Embarrasing and Expensive for the USAF

Bort · 04-22-06, 03:59 PM

The USAF can apparently build a gagillion $ fighter- whose canopy traps the pilot inside!
http://pogoblog.typepad.com/pogo/200..._this_man.html

Kapitan · 04-22-06, 05:08 PM

If at first you dont sucsead use a bigger chain saw.

Sea Demon · 04-22-06, 06:54 PM

This type of thing does happen. When I was at SUPT down at Laughlin, one of my friends got trapped in a T-38. The drive mechanism in the back jammed and wouldn't allow the canopy to rise enough to let him slip out. The civilian maintainers had to manually unlock the mechanism, and all of us in Lizards Flight had a good laugh at his expense.

For your info, canopy actuators do fail. So do locking mechanisms. If you think this only happens in the USAF you are mistaken. But what I find most comical about that pogo site, they seem to want the whole program terminated because this F-22 apparently had a faulty actuator or a stuck canopy locking drive assembly.

While I like organizations that scrutinize how taxpayer dollars are spent, I don't think they should be too concerned about the F-22. It's well worth the money.

tycho102 · 04-22-06, 11:03 PM

It happens from time to time. When it happens on a actual combat plane, the canopy cost alone is nearly $1 million.

The Avon Lady · 04-23-06, 02:45 AM

It may still turn out that the canopy replacement will cost the USAF less than they paid for that chainsaw.

XabbaRus · 04-23-06, 02:54 AM

Is it verified that this was a failure.

It could also be a mockup of the front end of the Raptor and this is an exercise to get the pilot out...

Type941 · 04-23-06, 04:21 AM

ironic how sometimes a penny cost component disables a million dollar machine.

Godalmighty83 · 04-23-06, 10:30 AM

if it was a mock up test i would have thought that it would have been done inside and they wouldnt have bothered locking someone inside.

anyway as it say on the side 'ejector seat' sounds like a simple way of getting out to me.

TLAM Strike · 04-23-06, 10:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Godalmighty83

if it was a mock up test i would have thought that it would have been done inside...

Right because there is never an emergency outside so why bother training thereâ€¦

JSLTIGER · 04-23-06, 10:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Avon Lady

It may still turn out that the canopy replacement will cost the USAF less than they paid for that chainsaw.

:rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl:

Godalmighty83 · 04-23-06, 11:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TLAM Strike

Quote:

Originally Posted by Godalmighty83

if it was a mock up test i would have thought that it would have been done inside...

Right because there is never an emergency outside so why bother training thereâ€¦

so not let people think that the 100 odd million dollar fighter that have just bought is not so faulty you cant get out of it, like the OP.

TteFAboB · 04-23-06, 11:26 AM

You all see fault in this, but fail to realise it's a safety feature.

If the Pilot can't eject and has to crash-land on enemy territory, the enemies won't be able to take the pilot out for interrogation, unless they buy one of those expensive chainsaws, that still gives plenty of time for the pilot to destroy all the on-board computers and systems.

The fighter is so expensive and valuable you cannot allow a chicken Pilot to eject and land behind the enemy lines filled with technical and military info.

When you fly the F-22, you really do commit yourself 110% to it. You're in all the way, it's a whole new way of living, and no quitters are allowed.

TLAM Strike · 04-23-06, 12:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Godalmighty83

Quote:

Originally Posted by TLAM Strike

Quote:

Originally Posted by Godalmighty83

if it was a mock up test i would have thought that it would have been done inside...

Right because there is never an emergency outside so why bother training thereâ€¦

so not let people think that the 100 odd million dollar fighter that have just bought is not so faulty you cant get out of it, like the OP.

If the USAF didn't want people to know about this problem (if it is such) they could have just detained whoever took the picture (assuming they were not DoD personnel, in which case they only could release the pic with authorization) because there are big signs on the fences that say "Photography of base prohibited" or some such.

scandium · 04-23-06, 02:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Godalmighty83

anyway as it say on the side 'ejector seat' sounds like a simple way of getting out to me.

I vaguely recall an incident several years ago where a pilot ejected during an aborted takeoff (while the aircraft was still on the runway) and was pretty badly injured as a result of the parachute not being able to fully deploy in time.

DeepSix · 04-23-06, 04:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Godalmighty83

...
anyway as it say on the side 'ejector seat' sounds like a simple way of getting out to me.

It is, assuming the canopy comes off first so you don't get shredded by going through it.

04-22-06, 03:59 PM	#1
Bort Grey Wolf Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Studying in Atlanta Posts: 919 Downloads: 61 Uploads: 0	Embarrasing and Expensive for the USAF The USAF can apparently build a gagillion $ fighter- whose canopy traps the pilot inside! http://pogoblog.typepad.com/pogo/200..._this_man.html __________________ GT Aerospace

04-22-06, 05:08 PM	#2
Kapitan Sub Test Pilot Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: UK + Canada Posts: 7,130 Downloads: 77 Uploads: 7	If at first you dont sucsead use a bigger chain saw. __________________ DONT FORGET if you like a post to nominate it by using the blue diamond Find out about Museum Ships here: https://www.museumships.us/ Flickr for all my pictures: https://www.flickr.com/photos/131313936@N03/ Navy general board articles: https://www.navygeneralboard.com/author/aegis/

04-22-06, 11:03 PM	#4
tycho102 Ace of the Deep Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 1,100 Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	It happens from time to time. When it happens on a actual combat plane, the canopy cost alone is nearly $1 million. __________________ My little Silent Hunter 4 repository

04-23-06, 02:45 AM	#5
The Avon Lady Über Mom Join Date: May 2005 Location: Jerusalem, Israel Posts: 6,147 Downloads: 5 Uploads: 0	It may still turn out that the canopy replacement will cost the USAF less than they paid for that chainsaw. __________________ "Victory will come to us from the wombs of our women." - Houari Boumedienne, President of Algeria, Speech before the UN, 1974

04-23-06, 02:54 AM	#6
XabbaRus Navy Seal Join Date: Sep 2001 Posts: 5,330 Downloads: 5 Uploads: 0	Is it verified that this was a failure. It could also be a mockup of the front end of the Raptor and this is an exercise to get the pilot out... __________________

04-22-06, 06:54 PM	#3
Sea Demon Ocean Warrior Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: USA Posts: 2,552 Downloads: 33 Uploads: 0	This type of thing does happen. When I was at SUPT down at Laughlin, one of my friends got trapped in a T-38. The drive mechanism in the back jammed and wouldn't allow the canopy to rise enough to let him slip out. The civilian maintainers had to manually unlock the mechanism, and all of us in Lizards Flight had a good laugh at his expense. For your info, canopy actuators do fail. So do locking mechanisms. If you think this only happens in the USAF you are mistaken. But what I find most comical about that pogo site, they seem to want the whole program terminated because this F-22 apparently had a faulty actuator or a stuck canopy locking drive assembly. While I like organizations that scrutinize how taxpayer dollars are spent, I don't think they should be too concerned about the F-22. It's well worth the money.

04-23-06, 04:21 AM	#7
Type941 Ace of the Deep Join Date: May 2005 Location: U-52 Posts: 1,270 Downloads: 2 Uploads: 0	ironic how sometimes a penny cost component disables a million dollar machine. __________________ Sink the Bismarck SH3 Movie

04-23-06, 10:30 AM	#8
Godalmighty83 Sonar Guy Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 398 Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	if it was a mock up test i would have thought that it would have been done inside and they wouldnt have bothered locking someone inside. anyway as it say on the side 'ejector seat' sounds like a simple way of getting out to me. __________________ Were there monkeys? Some terrifying space monkeys maybe got loose?

04-23-06, 11:26 AM	#12
TteFAboB Admiral Join Date: Oct 2004 Posts: 2,247 Downloads: 4 Uploads: 0	You all see fault in this, but fail to realise it's a safety feature. If the Pilot can't eject and has to crash-land on enemy territory, the enemies won't be able to take the pilot out for interrogation, unless they buy one of those expensive chainsaws, that still gives plenty of time for the pilot to destroy all the on-board computers and systems. The fighter is so expensive and valuable you cannot allow a chicken Pilot to eject and land behind the enemy lines filled with technical and military info. When you fly the F-22, you really do commit yourself 110% to it. You're in all the way, it's a whole new way of living, and no quitters are allowed. __________________ "Tout ce qui est exagéré est insignifiant." ("All that is exaggerated is insignificant.") - Talleyrand