What's the explanation behind this picture???

[T37Driver]

http://joatmoaf.typepad.com/photos/uncategorized/cockpit.jpg

 

[handjive]

Command Ejection Selector: AFT SELF/FORWARD BOTH

It is for toting around VIPs (or the unititiated) in the back seat. Guy in the back panics, pee's his pants, pulls the handle and ejects. It allows the real pilot to still fly the plane.

It leads to a very embarassing day for the handle-jockey, but saves the Navy several million dollars.

 

[Schnugg]

http://www.safetycenter.navy.mil/media/approach/issues/marapr04/IveLostMyRIO.htm

 

[theblakeness]

good article

 

[A4sForever]

Looks like my A-6 (once) in the 70's ... but my B/N stayed with me as I owed him some $$$$$ .. By the way ... very noisy ...

 

[Whatsisname]

Man I wish they'd fly me around in the back seat for awhile.

 

[Mayday]

Hey A4's. What about wind? I've flown in a Katana (little VFR-only fiberglass basically powered glider) after punching off the canopy, and that's at 125kts at the fastest. Roughly as fun as speeding on a superbike without a helmet - minus the fear of fatal roadrash. I can't imagine what it's like at 135kts minimum. Does your head get buffeted, or does the cockpit divert the air enough to keep noise as your primary hassle? Did you have to trap on that one, or did you land on a strip somewhere? I'm interested in the full story.

 

[Jedj]

oh how a simple inverted check can go so wrong, typical SWO

 

[Dunedan]

Yeah. Never give a ride to a Shoe....

 

[Kycntryboy]

May be an ignorant question but what if the pilot blacks out? and the RIO is the only one that can punch it?

 

[squeeze]

the only time you ever really set it to FWD BOTH/AFT SELF is when you give VIPs or non-aviators a ride.... you know, dumb@sses who are apt to pull the handle

Otherwise, either seat can initiate the ejection sequence.

 

[A4sForever]

Hey A4's ... What about wind?

.... Did you have to trap on that one, or did you land on a strip somewhere? I'm interested in the full story.

HEY MAYDAY !!!
Yes, I frequently have "wind" these days --- I don't really appreciate you bringing it up on a public forum, however.

Oh, that other thing? @ 350 KIAS when it happened, no buffet , mega/maxi-noise, could not hear the radio until the pattern as a result, IMC/VFR conditions, B/N and I communicating with each other with hand signals -- usually starting and ending with a middle finger, lots of cursing, landed at the field --- no carriers for US on that day !!!

SEMPER FIDELIS !!

 

[Goober]

From the story:

"Negative, my RIO ejected. I'm still flying the plane."

"OK. Understand your RIO ejected. You're flying the plane, and you're OK?"

I almost said I was far from OK, but I just told them I was all right, except I was flying a convertible.

Just conjures up images of Ving Rhames from Pulp Fiction: "I'm pretty f***ing far from ok."

 

[SteveG75]

If I remember my A-6E NATOPS correctly, wasn't it:

Canopy max speed:

150 KIAS to close
200 KIAS to open
250 KIAS with it open

I do remember canopies popping open an inch or so on heavy cat shots. Just had to close it before the pilot isolated the secondary combined.