POSTLOADING QUALITY ASSURANCE INSPECTION

A certified quality assurance inspector (QAR) performs the postloading quality assurance inspection after loading and fuzing is complete. A postloading quality assurance inspection makes sure that weapons are properly loaded and no procedural steps were omitted.

REARMING AREA (BEFORE ENGINE TURNUP)

There aren't many procedures for you to carry out in the rearming area (before engine turnup). You will remove the WEAPON LOADED sign from the cockpit, and close and secure access doors. Normally, these procedures are performed at the same time as the pilot's aircraft walkaround inspection before manning the aircraft.

REARMING OR ARMING AREA (AFTER ENGINE TURNUP)

The procedures performed in the rearming area or arming area (after engine turnup) are done after the engine start and normally after the plane captain completes the pretaxi signals. Stations loaded with bomb-type ammunition and other stores are normally armed in the arming area. All forward-firing ordnance must be armed in the arming area. Final arming of bomb-type ammunition requires that a safety person be positioned in view of the pilot. The safety person notifies the pilot of the intention to remove safety pins, and ensures that the pilot places his hands in full view. When this is done, a member of the arming crew removes the safety pins from the parent racks. Finally, a crew member unlocks the IMER/ITER safety stop levers.

DEARMING OR REARMING AREA (IMMEDIATELY AFTER ENGINE SHUTDOWN)

Dearming procedures are performed after aircraft

landing or ground abort. Aircraft bombs are normally dearmed in the rearming area. However, if the aircraft has missiles or rockets aboard, they are safed in the designated dearming area.

WARNING

Do not attempt to disarm a partially or fully armed fuze. Notify the proper authority (EOD). If any component is missing, loose, or damaged, notify the proper authority. If an arming wire is not installed in the fuze or arming device, the fuze or arming device may be armed. You should notify the proper authority.

The first step you take when dearming an aircraft is to make sure the fuzes or arming devices or firing mechanisms are safe and arming wires are installed through fuze vanes and pop-out pins, as applicable. Then, inspect the weapons for missing, loose, or damaged components. If an IMER/ITER is involved, position the safety stop levers to lock on loaded racks. Install the safety pins in loaded stations.

NOTE: If an aircraft returns with unexpended ordnance, a WEAPON LOADED sign must be placed in the cockpit.

Check that all cockpit armament switches are OFF, SAFE, or NORM. As applicable, remove arming wires, lanyards, or lanyard tabs from empty stations. Finally, report the status of the aircraft to the proper authority.

UNLOADING PROCEDURES

Before you unload a weapon from the parent rack, the aircraft should be in the rearming area. Make sure that electrical power to the aircraft is removed, and the aircraft is properly grounded. Verify the following: verify that all cockpit armament switches are OFF or SAFE; that safety pins are installed in all loaded parent racks. Finally, if an IMER/ITER is being unloaded, verify that the safety stop lever is locked on each loaded ejector unit.

Now you can open the pylon access doors. For a parent rack, disconnect the ejector unit breech caps and remove the cartridges. If unloading an IMER/ ITER (with a weapon) from the parent rack, remove the breech caps from the breech chambers, the cartridges from the breech chambers, position the breech caps to prevent damage during unloading, and disconnect the adapter connector, and, if applicable, the electric fuze adapter harness from the IMER/ ITER.

WARNING

Do not remove a fuze or arming wire that was not installed during loading procedures. Do not remove an arming wire unless the fuze safety pin or device is installed.

Ensure that the M904E3/E4 fuze is safe by verifying the installation of the arming wire in the arming wire guide and the arming vane. Make sure you can't see a black letter A against a red background in the upper (external) window. If the arming delay isn't set on 6 or 18 seconds, the upper (external) window should be vacant. If the arming delay is set on 6 or 18, you should see matching numbers on a green background in the window. Then, you can install a safety wire through the arming wire guide and the arming vane.

WARNING

If the arming wire is not in place or if the upper (external) window indication is a black letter A against a red background, the fuze is armed. Do not attempt to change the arming delay settings to disarm the fuze, or to remove the fuze from the bomb. Notify the proper authority (EOD) when an armed or partially armed condition is indicated.

WARNING

If a green background without the number 6 or 18 appears in the upper (external) window when the arming delay is set on 6 or 18, or if the number in the upper (external) window does not match the arming delay setting number, the fuze is partially armed. Notify the proper authority.

Other actions you should take when unloading weapons include checking to see that the arming wire is installed in the pop-out pin for Mk 344, Mk 376, and FMU-139 electric fuzes. If an electric fuze was used, you need to disconnect the Mk 122 arming safety switch lanyard tab from the spring latch. Then, if applicable, install the fin release band safety (cotter) pin. Disconnect the fin release wires, lanyards, and arming wires from the aircraft.

If applicable, you can remove the M904E3/E4 fuzes by installing a safety wire, and then removing the arming wire and removing the fuze from the bomb. After you have removed the fuze, make sure the lower window is vacant or dark colored. Set the arming delay to 6 or 18 seconds. Then, make sure a green background with a white number 6 or 18, depending on the arming delay setting, appears in the upper window. The lower window must remain vacant or dark colored.

WARNING

If the lower window is red or has a black letter A against a red background, the fuze is armed. Notify the proper authority (EOD).

NOTE: Each fuze must be checked for safety on the 6- or 18-second arming delay setting before it is returned to the weapons division.

Now you're ready to position the handling or loading equipment under the station you want to unload. As applicable, install a manual hoisting bar or a bomb hoisting unit. Retract the ejector foot to the full up position. Then, retract the sway braces to the full up position. Position the required number of personnel at the front and at the tail of the weapon

to steady and guide the weapon onto the bomb handling equipment. Raise the weapon until the suspension lugs float in the hooks. Remove the parent rack safety pin, or move the IMER/ITER safety lock lever from lock to unlock, as appropriate. Operate the manual release to open the suspension hooks and lower the weapon onto the handling or loading equipment. If an electrically fuzed bomb is being unloaded, lower the weapon approximately 4 inches, and then disconnect the Mk 122 arming safety switch quick-disconnect connector from the rack Then, you can lower the weapon to the handling or loading equipment. Properly secure the weapon to the handling or loading equipment.

When all weapons have been unloaded, remove the WEAPON LOADED sign from the cockpit. Then, remove all weapons and handling or loading equipment from the area. Finally, report the status of the aircraft to the proper authority.

SAFETY PRECAUTIONS

LEARNING OBJECTIVE: Recognize the safety precautions to follow when loading or unloading aircraft.

Safety precautions were given in this chapter as WARNINGS, CAUTIONS, and NOTES. However, there are other safety precautions that you should observe when loading or handling aircraft bombs and practice bombs. A few of these safety precautions are as follows:

Before removing aircraft bombs from the weapons staging area, verify that the bombs are properly secured to the handling equipment.

A board ship, when the bombs are delivered to the aircraft for loading, they must be positioned fore and aft to help prevent inadvertent movement of the handling equipment by the side-to-side roll of the ship.

Once bombs have been delivered to the aircraft, a person must remain in the immediate area. Bombs must not be left on the flight deck unattended.

Never attempt to load/download bombs without sufficient personnel.

When installing signal cartridges in practice bombs, never assemble more bombs than are needed for the next event. When the day's flight schedule has been completed, practice bomb signals must be removed from practice bombs before returning them to storage.

Because of the nonexplosive nature of practice bombs, AOs have a tendency to be lax when handling and loading practice bombs. Remember, a Mk 76 practice bomb weighs 25 pounds and could cause severe injury if dropped on a person's foot or hand. Additionally, when a practice bomb signal is installed and the bomb is accidentally dropped, sufficient fire and metal fragments can be ejected from the tube to cause severe personal injury.

For further information concerning flight deck operational procedures, you should refer to the NATOPS Manual, NAVAIR 00-80T-105, and the LHA, LPH, LHD NATOPS Manual, NAVAIR 00-80T-106.