CF-18 Ejection
 

Photoblog - Pilot ejects an instant before fighterjet crashes

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1280029524.jpg

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1280029625.jpg

Large attachments.

I wonder what the story is on why he ejected?

Because he was gonna crash. SmileWavy

I've looked at this video and it looks like the plane was almost upside down when he ejected, yet the trajectory of the set was up. Is there some sort of automatic directional control on which direction the seat (and pilot) goes?

yep.

Yikes! I bet he was going fast and ran out of space to slow down..

The fricken AWESOME Martin-baker ejection seat is a zero-zero seat meaning zero altitude/zero airspeed capable safe envelope ejection seat. also it has a gyro stabilized system that self rights from unusual attitudes at or near ground level. 2M worth of safety! Ask any pilot!!!!
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1280033755.jpg
sweet

Worse...
 

... then that. It's that stupid "up to 10% Ethanol" crap :D:D:D

Looks like leading edge slats and flaps were out and it also looks like the port turkey feathers are open and the Starboard engine is tightened up.

That pretty much redefines "bad day at the office".

I speculate he was doing some sort of low speed / High drag demo like a high AOA pass and lost the STBD turbine. The F-18 doesn't yaw terribly bad when you lose an engine in the normal flight envelope, but in a high thrust maneuver.. just speculating.

yep engine out, asymmetric thrust, slow speed, beyond the capability of the aircraft, computer recommends ejection, BOOM!

It's like one of those pictures of the sun.

http://www.newsvine.com/_vine/images...ng/4739190.jpg

The Sun - Visual Tour of the Solar System - The Sun
http://z.about.com/d/space/1/0/Y/Q/sun_tour.jpg

High thrust?

In an F-18....?

LOL

Scary is ejecting and then having the fireball just about right under your butt.

It appears as if you nailed it with the "low speed pass" speculation. I found a link:

KXLH | Helena, Montana - News, Weather, Sports | Fighter jet crashes in Lethbridge, pilot ejects safely

They make nice bar chairs, too... :)http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1280086628.jpg

I hope the bar setup owner rigged the handles so the seat vibrates, or goes pop, or something when you pull the handles. You know somebody will.

I want that, I want that!!

Even an f-18 has a 100% thrust setting.

The engine is a GE 404 afterburning turboshaft engine. Around 18,000 lb thrust each (in burner)
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1280116479.jpg
testing on the fantail, kinda loud but you can ski behind the carrer!

So does my Cessna.

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Amazing photography.

The way the plane yawed I suspect that he lost an engine.

It appears he was attempting this maneuver

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Man, that ejection looks violent!:eek:

I don't think there's any such thing as a 'calm' ejection...

Hmmm....high alpha.

I remember one time, in the Army we were talking about helicopter crash fatalities( I was in Aviation). One of the guys said they should just put ejection seats in copters. Everyone in the hanger just looked at him and did a face palm.:D

I think the Russians did that. the blades blew off then the pilot was ejected.

I like the Bee Gee's music in the crash video, "staying alive"!

Ejection seat - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Kamov Ka-50, which entered service with Russian forces in 1995, was the first production helicopter to be fitted with an ejection seat. The system is very similar to that of a conventional fixed-wing aircraft; the main rotors are equipped with explosive bolts and are designed to disintegrate moments before the seat rocket is fired. Prototype #9 (s/n 66-8834) of the AH-56 Cheyenne was fitted with downward firing ejection seats in 1970 after a fatal testing accident the previous year.

The 'after' pic
Spotted when I was in Lethbridge yesterday:

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1280495071.jpg

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1280495139.jpg

Back in the bad old days, the Russians sold a lot of cheaper ejector seats on the strength of this photo

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1280511620.jpg

MIG-29 that lost a motor during the same type of pass at the 1989 Paris air show. (Chance photo by a spectator that heard the crowd noise and pressed the shutter by reflex). If you look, you can see the seat against the roof...

Are you suggesting that is the plane that crashed?? :confused:

I think that the crashed plane would be in about 1000 hefty bags. :cool:

Yeah, I'd say so. At the end of the crash video, you can see that the rear fuse stayed pretty much intact.

It looks to me that approx. 6 seconds elapsed between the canopy popping off and the pilots feet touching the ground. Can an individual be aware of what is happening in that short amount of time givin the violent nature of an ejection ?

The plane was surprisingly intact after the crash, I'd say that's it.
Pilot had nothing but praise about the ejection seat.;)

Not the plane that crashed...no way, no how.

It hit a fairly low speed. Its totaled.. but might be in one big piece.

What a ride! I had a college professor that pop'ed out of an F-4.. he complained he lost an inch in the process! (broke both his wrists too)


I thought I head a story where Martin-baker hosts a dinner ever year for all the people who successfully used there products. I know for sure they at least get a Tie from M-B