Hornet gliding impossible due to flaps going to 100%.

[Rissala]

Gliding in the Hornet is near impossible due to the flaps extending to 100% uncommanded when hydraulic power is lost. I'm not certain of why this happens, but I think it is not a design feature of a combat aircraft to drop like a rock when hydraulic/engine power is lost, especially if you can still steer the aircraft with secondary control laws just fine.

I hope someone would investigate this and see if this is a bug or a really bad design problem.

Hornet Flaps at 0 fuel.trk

[Foka]

Flaps are hold in UP position by hydraulic pressure. If you lose it, flaps will fall down.

[DmitriKozlowsky]

Hornet does  not glide. Without power, and this has been proven in real world testing, FA/-18C/D has sink rate about same as a brick in freefall.

[Wizard_03]

Yep with no engines and therefore no hydro pressure it's time to step outside of the jet. 

[pete_auau]

think a rock  has  a better  chance  at gliding

[Lynnux]

So gravity will pull the flaps down while airflow will push them up. That's physics. So would they really extend fully when already in flight ?

Would make sense if they would extend on their own at low speeds. But e.g. at 400 knots ?

[Fri13]

Hornet is a deathtrap, lose the fuel, hydraulics or electricity and you are in a expensive metal piece with low-end computer. There is nothing you can do.

[t1mb0b]

it's not a glider, that is why it's got 2 powerful engines.

[Frederf]

On 1/5/2021 at 9:02 PM, Foka said:

Flaps are hold in UP position by hydraulic pressure. If you lose it, flaps will fall down.

Complete nonsense. The F/A-18s TEFs do not go down full on a dual engine/hyd loss.