Auto ejection?

[GroundPounder]

I saw the video over the weekend of a Spanish Typhoon that crashed into the ocean during an airshow display, and it appeared that there was a least a few seconds where it was obvious that the aircraft was not capable of recovering.

Without speculation on this indent specifically, it would seem that it could be written into the software that when certain conditions were met that an ejection could be initiated automatically. If you got to X altitude with Y sink-rate, and it would not be physically possible to recover then it would start the ejection.
This would be the last chance to save aircrew that were unconscious or otherwise incapacitated.

I'm thinking that among other things:

1. It would prevent someone from sacrificing themselves to steer away from the convent and orphans.
2. An unconscious or unready pilot would not be in the correct physical position to eject with higher chances of injury?
3. Distrust of putting such an irreversible action in the hands of an automated process?

And yes, I should be actually working rather than posing questions to the internet that don't concern me.

 

[sevenhelmet]

F-35B has something like that in hover mode. If the lift fan fails in a certain way, it can induce a rapid nose-down pitching moment that exceeds pilot reaction time. Not sure of the specifics, but I've been told that if that failure mode is detected, the system automatically initiates ejection.

However, I think the solution you really want for CFIT is an Automatic Ground Collision Avoidance System (AGCAS). It can automatically recover the jet and save both aircraft and pilot, addresses all 3 of your concerns noted above, and won't randomly eject aircrew in the event of a malfunction. AGCAS has already saved lives in aircraft such as the F-16 and F-22, among others. I believe the Typhoon has AGCAS as well, which raises some interesting questions about how yesterday's horrific mishap could have happened. However, I'll stop short of any speculation on that topic.

 

[xj220]

FYI, it was an Italian Typhoon. The pilot was a classmate of mine from TPS.

 

[Uncle Fester]

I dunno. I’ve just seen too many flight data systems spit out bad data to ever trust one with the bang seat.

 

[HuggyU2]

1. It would prevent someone from sacrificing themselves to steer away from the convent and orphans.

Despite how many time you read about the "hero pilot steering away from the school", it almost always speculation by wishful bystanders, and almost never factual.

 

[GroundPounder]

Despite how many time you read about the "hero pilot steering away from the school", it almost always speculation by wishful bystanders, and almost never factual.

That's been my impression from things that I have read, but not being a mil pilot, I was not going to say it. We've had two incidents here ( General Aviation ) that have reported as such, that were no such thing.

 

[sevenhelmet]

Despite how many time you read about the "hero pilot steering away from the school", it almost always speculation by wishful bystanders, and almost never factual.

Exactly. This is 100% urban legend. There is rarely, if ever, sufficient time to steer a jet fighter away from anything when the situation calls for immediate ejection. I'm sure you could dig and find a case where it has happened, but it's definitely not a design consideration for in-flight escape systems.

 

[nugget81]

However, I think the solution you really want for CFIT is an Automatic Ground Collision Avoidance System (AGCAS). It can automatically recover the jet and save both aircraft and pilot, addresses all 3 of your concerns noted above, and won't randomly eject aircrew in the event of a malfunction. AGCAS has already saved lives in aircraft such as the F-16 and F-22, among others. I believe the Typhoon has AGCAS as well, which raises some interesting questions about how yesterday's horrific mishap could have happened.

The AGCAS in the Super Hornet software that Boeing developed can be overridden by pressing the paddle switch. The autopilot engages once a certain threshold is met, so it makes sense that the pilot can shut it off the same way he normally would. Also of note, the F/A-18 TACDEMO teams unbox GPWS (ground proximity warning system) as so not to set off bitching Betty while executing high performance maneuvers close to the ground. Presumably unboxing that would also disable AGCAS.

 

[EODDave]

And one day, when the Navy gets off its ass, we might have AGCAS. I swear, the Navy can't get out of its own way sometimes. Always late to the party when it comes to stuff like this.

 

[Hopeful Hoya]

Is there any reason that the Hornet doesn't have AGCAS other than $$$?

 

[pourts]

Is there any reason that the Hornet doesn't have AGCAS other than $$$?

Bad leadership decisions from those at the top.

 

[HuggyU2]

Is there any reason that the Hornet doesn't have AGCAS other than $$$?

It lost out in the budget process to a very modern ILS receiver.

 

[Brett327]

And one day, when the Navy gets off its ass, we might have AGCAS. I swear, the Navy can't get out of its own way sometimes. Always late to the party when it comes to stuff like this.

Do you want AGCAS or a reliable OBOGS, or GCUs and brakes in the supply system? You can't have everything. You act as though the services have unlimited resources. What are your priorities?

 

[Hotdogs]

Do you want AGCAS or a reliable OBOGS, or GCUs and brakes in the supply system? You can't have everything. You act as though the services have unlimited resources. What are your priorities?

Hahaha Brett just made the F-18 community chose between usable brakes and a working OBOGS...that's some great 5 sided wind tunnel shit right there. (Brett I see your point but it's just funny conceptually thinking about that scenario).

 

[Brett327]

Hahaha Brett just made the F-18 community chose between usable brakes and a working OBOGS...that's some great 5 sided wind tunnel shit right there. (Brett I see your point but it's just funny conceptually thinking about that scenario).

It's funny, and tragic, but it's the reality we live in. This isn't 1983 where DOD gets everything it wants. We have to accept the reality in which we operate and acknowledge that we have difficult choices to make. Tone deafness works both ways.