F-35B test jet crashes in New Mexico, pilot ejects safely but sustains injuries

Breaking Defense ^ | May 29, 2024 at 12:25 PM | Michael Marrow

[Alas Babylon!]

Most of the employed civilian pilots are former military, but not all. In any case, the designation “Fighter pilot” isn’t a lifetime appointment. Recertification has to happen often.

Physical or mental ailments and disorders, even those that came on after initial certification, are very often career-ending and get you grounded, permanently, thru no fault of your own.

This includes: Getting too old, low oxygen blood levels, high blood pressure, near and far sightedness, fat, out of shape, a mood disorder, insomnia, heart disease, blood clots—all kinds of things.

Many of these guys getting permanently grounded go on to be test or shuttle pilots for airlines, aircraft companies, etc.

However, they are then no longer fighter pilots.

I simply came here to tell you that the pilot that ejected from this particular aircraft was not a fighter pilot but rather a civilian. You insisted that the miliary (correct if I’m wrong) needed every fighter pilot they could get, so he counts?

I think what it comes down to is as follows:

There are all kinds of pilots out there. Some fly for fun, some for work. Some work as civilian pilots, and we trust our very lives with them. Their skills are proven and valuable. Most, but not all, civilian pilots come from the military. The Air Force has very strict rules on who can be a fighter pilot, that is a combatant, that go far beyond flying. The Navy and Marine Corps, also.

[equaviator]

“the military (correct if I’m wrong) needed every fighter pilot they could get, so he counts?”

I would say that yes, he does or that at least he could. Test pilot, instructor pilot...Yeah, we need them now, and I’d like to see the BRAC (or whatever authority it would be) reopen a few of the USAF bases it closed back in the 90’s.