F22 Grounded

[Mayfly]

Until further notice...

http://www.airforcetimes.com/news/2011/05/airforce-grounds-entire-f22-fleet-050511w/

[Xplumberlives]

Hope they work it out, we had OBOGS on the Harrier, first time it had been relied upon, seemed to work OK!

[Nickolas]

“It’s a big deal if you’re at high altitude and you run out of oxygen,” Weber said in a March interview.

At 50,000 feet, a human being has less than 10 seconds of useful consciousness, he said. The 25,000-foot altitude restriction would allow the pilot to quickly dive below 18,000 feet, where the atmosphere has enough oxygen to ensure prolonged survival in case of an emergency.

“It would take you so long when you’re way up high, you may black out before you make it to a safe altitude,” Weber said.


Bloody hell, they might as well put and 'Emergency descent to a life supporting altitude' button in and tweak the software OR make it a fully automatic function. Oxygen generator fails, dive, dive, dive.

Tonkas have an auto get out system on the TFR. If the system goes down the next thing the pilot knows is that he's at 30,000' and climbing!!!

[Mayfly]

Grounded indefinitely now

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20110624/pl ... nsaviation

[Jigsaw]

Blimey

[Minty4371]

New news or old news?
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article ... ights.html

[Xplumberlives]

Ongoing Oxy problems!

[MOD]

Having read that DM article I have had to increase my blood pressure medication!!!

The cause of the crash was entirely due to the pilot who found that he 'couldn't breathe' - so not the aircraft manufacturer's fault at all then

Some other 'Gems':

Air Force spokesperson Lt. Col. Regina Winchester told ABC News: "In each case, appropriate procedures were applied’.

The fleet of F-22s are believed to have cost nearly $80million, with a single jet priced at about $150million.

Crash investigators found a malfunction had cut off Capt Haney's air supply but blamed the crash on his lack of attention, saying he was too distracted by his inability to breathe.

Built by Lockheed Martin, the sleek, diamond-winged F-22 stealth fighter jet is considered is considered the world's most advanced fighter jet.
It is so advanced that Congress has banned its sale overseas because it was deemed that the technology involved is too sensitive to share with other countries.


You couldn't make it up!

ibw

[Ducati Boy]

Best we scrap the JSF now then??

They will have this sorted in short order, I'd take bets on it!! A small emergency bottle automatically activated by sensors monitoring the quality of the O2 at the pilots mask should be an easy fix, together with an audio warning and instruction to dive to low altitude.

[Xplumberlives]

But ANY good pilot would/should be able to spot the onset of Hypoxia!

[Ducati Boy]

But ANY good pilot would/should be able to spot the onset of Hypoxia!

Oh really?? The graveyards are full of those mate. Gradual loss of the level of O2 would not generate the same reactions as total loss. It could be more like getting slowly drunk and passing out. I'd bet a sensor and warning system will be developed real quick, it should be easy to monitor the output quality of the OBOGS and provide a warning.

[Xplumberlives]

Yes, it should be a relatively quick and cheap fix, surprising it's not been done before really!

[Ducati Boy]

Yes, it should be a relatively quick and cheap fix, surprising it's not been done before really!

I guess in this day and age we all assume that high tech industry like aerospace will have everything perfect and up to the minute. However, some systems are given less attention than others and in a warbird money goes on the weapon systems and improved performance primarily. Basic life support systems could get less re-design effort and be comparatively ancient in their design. I am sure they will find a very rapid fix for this problem.

Such a superb aircraft, possibly the best fighter the Yanks have had ( since we got them the Mustang ) will not be allowed to sit unused for long.

[Dan4th]

Just cleared to resume operations:::::::::::::::::



Danf.

[Xplumberlives]

Glad it's back, I did enjoy the commentary on that clip!

[Dan4th]

Glad it's back, I did enjoy the commentary on that clip!

Yes, somtimes less is more, eh?

D.

[Dan4th]

You'll like this commentary, too!



Very recent...........

Danf.

[Xplumberlives]

Yes, less is MORE!

[Mayfly]

It appears if this report it be believed that they have found the problem with F22 oxygen supply to the pilot.

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/ipad/the-cause-of-the-f-22-raptors-oxygen-woes-has-been-discovered-a-tiny-valve/story-fnbzs1v0-1226435735354

Any more news from side of the pond D4th?

[Dan4th]

I actually think this is old news, Pam.....

While it took them what seemed to be a
very long time to sort things out, I'm quite
sure they've been back to full and unrestricted
operational capability for all of this year and
extending back into late 2011 as well....

It looks to me as if the reporter was just
trying to make himself seem authoritative.....

I don't believe this is a recent revelation in
any sense....

BUT I COULD BE WRONG

Danf.

[Mayfly]

OK - that wouldn't surprise me in anyway - slow news day and they drag old stuff.....but I hadn't heard about the valve on suit before.

[Dan4th]

The "FIX" was announced quite a while back, but I
don't think "They" said exactly what it was.....

Then in March, the return to full operations was
announced, but I'm fairly sure they'd already
been on that status for a number of months....

It's possible that the precise nature of the "FIX"
has only recently been revealed

Even so, the reporter has chosen to take a very
negative stance and has left out things which
would have made the article far more informative!

Still a great aircraft, and in time there will be
those who will regret there won't be more of them
produced

Danf.

[Ducati Boy]

I never heard of the fix till now either. Glad its not the aircraft. However, the US defence industry being what it is one can never discount the opposition who want to discredit the Raptor. Give it to us Yank and loan us a few Harriers and keep that JSF "junkjet" thingey.

[Dan4th]

I think the Very Least we could do would
be to place a small contingent of F-22s at
Mildenhall on a more-or-less permanent
deployment so the Photoloonies here on
Iconic would have something new to snap

I mean, it's only FAIR

Comments, anyone???????????

Danf.

[Xplumberlives]

I think the Very Least we could do would
be to place a small contingent of F-22s at
Mildenhall on a more-or-less permanent
deployment so the Photoloonies here on
Iconic would have something new to snap

I mean, it's only FAIR

Comments, anyone???????????

Danf.

Just one!



Who are you calling a PHOTOLOONY?