Gripens Grounded after Undemanded Ejection
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Static display eh ? ...
Martin Baker have had something to think about, while I realise the undemanded ejection incident was a little while ago.
Anyone remember Taylor Scott's accident, in a Harrier GR5 ?
The seat, The Mk12 being then a new model, didn't fire undemanded, but the chute drogue rocket did, and he was dragged to his death.
I was photographer on the BOI and knew a whitewash when I saw it...
His widow eventually won after 5 years of bitter fighting against the top teams of lawyers ranged by BAe against her one.
The best seats in the world - apparently the Russian jobs.
Martin Baker have had something to think about, while I realise the undemanded ejection incident was a little while ago.
Anyone remember Taylor Scott's accident, in a Harrier GR5 ?
The seat, The Mk12 being then a new model, didn't fire undemanded, but the chute drogue rocket did, and he was dragged to his death.
I was photographer on the BOI and knew a whitewash when I saw it...
His widow eventually won after 5 years of bitter fighting against the top teams of lawyers ranged by BAe against her one.
The best seats in the world - apparently the Russian jobs.
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Green Flash
Not sure what you're getting at - the particular aircraft I mentioned, the second production GR5 ZD 325, flew on without its pilot beore running out of fuel & crashing in the Irish Sea - yes it flew but with a tragic outcome.
Icarus, according to legend, ' at least flew ' but he was let down unfortunately by his design team & engineering, rather than Safety Equipment dept which he hadn't thought to ask.
That the Gripen should suffer undemanded ejection - if it's by G-suit that's a pretty poor comment on design & flight testing - is interesting, as I've already seen one innocent & highly skilled person killed by a faulty seat...
Not sure what you're getting at - the particular aircraft I mentioned, the second production GR5 ZD 325, flew on without its pilot beore running out of fuel & crashing in the Irish Sea - yes it flew but with a tragic outcome.
Icarus, according to legend, ' at least flew ' but he was let down unfortunately by his design team & engineering, rather than Safety Equipment dept which he hadn't thought to ask.
That the Gripen should suffer undemanded ejection - if it's by G-suit that's a pretty poor comment on design & flight testing - is interesting, as I've already seen one innocent & highly skilled person killed by a faulty seat...
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The SWAF Gripens (C/D) flew again prior to early June , but with a +3G restriction.
They participated with C and Ds in the annual RNoAF "Northern wind" COMAO exercise flying from Bardufoss. (With the RNoAF F-16s flying from Banak)
They participated with C and Ds in the annual RNoAF "Northern wind" COMAO exercise flying from Bardufoss. (With the RNoAF F-16s flying from Banak)
(on the road strip). In fact, just set it as my desktop! Nice one.
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Report on the Vidsel uncommanded ejection is out today. Swedish only naturally
http://www.havkom.se/virtupload/news/rm2008_01.pdf
The conclusion summary:
Rough translation.
The accident was caused by flaws in the quality control of the flight safety processes within and between Saab, defense Material Command and the Armed Forces. These flaws resulted in the activation of the aircrafts rescue system (seat), after repeated high g-loads, due to the activation handle design, surface friction and placement, as well as the handles low breaking force
One other interesting fact in the report, is that when they put the seat from the aircraft in the centrifuge at Linköping, 4 different pilots simulated the accident g-loads, and all 4 times the seat initiated ejection.
http://www.havkom.se/virtupload/news/rm2008_01.pdf
The conclusion summary:
3.2 Orsaker
Olyckan orsakades av brister i kvalitetssäkringen av flygsäkerhetsprocesserna
inom och mellan Saab, Försvarets Materielverk och Försvarsmakten.
Dessa brister resulterade i att flygplanets räddningssystem, efter upprepade
höga G-belastningar, aktiverades på grund av utskjutningshandtagets form,
ytfriktion och placering samt utskjutningsmekanismens låga hållkrafter.
Olyckan orsakades av brister i kvalitetssäkringen av flygsäkerhetsprocesserna
inom och mellan Saab, Försvarets Materielverk och Försvarsmakten.
Dessa brister resulterade i att flygplanets räddningssystem, efter upprepade
höga G-belastningar, aktiverades på grund av utskjutningshandtagets form,
ytfriktion och placering samt utskjutningsmekanismens låga hållkrafter.
The accident was caused by flaws in the quality control of the flight safety processes within and between Saab, defense Material Command and the Armed Forces. These flaws resulted in the activation of the aircrafts rescue system (seat), after repeated high g-loads, due to the activation handle design, surface friction and placement, as well as the handles low breaking force
One other interesting fact in the report, is that when they put the seat from the aircraft in the centrifuge at Linköping, 4 different pilots simulated the accident g-loads, and all 4 times the seat initiated ejection.
Last edited by M609; 22nd Feb 2008 at 11:21.
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Sounds like that centrifuge test ought to be standard on all fast jet set-ups pronto !
G-suits seem to be having a bad press lately - I do seem to recall that in the aft cockpits of Harrier T2/4 etc there was a bit of a worry about control restriction of the column laterally, though that may have been a certain small batch of aircraft.
I spent a lot of time clambering about in various Hawk cockpits, which always seemed quite roomy - but when I came to get a ride ( aft cockpit, with G-suit ) I was surprised how cramped it suddenly was - I was 5'9 10.5 stone at the time.
We only pulled up to 4.5 G - I never felt like blacking out or anything ( but then I wasn't driving ) but the suit was bloody uncomfortable across the midfriff !
Of course the various super-duper jets are getting their own G-suits, which may well alleviate the problem for those aircraft at least.
With respect to current Western fighters, how much time is REALLY spent at very high G ? - And I do know about the acclimitisation John Farley mentioned earlier being so important.
I would guess the current suits are not so popular right now, thing is they're just such a good pose to resist !
G-suits seem to be having a bad press lately - I do seem to recall that in the aft cockpits of Harrier T2/4 etc there was a bit of a worry about control restriction of the column laterally, though that may have been a certain small batch of aircraft.
I spent a lot of time clambering about in various Hawk cockpits, which always seemed quite roomy - but when I came to get a ride ( aft cockpit, with G-suit ) I was surprised how cramped it suddenly was - I was 5'9 10.5 stone at the time.
We only pulled up to 4.5 G - I never felt like blacking out or anything ( but then I wasn't driving ) but the suit was bloody uncomfortable across the midfriff !
Of course the various super-duper jets are getting their own G-suits, which may well alleviate the problem for those aircraft at least.
With respect to current Western fighters, how much time is REALLY spent at very high G ? - And I do know about the acclimitisation John Farley mentioned earlier being so important.
I would guess the current suits are not so popular right now, thing is they're just such a good pose to resist !
Last edited by Double Zero; 22nd Feb 2008 at 01:05.
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Typhoon......
And perish the thought that this would ever be possible on the Typhoon Seat?
I mean, if anything like this ever happenend (or Almost Happened!), they might have to re-arraange the straps around the QRB to assist it being held away from the Ejection Handle..... So as not to interfere with......
Or did this happen about 18 months ago................................
I mean, if anything like this ever happenend (or Almost Happened!), they might have to re-arraange the straps around the QRB to assist it being held away from the Ejection Handle..... So as not to interfere with......
Or did this happen about 18 months ago................................
