RAAF F18 ejection QLD

[Magnetomick]

Apparent ejection before rotation. Appears successful.
No doubt more to follow.

[rjtjrt]

Video, and news initial report here.

https://7news.com.au/news/accidents/pilots-forced-to-eject-as-military-jet-emergency-unfolds-at-raaf-base-amberley-c-1730017

[VH-MLE]

Whoops - meant to pull the other lever! Glad all seems OK though...

[pill]

Quite the struggle to restrain the Monday morning quarter back within on this one. Good to see old mate is safe.

[josephfeatherweight]

Looks like they'll still be able to use the jet - good result all round, glad they're safe (as "Defence officials" are saying)

[cattletruck]

Anyone know the reason they punched out?

[SITTINGBULL]

Surely it was SOP's that dictated a punch out?

[swh]

Anyone know the reason they punched out?

Social distancing ?

[speed2height]

From the chute spacing it looks like a command ejection.

[rrekn]

Maybe after the EA-18 incident, they were told to punch out at first sign of any issues?

[compressor stall]

Hell of a way to get a free tie.

well done.

[gulliBell]

The jet looks in good condition, except for the scorch marks around the cockpit. Should be able to turn it into useful parts. Makes me wonder if they had stayed for the ride instead of ejecting it wouldn't have made the 6pm news.

[Traffic_Is_Er_Was]

If they're quick, they can slip it into an Antonov and flog it to the Canucks.

[Ascend Charlie]

Different situation from the F-111 ejection in NZ some years ago, flameout of the A/B, not enough wet runway to stop.

Amberley is a ferkin long runway with arrestor cables and an arrestor barrier as a long-stop. What was so bad that required ejection, but didn't destroy the aircraft?

Pop the seats back in, touch up the scorched paint, slip it in amongst the others, they will never notice. Unless they read Proon.

[John Emmerton]

Ha Ha.......love it.....!!!!!

[Bodie1]

You bloody beaudy, Bremont watch time.

Gees those chutes hit the deck hard......

[mickjoebill]

Upon initiating ejection, is it standard in fast jets for engine to be automatically shut down?

Any other systems automatically engaged?

mjb

[TheFrenchConnection]

Well done all, all are well - could of gone SO wrong . One of my favourite ejection stories , is this ;
https://hushkit.net/2020/10/13/66-years-ago-today-a-pilot-ejected-from-an-aeroplane-trapped-underwater/
I think my late father was involved in this somehow , back in the day he was a RN Officer at Ford and at Malta
and in/around the Med. (HMS Albion) around this time, knew Prince Philip.
Happy outcome, happy memories on this SAD day - Chuck Yeager = Legend RIP.

[CaptainMidnight]

Pop the seats back in, touch up the scorched paint, slip it in amongst the others, they will never notice.

https://youtu.be/5vjAXB3G4Ys

[mrdeux]

The jet looks in good condition, except for the scorch marks around the cockpit. Should be able to turn it into useful parts. Makes me wonder if they had stayed for the ride instead of ejecting it wouldn't have made the 6pm news.

I'd have thought it would be repairable...but I haven't seen any decent images.

[Buttscratcher]

Quite the struggle to restrain the Monday morning quarter back within on this one. Good to see old mate is safe.

Really pill?
...such a struggle?

[Lookleft]

One report stated that there was a fire in the cockpit. It would explain the soot marks and why they decided to eject. Sounds like a good call.

[RifRaf3]

One report stated that there was a fire in the cockpit. It would explain the soot marks and why they decided to eject. Sounds like a good call.
Rocket seats are likely to make soot marks. Those marks recede at about 45 degrees much in line with the rocket flame trajectory. There was no fire showing in the video of the jet rolling down the runway after ejection. However, smoke in the cockpit is a possibility, which if it came from the engines, might have then disappeared once the engines were cut around ejection time. I know of two fatal ejections on takeoff when aircon heavy mist was mistaken for smoke but that's highly unlikely these days. Basically, if you are rolling significantly and you cant see you have to eject, especially given the reliability of today's seats as demonstrated in this case.

[ruprecht]

If I ejected on the runway I think I’d want the jet to explode spectacularly at the end of the runway, not amble off at a brisk walking pace. :p

Well done to the crew, that’s a big D to make.

[josephfeatherweight]

Well done to the crew, that’s a big D to make.
Let's hope they were in that "D" together... :}

[ruprecht]

Let's hope they were in that "D" together... :}
Yes, good point...

[Capt Fathom]

Nothing worse than premature ejection!😱

[Dogimed]

Nothing worse than premature ejection!😱

Happens to all men at some stage in their life.

Dog

[Chris2303]

https://7news.com.au/news/disaster-and-emergency/raaf-amberley-crash-in-queensland-forces-grounding-of-super-hornets-and-growlers-c-1733971?fbclid=IwAR0dy30DWH_4dl78IYUxbOf_c4sl3kXo0P3TzYXjF36 7x0QRYQQ-h52LMu0

[Hugh Mungus]

How about this for a scenario.......Its a training flight smoke in the cockpit early in the take off Instructor commands “Reject Reject “ student hears “Eject Eject “ and the rest is history Red faces all around Just Sayin !

[josephfeatherweight]

That's why we always said - "Abort, Abort, Abort" - not "Reject"...

[Australopithecus]

I thought that scenario was part of a story (myth?) of a fast jet guy converting to B-52s in the 1970’s. Captain said “reject”, he heard “eject” and the downward-firing seat provided the sting in the tale.

[jumby164]

Word on the RAAF Grapvine is that the aircraft suffered a total nosewheel steering failure at takeoff speeds.

[Heatseeker]

Heard a tale once of a commercial flight just about to cross the fence and touch down. The Capt looked across to the FO and by the sad look on the FO's face reckoned the FO was having a very bad day. Thinking to make the FO happier the Capt said "cheer up" at which point the FO reached forward and retracted the undercarriage ! Of course I don't believe a word of it :-)

[Capt Fathom]

Word on the RAAF Grapvine is that the aircraft suffered a total nosewheel steering failure at takeoff speeds.

So if you are at take off speed, why not take off?

Watching the video, it doesn’t seem like they reached take off speed. The abandoned aircraft just ambled across the grass and came to a stop in a ditch... intact sans canopy and crew!

[PoppaJo]

So if you are at take off speed, why not take off?

Watching the video, it doesn’t seem like they reached take off speed. The abandoned aircraft just ambled across the grass and came to a stop in a ditch... intact sans canopy and crew!
I assume this was an Alpha departure 04 then?

Would have to have been SOP related somewhat. Pull out at 150m in, still 500m to run. Certainly very little time from rolling until the call was made, looks like the best part of a few seconds.

[Capn Rex Havoc]

I doubt that the CAF would have grounded the entire F18 fleet if it was a pilot f.ck up - and they'd have known that pretty quick off the mark I should have thought.

[finestkind]

Although close an ejection is not part of my CV. But I have a number of friends that have the tie and each and everyone watching the aircraft disappear from under the canopy have thought, “ I really hope that was that was the right D” or something very similar.

[Turnleft080]

At least the canopy separated this time, lesson learnt from Goose's mishap.

[Ascend Charlie]

Ah, but Goose was in an F-14. He needed speed.

[keewee]

Heard a tale once of a commercial flight just about to cross the fence and touch down. The Capt looked across to the FO and by the sad look on the FO's face reckoned the FO was having a very bad day. Thinking to make the FO happier the Capt said "cheer up" at which point the FO reached forward and retracted the undercarriage ! Of course I don't believe a word of it :-)
Lessons learned! Sitting at a road t-intersection navigating my aunt; clear road, called GO & ... we sat there. 'I thought you said WO'. Better safe than sorry. Changed calls to Proceed & Hold.

[A. Muse]

Originally Posted by Heatseeker View Post (https://www.pprune.org/australia-new-zealand-pacific/637300-raaf-f18-ejection-qld-post10943408.html#post10943408)
Heard a tale once of a commercial flight just about to cross the fence and touch down. The Capt looked across to the FO and by the sad look on the FO's face reckoned the FO was having a very bad day. Thinking to make the FO happier the Capt said "cheer up" at which point the FO reached forward and retracted the undercarriage ! Of course I don't believe a word of it :-)

I heard the same tale told on BBC Radio Essex when a manager from London Stansted was interviewed. His story was that it happened at his airport and that the aircraft was on take off when the PF turned to the FE and said 'Cheer up'.

[speed2height]

Word on the RAAF Grapvine is that the aircraft suffered a total nosewheel steering failure at takeoff speeds.

I wouldn't want to be using nosewheel steering at takeoff speed anyhow!

During a IF Takeoff in a PC-A in Pearce my student under the bag in the front seat engaged the nosewheel steering at about 58 kts trying to be smart in correcting back to the headings I was calling out. The aircraft rapidly pivoted 30deg left!.... I took control jumped on the brakes and and left two large black tire marks across 1/4 of the runway width as we departed the runway to the left, taking out an edge light on the way. I jumped a ditch and came to stop on the grass and then safed the ejection seats before shutting down. The PC9 seat was a 60/200 bang seat not a 0/0 rocket seat, if we were sitting on rockets seats would probably have pulled the handle for the both of us.

When we went back and walked over the tracks, could clearly see the big black tire marks across the runway and the dirt tracks in the grass, we skidded sideways between two concrete blocks before jumping the ditch (aprox 35kts with full backstick) and stopping.
Looking at the satellite view of 36R at YPEA and the gap between the concrete blocks of the arrestor cable system still makes me shiver.

[Slezy9]

The PC9 seat was a 60/200 bang seat not a 0/0 rocket seat, if we were sitting on rockets seats would probably have pulled the handle for the both of us.

Hmmm, few minor errors there. The PC9 had a 0/60 seat. Ground level, no downward vector and wings level. Minimum 60 knots. You could have pulled the handle but you’d have left the student behind. The command ejection system in the PC9 only worked from the back seat and as a QFI on an IF takeoff you would have been in the front seat.

[speed2height]

Hmmm, few minor errors there. The PC9 had a 0/60 seat. Ground level, no downward vector and wings level. Minimum 60 knots. You could have pulled the handle but you’d have left the student behind. The command ejection system in the PC9 only worked from the back seat and as a QFI on an IF takeoff you would have been in the front seat.
Fair enough, it was 25 years ago :) 60kts was the min speed (I guess I said 200ft because that was my cutoff height to arrest a rate of descent before ejection with an engine out) and yep I was in the front seat. Isn't that strange, I guess I spent so much time in the rear seat teaching I just assumed that's where I was sitting.

[edit] I just remembered where I got the 200ft from, it was a presentation on the MK11 seat Martin Baker gave at Pearce, it was a 0/60 seat but inverted it was a 200/60 seat :)

[Capn Rex Havoc]

Slezy9 - Speed2height may have got the exact deets slightly wrong - but the event itself was true to form. I was his flight commander. S2H was a rotor head in a past life so these event were not unexpected.

[gulliBell]

...my student under the bag in the front seat engaged the nosewheel steering at about 58 kts trying to be smart in correcting back to the headings I was calling out...

Did he pass the course and get his wings, or did he wash out?

[speed2height]

Did he pass the course and get his wings, or did he wash out?
​​​​​​

​​​​​​If I remember correctly (which is now debatable) he was a prior CPL holder that did well through GFPT and struggled on IF and washed out.

I understand the F18 requires its nosewheel steering rate set to low after taxing and failing to do so was the cause of a runway excursion across the arrestor blocks many years ago in Williamtown

[cossack]

If they're quick, they can slip it into an Antonov and flog it to the Canucks.
We've only got 3 of the first batch of 7 "integrated". Deliveries of the remaining 14 to come. New canopy, seats and clean up the soot and she'll be right. ;)
https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/f18-fighter-jets-canada-australia-1.5836504

[Wingspar]

We've only got 3 of the first batch of 7 "integrated". Deliveries of the remaining 14 to come. New canopy, seats and clean up the soot and she'll be right. ;)
https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/f18-fighter-jets-canada-australia-1.5836504

I feel sorry for 53.
I wanted to throw a blanket over her!

[I wish]

​​​​​​

​​​​​​If I remember correctly (which is now debatable) he was a prior CPL holder that did well through GFPT and struggled on IF and washed out.

I understand the F18 requires its nosewheel steering rate set to low after taxing and failing to do so was the cause of a runway excursion across the arrestor blocks many years ago in Williamtown
Was that the 2016 one?

[josephfeatherweight]

Any further insight into what happened here? All gone quiet...

[Going Boeing]

I’d also like to know what caused the decision to eject. I’m sure that it was a sound judgment but was there a change in procedures following the Growler engine fire in Las Vegas.

Would also like to know if the jet has been repaired.

[josephfeatherweight]

I’m sure that it was a sound judgment
I'm not so sure about that, hence my interest! :}

[layman]

Obtained by Senator Rex Patrick; reported on ABC web site

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-06-08/pilot-error-caused-raaf-super-hornet-eject/101131502

Primary cause was ”substandard adherence to checklist actions”

Thought the report on following sequence of events may be of interest.

[Ascend Charlie]

"Upon noticing the heading deviation, it is likely the pilot suffered an acute stress response followed by a short duration of impaired cognitive performance," the report states.

Translation: He shat himself.

[KRviator]

Is the Hornet so incapable of flying with the trim out-of-position that he was more worried about dealing with it, rather than simply taking the jet airborne and retrimming it in the air? OR is there more to it than just being out of trim?