2 people safely eject from jet that later crashed during Thunder Over Michigan air show 8/13/2023

From another forum: The 23 is a handful under the best of circumstances. Everything on the airplane is hydraulic, including the canopy. Not a lot of time or control if the engine STB. Without hydraulics (or the engine pump that drives them), “sticking with it” or not won’t make a difference, and its going to go where it goes.
 
Yeah I think historically those engines (and the plane itself) had a pretty high failure/mishap rate. I don't believe that soviet military use jet engines of that era shared the same philosophy as ours. More like run for 500 hrs and then replace with a new one. At least that is my understanding.

Seems like a pretty reasonable explanation, especially if it failed in a catastrophic manner, like severing controls on the way out, etc.
 
If the jet was uncontrollable there is no argument to make for "sticking it out". I believe the F-18 in San Diego was uncontrollable and that was a tragedy.

If it is controllable, I think it's an open question. I think everyone thinks they'd be The Great Santini but when the rubber meets the road it would be a hell of a decision. If you decide to ride it down to be a hero - please, announce it on the radio - do it in your best Robert Mitchum "Beef, it's What's for Dinner" type voice. Say something really cool. Something intimating that ALL PILOTS, EVERYWHERE would act just as heroically. Because then it will go "viral". And everyone from Student Pilots up to ATP and everything in between will use that "wow! Pilots are cool!" vibe to bag split-tail. I mean....you're going to check out anyway - pay it forward on your way out.
 
WacoFan said:
If the jet was uncontrollable there is no argument to make for "sticking it out". I believe the F-18 in San Diego was uncontrollable and that was a tragedy.

If it is controllable, I think it's an open question. I think everyone thinks they'd be The Great Santini but when the rubber meets the road it would be a hell of a decision. If you decide to ride it down to be a hero - please, announce it on the radio - do it in your best Robert Mitchum "Beef, it's What's for Dinner" type voice. Say something really cool. Something intimating that ALL PILOTS, EVERYWHERE would act just as heroically. Because then it will go "viral". And everyone from Student Pilots up to ATP and everything in between will use that "wow! Pilots are cool!" vibe to bag split-tail. I mean....you're going to check out anyway - pay it forward on your way out.
Click to expand...

The last thing that should be said on a CVR right before you pile it in “hey! Where’d that monkey come from!?!?”
 
///AMG said:
I think one of those you are referring to was the 2008 F/A-18 mishap. Jet went into a house in the UTC area IIRC, and killed an entire family, save the father. Terrible one.
Click to expand...

MikeD said:
There was the Harrier that crashed into a house/neighborhood in El Centro a few years back, with no injuries. That may be the non-injury one he’s referring to.
Click to expand...

Yes that’s right I forgot the other was a Hornet not Harrier
 
I had to dig to the ends of the Internet to find this quote, including actually watching the movie to find the scene, but if anyone watched Into the Sun back in the early 90s, you might remember this brilliant exchange:

"You know, in the last scene a MIG has hit your hero's plane with a heatseaker. His body is riddled with bullets, the plane is going down, you know the eject lever isn't working ... and listen to what this guy says: 'I'm not going to make it - I'm going down. Tell the boys not to worry about me, I'll be flying higher than I ever flew before, straight into the sun.'"

"Are you suggesting it's not that realistic? It's supposed to have a mythic quality. No - what would you say under those circumstances?"

"Well I guess it's OK for your movie."

"No, what would you say, really?"

"If I was going to die and my jets going down? Something more like oh $%!@. Oh $%!@. OH $%!@!!!"
 
:aghast:

F3cX3kIbgAAT0Rt
 
It’s already sad if a military jet ejects and the plane crashes into a populated area. That Radisson Indy is a good example. But at least it was the military. I think I have a problem with some rich ass civilians flying a fighter jet that’s old, shady, and for nothing more than show off, that ejects and throws the airplane onto unsuspecting people below.
 
Cherokee_Cruiser said:
It’s already sad if a military jet ejects and the plane crashes into a populated area. That Radisson Indy is a good example. But at least it was the military. I think I have a problem with some rich ass civilians flying a fighter jet that’s old, shady, and for nothing more than show off, that ejects and throws the airplane onto unsuspecting people below.
Click to expand...

One of the big problems is that these airplanes are extremely expensive to maintain to the standard that the military maintained them. It’s a tall order to lay down the $$ that is constantly required to ensure they are maintained right.
 
MikeD said:
Same Flogger that lost part of its canopy at OSH. If the pilot was doing a performance routine, there shouldn’t have been a pax onboard. This will attract a good amount of FAA attention, and likely some downstream effects to LOAs of other tactical jet warbirds.
Click to expand...
I thought that was an L-39?
I wasn't there, just saw a video in passing while doomscrolling
 
WacoFan said:
If it is controllable, I think it's an open question. I think everyone thinks they'd be The Great Santini but when the rubber meets the road it would be a hell of a decision. If you decide to ride it down to be a hero - please, announce it on the radio - do it in your best Robert Mitchum "Beef, it's What's for Dinner" type voice. Say something really cool. Something intimating that ALL PILOTS, EVERYWHERE would act just as heroically. Because then it will go "viral". And everyone from Student Pilots up to ATP and everything in between will use that "wow! Pilots are cool!" vibe to bag split-tail. I mean....you're going to check out anyway - pay it forward on your way out.
Click to expand...

In (USN) carrier aviation, one of the legends is a guy by the name of "Bug" Roach. He's kind of The Godfather of the modern LSO. Worth a google, but a legendary dude nonetheless. If I recall the story correctly, he was out in an A-4 doing adversary stuff off the socal coast in the W291 complex in the early '90s when he had an engine failure. Ended up having to eject. Last thing anyone ever heard him say on the radio was "what a lousy day. Well I gotta get out of here, I'll see you guys". No chute was observed by his wingman, and he was never recovered. Cool as a cucumber until the end.

The formal "mixer" event during the annual Tailhook Association reuinion/convention, is named after him.
 
///AMG said:
In (USN) carrier aviation, one of the legends is a guy by the name of "Bug" Roach. He's kind of The Godfather of the modern LSO. Worth a google, but a legendary dude nonetheless. If I recall the story correctly, he was out in an A-4 doing adversary stuff off the socal coast in the W291 complex in the early '90s when he had an engine failure. Ended up having to eject. Last thing anyone ever heard him say on the radio was "what a lousy day. Well I gotta get out of here, I'll see you guys". No chute was observed by his wingman, and he was never recovered. Cool as a cucumber until the end.

The formal "mixer" event during the annual Tailhook Association reuinion/convention, is named after him.
Click to expand...

You see the video where he LSOs the A-6 Intruder that has to take the barrier?
 
MikeD said:
You see the video where he LSOs the A-6 Intruder that has to take the barrier?
Click to expand...

Yep, that is the all time standard. People have tried to emulate, to varying levels of success. Here is a good one, definitely still gets my heart pumping, a million miles away from ever going to the boat again, this took me right back. Of note, I don't believe we have had a barricade arrestment in well over a decade. Something something, it will result in striking a super hornet anyway, may as well conduct a controlled ejection alongside, though I don't believe this COA has been tested either. A buddy of mine nearly was in that situation, after nailing "fast eddy", the cover for one of the waist/angle cats with his left main mount on a bolter.....bent his gear assembly to the point where he couldn't bring up the gear, and he was immediately below a dirty bingo anywhere. He had one shot, and if he didn't trap, they were gonna have him eject. Listen in this video when he waves off the first time, and CAG asks his fuel state. "1.1" shiver me timbers!!!
 
///AMG said:
In (USN) carrier aviation, one of the legends is a guy by the name of "Bug" Roach. He's kind of The Godfather of the modern LSO. Worth a google, but a legendary dude nonetheless. If I recall the story correctly, he was out in an A-4 doing adversary stuff off the socal coast in the W291 complex in the early '90s when he had an engine failure. Ended up having to eject. Last thing anyone ever heard him say on the radio was "what a lousy day. Well I gotta get out of here, I'll see you guys". No chute was observed by his wingman, and he was never recovered. Cool as a cucumber until the end.

The formal "mixer" event during the annual Tailhook Association reuinion/convention, is named after him.
Click to expand...

He Bug’d out?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top