Harrier Vertical Landing & Takeoff

USMC Harrier AV-8B performing a vertical landing and take off aboard the USS Boxer LHD4. The second day at sea on our 8 day 2007 Tiger Cruise.

Category:

Travel & Events

Tags:

• Harrier
• USS Boxer LHD4
• Tiger Cruise

[MasterPacker12]

so pretty much its just some big air blowers pushing the thing off the ground, correct?

[BoxerLHD4]

@MasterPacker12

It is not air blowers, but the ability of the Harrier to redirect the engine thrust to control the angular velocity of the aircraft.

V/STOL jets (vertical/short takeoff and landing) angle the engine exhaust downward for vertical takeoffs and landings and then redirect the thrust toward the rear of the aircraft during normal flight.

[baggedyman]

@BoxerLHD4 They can still do a normal landing right?

[BoxerLHD4]

@baggedyman

That is correct.

[nbass7928]

jeez i would kill for a ride in one of those

[MrAndyBones]

Wow. Every time I see a Harrier perform vertical takeoff/ landing I think "this would impress the Wright bros."

Is that the blur of the compressor fan I'm seeing when it's coming in to land? I know that Pegasus turbofan has a huge compressor & it's pushed up very close to the intake, but it looks like it's only flushed 12-16"... don't park any small cars by that thing.

[PokerKingTony]

The F35 Joint Strike Fighter is still superior to the Harrier model in terms of estimated time for landing, take-off, as well as other maneuvers since in the F35 the thrusters and rotors are controlled by the on-board computers which can then be manipulated by the pilot. Its quite amazing how we have progressed in air travel or at least in warfare type aviation because it still takes forever to ride in an embraer rj145 ----_____----

[torontothegood]

engineering marvel! and a work of art!

[DIZZYGIT]

British Flight Enginering (for it´s time ) at it´s best, right there. Initiative combat weapon and perfect for Britain small ACC´s. I love that damn plane.

[MrJimitoast]

Thanks for the video post it's a killer aircraft. The exhaust has a distinct whine that's unlike any other aircraft.

[MrAndyBones]

>@Champizfast

Yeah, they burn a ton of fuel in VTOL operation. During the Falklands war (RAF decimated enemy air power with the Harrier) after RAF pilots took off, they'd usually refuel in-air before combat. The other issue with hovering is overheating. With no airspeed, the turbofan gets little cooling & is producing near-maximum thrust to keep the thing aloft. AV-8B's (and I think other, older variants too) have a pressurized water tank- injectors spray the engine during VTOL ops.