Posted on 07/23/2010 6:04:42 PM PDT by James C. Bennett
See that man in the top left of this photo? That's Captain Brian Bews and he's lucky to be alive. The skilled pilot barely managed to eject before his CF-18 fighter jet crashed to the ground during a practice flight.
The practice flight took place at Lethbridge County Airport and was apparently in preparation for the weekend airshow in Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada. There are no details as to exactly why the jet fighter went down. We do know that Captain Bews was taken to the hospital for injury treatment. [MSNBC—Thanks, Wilson!]
Here’s another good one.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EGrDia0gROs
I believe the chute takes care of that. But they say that the seat ejects with such force that it knocks the pilot out for a few seconds.
Looking at the video, seems to me it was pilot error. He was practicing a high angle of attack low level pass and stalled it. Not enough altitude to recover.
“Amazing, as long as they’re pointing up when they fire.”
No, the modern ones (depending on model) can be used when inverted assuming the pilot has adequate altitude. I think the biggest constraint is the speed of the aircraft. They’ll still go but the wind will cause serious injury.
They accelerate out at 10g and some can be used from ground level.
The most terrifying moment is when the chute doesn’t open.
Yep, 20 October 1987. there's a nice retrospective from the point of view of the first responders *here.* The Indy airport fire-rescue crash truck was on the scene within seconds of the crash, and city and township fire units weren't far behind.
Odd how Indiana seems to have so many crashes in October or a month or so thereabouts.
Halloween, 1994. American Eagle Flight 4184
Yeah, but the packer has to buy your drinks at the O-club afterward.
AKA which work at zero airspeed and zero altitude. Theoretically, at least, and in practice they're almost that good.
But you don't want to be in one that goes off while you're inside a maintenance hanger.
Looks like the engine nozzles are different. I am guessing that’s not a normal condition for this aircraft?
The engine nozzles appear to be different. I am guessing this is not a normal condition and might be an indication of engine trouble. The video also shows the plane flying low and slow (close to stall) when the crash occurred...
” AKA which work at zero airspeed and zero altitude. Theoretically, at least, and in practice they’re almost that good.”
Depends a lot of things have to work properly. I had one ride in a F16 (D model) and fortunately (for me) that plane crashed on a different flight. The backseater has the responsibility to blow the canopy in an emergency but can also choose to eject. You’ll probably survive is what I was told.
“But you don’t want to be in one that goes off while you’re inside a maintenance hanger. “
A fairly popular form of suicide among crew chiefs when I was in.
Commercial flights need one of these seats (without chute) for the next muzzie who tries to sterno his undies.
I agree — the aircraft stalled.
HST, I suspect the starboard engine lost power or failed. I have seen F-18s accelerate and climb almost vertically out of the “high alpha” flight condition at many airshows.
Compressor stall on starboard engine - the -404 will give about 32K pounds of thrust even on wet a/b - too low - too slow - too bad for the a/c
ACES saves another pilot....
Yup. Photo in post #5 shows it all.
My only experience with ejection seats was during an all-too-short jet transition training in the A-4 in the summer of 1970.
I thoroughly enjoyed flying the Scooter, and, fortunately, I never had to test the Escapac seat for proper functioning!
That little factoid has never bothered me!
Video of the crash is available here, video isn’t great but it looks like a stall to me. Air speed looks really low.
And pretty hard on the body. One of our priests was saved by same in Vietnam, but he's had to live with the results since.
Better than not living with the results.
Will confirm that. Second-hand.
You’re strapping a rocket to your butt, what else would you expect?
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