By Lt. J.J. Reyes, VAW-125
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MISSING SYMPTOMS AND MAKING THE PROPER DIAGNOSIS Tiger 62 inside 604 had just completed a quick cabin pressurization confidence hop and was returning to our home field, Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, within the Yamaguchi prefecture. We were operating with a minimum crew. I was the squadron’s most junior carrier aircraft plane commander (CAPC) flying in the left, a second pilot/electronic control officer with one deployment under his belt in my right, and our experienced maintenance officer (MO) operating in the back as the mission commander (MC). The aircraft was finally working after a string of functional check flights (FCFs) and recurring pressurization issues, and it was good to have the bird back in the mix. We made a smooth right turn toward the initial for runway 02 when our right engine RPM gauge suddenly “X-ed” out, which was then accompanied by an audible change in propeller pitch and a light show of R PCMU (propulsion control and metering unit) rollups* both advisory and caution. Note: “Rollups” denoted by an asterisk (*) are followed by amplifying information in parentheses in the Advisory, Caution and Warning System (ACAWS). Example: R PCMU* (PROP GOV FAIL)
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