doubled its flight hours in preparation for an upcoming deployment.
The hot-pits have unquestionably helped VMA-214 make the number of sorties and the more than 100 flight hours needed for predeployment training every week, said Maj. Roger Hardy, squadron operations officer.
"It's a force multiplier for us. Our struggle is to get the flight hours in. The pits help us get the job done," said Capt. Joel Knutson, VMA-214 pilot.
The hot-pits will be used during the semiannual Weapons and Tactics Instructors course in the upcoming weeks.
Source
http://yuma.usmc.mil/?PgId=desertwarrior,2008,09,18,feature2
