REVIEW OF FLIGHT AND GROUND VIBRATION TEST DATA IN SUPPORT OF THE MK-84 AIR AND GBU-10 FIN FAILURES WHEN CARRIED ON THE F-16 WITH THE PIDS/3 PYLON

摘要

Previous F-16 flight tests of both the MK-84 AIR and GBU-10 (2000-lb class general purpose bombs) have resulted in damage to fins and fin fairings when mounted on the PIDS/3 pylon. Initially, the GBU-10 upper fin fairings, located in proximity to the pylon aft section, cracked and peeled from their bolt attachments during routine flutter flight-testing. During a loads Captive Flight Profile (CFP) the MK-84 AIR tail fins failed along the span where all fasteners cracked, with additional hairline cracks located at the fore and aft roots. These failures initiated the need to investigate the anomalies through additional flight and ground vibration tests. It is speculated that these failures are due to structural vibratory modes that are excited during transonic Mach flight to cause fatigue in the damaged areas.