NovemberEcho
Dergs favorite member
Looks like something went wrong doing VTOL or hover based on the vid
F-35 crash Eielson AFB
- Thread starter NovemberEcho
- Start date
Looks like something went wrong doing VTOL or hover based on the vid
BobDDuck
Island Bus Driver
I don't think that is a B model.
NovemberEcho
Dergs favorite member
Oh yeah duh lol. Maybe the pilot forgot too
Pilot Fighter
Well-Known Member
I’m not familiar with stability augmentation on the F-35. Curious if system kept doing its job after pilot gave up.
Wardogg
Meat Popsicle
If this isnt the VTOL model how did he get below the aircraft in his chute?
Autothrust Blue
Welcome aboard the Washington State Ferries
Glad the pilot is out.
The most expensive weapons system in United States history, and that's saying something.
The most expensive weapons system in United States history, and that's saying something.
Pilot Fighter
Well-Known Member
Yeah, would take some crazy mushing about.
Anybody care to explain why this can’t be a B? Could upper intake “doors” be closed? Other clues?
Edit: Pleased to be informed that they are actually called doors.
NovemberEcho
Dergs favorite member
It’s part of an Air Force squadron. AF only flies A models.
And the pilot probably ejected while inverted or free fell below the jet before chute opened, as the jet doesn’t appear to be falling very fast.
Pilot Fighter
Well-Known Member
Missed headline, the F-35 identifying as a falling leaf caught my attention as did my prayers to see a chute.
Murdoughnut
Well sized member
Oh man, I came here to post the same thing.
Could’ve possibly zoomed the jet to get an upward vector on ejection, assuming he had enough control to do that. Unfortunately, video doesn’t start until after.
ppragman
FLIPY FLAPS!
Like I'm glad the pilot got out, but those things are so freaking expensive, I literally cannot un-see how expensive they are... the "fly away price" is something like $100m? And it's like $300-$500m per aircraft over the entire lifetime of the airframe? That's something like 2-12 schools depending on how you reckon... we could have also ended global hunger for 50 years with the cost of that program, which might mean we don't need a bunch of F35s?
Would be cool to fly one though... they seem kind of neat. I suppose they oughta for that kind of money. Though the seat looks uncomfortable and there does not appear to be a cupholder.
///AMG
Well-Known Member
Word I heard is the thing did an uncommanded pitch up to 90 ish degrees nose high, as they tried to get a failed landing gear to retract. Too slow, especially for that kind of attitude. Which might explain the "he was below the airplane in his chute" confusion
Wardogg
Meat Popsicle
Gear down and locked is your friend. Why would you ever try and get it to come up with alternate methods. If it doesn’t go up the first time, land.
NovemberEcho
Dergs favorite member
Unrelated but saw this model today
ppragman
FLIPY FLAPS!
...wtf?
yeah, I don't know why on god's green earth you would try to pull the gear up through some alternative means if... you know, they didn't
I've had like 5 times where the gear didn't come up after takeoff because something that I was 99% sure about then didn't want to go land at the random ass village so I flew back with them down. It was basically the exact same scenario every time:
"Oh, dammit, there must be a bunch of snow or mud up there, •, we probably shouldn't have come out here so soon after the storm" Did I frantically try to cycle the gear to get them to come up? No. No, I moved the handle back to "down" and prayed that it was mud and ice, and when I got 3 green, I breathed a huge sigh of relief then didn't touch it again until I landed back in town and could have maintenance look at it...
But if they didn't come up after leaving the base where I live and have a slew of trained mechanics to help fix the problem then I damn sure wouldn't do anything but say, "oh, bummer" and fly back and land. I do not understand that logic at all and if it is true that's really bad.