Womb Syndrome ?
 

No, not the process whereby babies result from aircrew returning from detachments.

I have heard the phrase "womb syndrome" used in connection with pilots who waited too long to eject in an emergency - something to do with the natural urge not to leave a nice comfy cockpit.

Anyone heard it (or any similar phrase) before ?

No.

.......................

I've never heard of it but I do understand the concept. As a young airman and keen parachutist, I thought the prospect of banging out would be exciting.... until my first backseat trip in a fast jet when I felt I was quite happy and warm strapped in the rear and wanted to remain there.

Not quite the same, but interesting phenomena just before you jump out of a perfectly good aircraft.
They open the door, and suddenly you become incredibly aware that the ground is a helluva long way away and that it is actually a huge open void that you are going to leap out into...

When it's the back of a Herc, you don't have the luxury of er, thinking about it.

CG

True, but in my experiance the huge open void doesn't hurt you, but when you finally reach that desired, far-away ground it often does...

PDR

It is the last inch that hurts...

The secret to a person flying is to throw yourself at the ground..and miss. (Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy I believe)

Actually, I'd suggest it's the first inch.

Good link ORAC, as always.

I have always been mentally prepared to 'throw a jet away' but that was always the stumbling block for me as it is often the final admission of "Oops, I'ved c0cked this up. Time to leave".

So the 'womb thing' never really goes through my head, but the 'what will my mates/boss say' is more likely to feature. Especially as the 'Just Culture' is more formalised in writing than it ever has been, it has removed the chance of 'self denial'!

LJ

As the OP is currently in the US were they have a penchant for catchy descriptive phrases it would possibly be of US origin.

Sounds like head-shrinker horse$hit to me!

You have a serious problem and you are equipped - you go!!

Pontius - I refuse to have my grammar corrected by someone who originated from the Wirral :E

Never heard that term before, but there may be an element of truth in it where premeditated ejection is concerned. I have in my former life spoken to several "ejectees" all of whom were eternally grateful to MB and the life saving seat.

A far distant one in time (late 80s) was a premeditated ejection from a SHAR over Portland bay. This took time for the pilot to gather his thoughts and it took him (if memory serves me right) 3 goes of "right I am ejecting now" before he finally went. The aircraft was flyable, warm and cosy, but no way could it be recovered safely so had to be vacated via the bang-seat option. On the other hand, a more recent one in a Tucano was "****, can't recover" and the handle was pulled. Training and instinct saved the pilot. One had time to ponder, the other did not.

"Head shrinker horse.sh....". +1 to that. Just the sort of unprovable nonsense they seem to love these days. That said, denial is a powerful force affecting the way airborne emergencies of all levels get dealt with

Interesting theory-I've sat in a few FJ cockpits but never had a trip. For me its like being a kid in a sweet shop but of course flying in FJ's is a very noisy and hazardous occupation for you professionals out there.


Always thought if I ever got a fast jet trip and did get the command to go then I'd be pulling the handle pretty sharpish (self preservation) given that someone in the front seat would be in a much better position to decide on what I should be doing than I would be!

I seem to recall someone having a ride in the rear of one of the Sparrows Hawks and wondering what it might be like to eject.
So he did!

I was once standing on the edge of the open tail of an Argosy taking photos of the FEAF free fall para team as they exited. My instructions were to lean out as far as possible to get good shots as they fell away. I was firmly attached with a strop, but nevertheless I was scared sh**less and I remember thinking at the time if I had had a parachute I'd much rather have jumped than continue standing in that terrifying position.

Ironically for ions people were selected for that 'pilot-attitude'....:suspect:

http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/...14_306x575.jpg

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...gine-fire.html

I can think of only one delayed ejection, the pilot was still trying to fly the aircraft despite the nav insistence it was going to crash (it did). Eventually at very low level they got out. Don't think it was womb syndrome though..on the other hand all my pilots/Navs who ejected did so asap.

I recall the sad loss of Pete Thompson at Tengah. I have a fairly clear recollection of the event, which impacted on me quite strongly as I'd been socialising with Pete and others the evening before.

https://books.google.je/books?id=CVW...ection&f=false

To add a bit more flesh to that outline, he was newly-arrived at Tengah, and it was his first trip in the F.6 there [after a couple of T.5 sorties], with his sqn ldr flt cdr flying as No. 2. He was downwind when the fire light came on, so the temptation to carry on and land must have been strong. Likewise, it being the first trip on a 74 Sqn F.6, it would also tempt him not to discard the aircraft Despite his flt cdr telling him to eject, he pressed on. The aircraft suddenly pitched up and fell out of the sky, and it was suddenly too late and too low ...

... and that eventually led to the discovery that the elevator control rods would burn through if there was a reheat bay fire [where, IIRC, there was no fire extinguisher capability].

A very sad day.

I too recall this tragic event. Pete, a great friend, would have survived as he rode up the rails as the Lightning hit the ground but died through asphyxiation caused by drowning in the swamp

Yes indeed ... not a nice way to go. The Mess was very subdued that night.

Sorry for the loss of your friend.

Sounds a bit like when Rob Woods banged Pablo Mason out of their soon to crash GR1 at Laarbruch in 91.