F-16's and other modern fighters use hydrazine to power their Emergency Power Unit which provides about 10 min of electrical, hydraulic and engine restart power in the event of engine failure. The tank is located near the wing root.  The space shuttle also uses hydrazine to power its APU's during decent. The popping exhaust near the root of the vertical stabilizer that can be seen sometimes, particularly at night, while it's sitting on the runway are the APU's exhaust.

Hey:

Last week, (I think) I read one of these where an F-16 made an emergency landing (in Madison, WI) with hydrazine aboard.  That seems incredibly strange to me.  Would anyone in the collective have an idea of why an F-16 would be carrying hydrazine?  I assumed it was in the crew compartment but the news story was typically sketchy.  Hydrazine is an ingredient in liquid rocket propellant but this still doesn=92t make sense.

Any ideas?

Deb.

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Debbie M. Decker, Campus Chemical Safety Officer
Environmental Health and Safety
University of California, Davis
1 Shields Ave.
Davis, CA  95616
(530)754-7964/(530)681-1799 (cell)

(530)752-4527 (FAX)
dmdecker**At_Symbol_Here**ucdavis.edu
Co-Conspirator to Make the World A 
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