British F35B down in the Med

[bob2s]

Don't forget to turn it up the other way as well.

True, the water will drain a lot quicker.

[Boac]

....and the airy fairies will be able to get in more easily, of course.

[FD2]

Why are the boys and girls of 617 called 'airy fairies'? That's normally reserved for fishead v wafu jibes!

[Boac]

Well, I do believe there are some in 617?

[FD2]

I admit there was a mid-blue tint to the pilots being trained for the first squadron in a documentary a while back. Having scowled at some of the traditional film makers tricks of trying to make dramas out of ordinary events and introduce silly 'deadlines' I began to lose interest.

No doubt there will be a documentary about the first deployment of HMS QE soon and we can find out more about the aircrew mix.

[FD2]

The 617 Squadron F35 crash findings have been released by the MOD - surprise, surprise it was en engine blank left in place on the port engine. Expensive error but should those responsible be treated any differently than if it had happened to a 'cheaper' aircraft? https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2022/0 ... jet-crash/



Plastic engine cover blunder to blame for F-35 fighter jet crash

Pilot forced to eject on take-off from HMS Queen Elizabeth after the object was left in place and then sucked into the machine
By Dominic Nicholls, Associate Editor 8 September 2022 • 6:18pm


A British F-35 fighter jet crashed into the sea last year after a plastic cover left on the aircraft was sucked into an engine, a Ministry of Defence report has confirmed.

The stealth fighter crashed in the Mediterranean Sea during an attempted take-off from HMS Queen Elizabeth last November.

After a three-week search, the aircraft was found on the seabed in “significant large parts” according to a Ministry of Defence spokesman at the time.

The interim crash investigation report said the "primary causal factor" of the accident was a plastic cover, that was designed to protect the engine from debris, had been left inside the aircraft prior to flight and was sucked into the machine.

When the aircraft tried to take off the pilot noticed the left-hand engine was not producing enough power. The pilot tried to abort the take-off but was too close to the end of the ship to stop in time and had to eject.

[CharlieOneSix]

I haven't seen the text of the MOD report but surely it didn't say as quoted in the Telegraph "the left engine was not producing enough power"? Raymond Baxter must be turning in his grave at the standard of aviation journalism nowadays.

[Boac]

I saw the 'interview' with the RN pilot (Hux') on the Warship programme last night in which he said he realised early on that he was not going to achieve flying speed off the ramp and had (unsuccessfully) tried to abort. My query is why is there no SOP in carrier F35 ops to angle a stricken jet off to one side before leaving the ramp. The thought of a big lump of metal running right over me and my jet does not seem encouraging, and I reckon he was extremely lucky not to have died in the accident.

[Ex-Ascot]

I saw the 'interview' with the RN pilot (Hux') on the Warship programme last night in which he said he realised early on that he was not going to achieve flying speed off the ramp and had (unsuccessfully) tried to abort. My query is why is there no SOP in carrier F35 ops to angle a stricken jet off to one side before leaving the ramp. The thought of a big lump of metal running right over me and my jet does not seem encouraging, and I reckon he was extremely lucky not to have died in the accident.

I thought that he was Royal Air Force. 617 Sqn.

You would know better than most of us but I thought that if the ship goes over you and you are in the water you count to 10? pull the handle and your seat inflates a thing that takes you to the surface behind the ship. Happened to one of my Navs who was on secondment to the Royal Navy. Unfortunately the pilot died.

Do we know if 'Hux' was disciplined? This was a huge cock up on his pre flight walk around and a bit of an addition to his mess bill.

[Boac]

I thought that he was Royal Air Force. 617 Sqn.

617 is a 'joint' RN/RAF squadron.

If the ship goes over you and you are in the water

The problem was in this case it was either the F35 'disaster recognition' software initiating the ejection or 'Hux' pulling the handle (don't think we know) so the option was not there.

[Ex-Ascot]

617 is a 'joint' RN/RAF squadron.

Sorry Sir but no such thing. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No._617_Squadron_RAF

They are flying with the Royal Navy on detachment.

Hux is/was a Flying Officer.

[CharlieOneSix]

.......Hux is/was a Flying Officer.

Unless RAF pilots have taken to wearing RN flying overalls, Lieutenant 'Hux' is very much a Fleet Air Arm officer.

hux.jpg (34.7 KiB) Viewed 393 times

The problem was in this case it was either the F35 'disaster recognition' software initiating the ejection or 'Hux' pulling the handle (don't think we know) so the option was not there.

In the final episode of the TV programme, Hux described "pulling the handle" when he ejected.

The command of 617 Squadron changed in May 2022 when Commander Mark Sparrow RN handed back command of the Squadron to an RAF pilot, Wing Commander David Tait. In April 2020 Cdr Sparrow made history as the first Royal Navy Officer to take command of 617 Squadron, the front line operational Squadron made up of Royal Air Force and Royal Navy personnel operating the F-35B Lightning.

[Boac]

In the final episode of the TV programme, Hux described "pulling the handle" when he ejected.

Indeed, C16, but I suspect he may have been 'simplifying' things for the masses. The jet has an auto-initiate ejection given certain parameters (you have to hope it doesn't go off at the wrong moment, of course, as the actress said to the bishop.)