VolvoHeretic said:
Yahoo.com: “He Just Lost It In The Weather” – Audio From F-35 Crash Response Emerges
Maybe relating to the pilot losing sight of the jet after he ejected.
Several more articles follow the above news article.
the "lost it in the weather" was the pilot's report of the jet after he ejected, not his report as to why he ejected. ATC log shows that the aircraft in question had no radio contact with anyone. Not sure if that was before or after ejection, but if he was having some major electrical issue and could not resolve (complete fly-by-wire aircraft, bail out while you're in a good position), it would explain why he had to bail.
I am not a military aviator but I have read a lot of reports from people who were. In all cases where they ejected, or probably should have ejected, they were specifically told to over the radio.
Of course, if the electricals went completely TU then comms may not have been an option...
In reply to Pete. (l33t FS) :
More than a few pilots have screwed the pooch by trying to Bob Hoover their way around a broken plane. Sometimes you're only option is to punch out.
In reply to Pete. (l33t FS) :
Aircrew aren't really told / ordered to eject. What is actually happening in those situations is that observers are giving the pilot a suggestion, urgent advice.
I spent 13 years in the USMC as a ejection seat mechanic and trained aircrew and passengers on how to properly use them. I worked on the F4, F18, A4, T38, F5, and F16.
Aircrew are instructed to eject if they do not have control of the aircraft at or below 10,000ft. In the last few weeks a Marine F18 crashed in San Diego and the pilot died because he ejected out of the envelope. I'm guessing that he was trying to point the aircraft away from civilian homes. Maybe the F35 pilot had that floating in the back of his head.
We don't know what altitude the ejection took place. Or what caused the pilot to eject. Or...did the aircraft eject them automatically. The B model has an auto-eject feature. I'm pretty sure that is only in the vertical / hover phase, but I don't know for sure.
The mishap aircraft was from a training command, but we don't know if it was a new(ish) pilot, an experienced pilot transitioning from another aircraft, or an instructor.
