1 - The Black Vault

PRAETORIAN STARSHIP
the anchor clamp and tie-down line assumed the
lift-line load. When enough slack in the lift line
was available, the lift line was tied to the cleat
bar. The parahook, overhead pulley, primary
winch drum, and the snatch block were removed
and carried forward past the ramp hinge to clear
the working area on the ramp. An empty drum
was then installed on the primary winch (fig. 5f).
With the lift line positively locked to the aircraft
by the cleat bar and the anchor clamp, the sky
anchor was released. 61 When the sky anchor had
been released, the lift line was pulled through
the sky anchor from the ramp (fig. 5g). Once the
loose end of the lift line was retrieved by the
ramp crew, a knot was tied in the end of the lift
line, and it was inserted into the detent on the
primary winch drum. The slack lift line was
then fed on to the drum. Just before the primary
winch assumed the load, the lift line was
untied from the cleat bar. The primary winch
continued to reel in until the anchor clamp
could be removed from the lift line (fig. 5h).
After the anchor clamp had been removed, the
lift line was reeled in at maximum speed until
the davit was ready to be installed, at which time
the reel in was stopped. The davit was moved
under the lift line, and the pip pin was installed
over the line. The davit was locked to the ramp
floor, and the lift line was forced under the forward
davit roller. 62
After the davit was installed and the lift line
was forced under the roller, the primary winch
was reengaged and operated at maximum speed
until the package approached the ramp. Concurrently,
the davit rotation line was attached to the
standby winch. As the package neared the ramp,
the primary winch was slowed gradually and was
stopped when the package harness reached the
davit roller (fig. 5j).
The standby winch was then reeled in to rotate
the davit, and the ramp crew stabilized the package
and attached the retention line to the D ring
on the package harness. The primary winch was
then reeled out, allowing the package to descend
to the ramp with excess slack in the lift line. The
package was then moved forward of the ramp
hinge line where it could be safely detached from
the lift line and retention line (fig. 5k).
After retrieval, if no other recoveries were
planned, the davit was removed, the cargo ramp
and door were closed, all recovery equipment
was stowed, and hydraulic pressure was shut off
to the winches. 63 For multiple recoveries, the
sky anchor was reset to the ready position, an
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Figure 5f. Snatch Block and Parahook Removed from Lift Line
(Source: LTM 1MC-130E-1, 1 October 1981, Combat Talon
Archive, HQ AFSOC/HO, Hurlburt Field, Fla.)
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Figure 5g. Lift Line Released from Sky Anchor (Source: LTM
1MC-130E-1, 1 October 1981, Combat Talon Archive, HQ
AFSOC/HO, Hurlburt Field, Fla.)
empty spool was installed on the primary winch,
and the aircraft was left in the recovery configu -
ration with the yoke extended and the ramp and
door open. If additional recoveries were scheduled
later in the mission, the yoke was retracted, the
ramp and door were closed to enable the aircraft
to accelerate to en route airspeed, and the Fulton
gear was left in place on the ramp. The entire
recovery operation took approximately six min -
utes, depending on factors including ramp crew
proficiency, turbulence, day or night operations,
and normal operation of all equipment. Detailed
emergency procedures were available in the event
any component of the system failed to operate
properly.
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36