alpine_saint Posted 8 November, 2011 Posted 8 November, 2011 http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2059004/Red-Arrows-pilot-rushed-hospital-life-threatening-injuries-ejector-seat-accident.html Seem to be having a few problems recently...
Whitey Grandad Posted 8 November, 2011 Posted 8 November, 2011 It's very tricky getting the acceleration out of the aircraft to be as smooth as possible. I read the biography of the test pilot who worked for Martin-Baker (sorry, can't remember his name) and he used to demonstrate them at air shows from the back of a lorry. On an early test he was severely injured and bruised all over because there was a slight delay between the initial ejection and the firing of the rockets. My wireman was in the FAA and tells of an aircraft that returned after the pilot had pulled the ejector handle but the hood had not released, so he had to come back to the carrier anyway. They couldn't lever the hood off because as soon as they did so the seat would have fired. He had to be cut out very, very slowly.
gaz Posted 8 November, 2011 Posted 8 November, 2011 From initial reports up here, the ejector mechanism fired and the pilot went up, but the parachute failed to open. http://www.thisislincolnshire.co.uk/Red-Arrows-pilot-injured-incident-RAF-Scampton/story-13788887-detail/story.html
Um Bongo Posted 8 November, 2011 Posted 8 November, 2011 (edited) Apparently he's died. Sad news, might be the end for them now. Edited 8 November, 2011 by Um Bongo
andysstuff Posted 8 November, 2011 Posted 8 November, 2011 Confirmed by Red Arrows, ejected on the ground and didn't survive. Sad sad year for them by the looks of things.
Lighthouse Posted 8 November, 2011 Posted 8 November, 2011 What a terrible 3 months for the Reds. RIP.
Micky Posted 8 November, 2011 Posted 8 November, 2011 (edited) Bad year for the 'Arrows', but they are an iconic part of the Royal Air Force and I hope that they go on. The pilots that represent them know the dangers, and I don't think that any would want to see the team wound up. RIP Flight Lieutenant Sean Cunningham. Edited 9 November, 2011 by Micky
Jimmy_D Posted 9 November, 2011 Posted 9 November, 2011 (edited) Awful news RIP I don't think it'll be the end of the Red Arrows. The BAE Hawk T1 (aka the Red Arrow plane) is extensively used as a training aircraft and no doubt will go through a thorough investigation to try and find any inherent safety problems, but it has a very good safety record. It's also in the process of being replaced with the BAE Hawk T2 (Although I'm not sure if this includes the Red Arrows themselves), so this might speed up that replacement, but the Red Arrows are too good a recruitment tool for the RAF to be phased out, even in the face of two tragedies this close together. Edited 9 November, 2011 by Jimmy_D
Colinjb Posted 9 November, 2011 Posted 9 November, 2011 Good god, thoughts for the pilots families, but in that field the risks will always be evident, he will have passed away fulfilling his ambition.... few can say that. Not that any avoidable death will ever be acceptable.
SO16_Saint Posted 9 November, 2011 Posted 9 November, 2011 Is there really any need for the red arrows? They don't provide any real worth to the safety or security to the UK yet they are putting their life's at risk daily. If they were to die doing their day job in the raf it would be 'easier' to accept, but to die for the sake of entertainment is hard to take IMO.
trousers Posted 9 November, 2011 Posted 9 November, 2011 Is there really any need for the red arrows? They don't provide any real worth to the safety or security to the UK yet they are putting their life's at risk daily. If they were to die doing their day job in the raf it would be 'easier' to accept, but to die for the sake of entertainment is hard to take IMO. There's no need for the human race fullstop, but we all still trudge on regardless. As such, "need" is a bit of a subjective criteria for anything in life. IMHO of course. (and apologies for the uncalled for early morning philosophy lesson!) ;-)
SO16_Saint Posted 9 November, 2011 Posted 9 November, 2011 There's no need for the human race fullstop, but we all still trudge on regardless. As such, "need" is a bit of a subjective criteria for anything in life. IMHO of course. (and apologies for the uncalled for early morning philosophy lesson!) ;-) Ha, know what you mean - and no offence taken! Im just thinking that it's a waste of a life in the search of entertainment. Stick Frankie Cooccozza in there and I'd be happy
trousers Posted 9 November, 2011 Posted 9 November, 2011 Whilst it's obviously desperately sad for the family involved, I hope there aren't any knee jerk calls for the Red Arrows to consider dis-banding.
trousers Posted 9 November, 2011 Posted 9 November, 2011 Ha, know what you mean - and no offence taken! Im just thinking that it's a waste of a life in the search of entertainment. Stick Frankie Cooccozza in there and I'd be happy Who? ;-)
trousers Posted 9 November, 2011 Posted 9 November, 2011 That **** from X Factor Sounds like you're a more avid x-factor viewer than me.... ;-)
dubai_phil Posted 9 November, 2011 Posted 9 November, 2011 (edited) Is there really any need for the red arrows? They don't provide any real worth to the safety or security to the UK yet they are putting their life's at risk daily. If they were to die doing their day job in the raf it would be 'easier' to accept, but to die for the sake of entertainment is hard to take IMO. Look up the export sales of the Hawk Jet. It is just about the UK's most successful ever export Jet. The Red Arrows perform World Wide, and at each event and Air Display overseas they are linked directly into the "British Pavillion" as part of the demonstration of systems and equipment. Just about every other airforce world-wide have Display Teams linked to the sales of their equipment. Back before the Eurofighter/Typhoon project was launched the Russians put together an SU-27 Team which (tbf) knocked the spots of everyone in terms of OMG-ness, but could not come close to the Iconic Professionalism of the Arrows. Reading the press today there appears to have been some reports of RAF Valley finding cracks in teh Ejector Seats of their training jets. This may have been an unfortunate "Could have happened to any Hawk Pilot anywhere in the world" accident and one which could cost BAe a lot of money to rectify World Wide Edited 9 November, 2011 by dubai_phil
alpine_saint Posted 9 November, 2011 Author Posted 9 November, 2011 Is there really any need for the red arrows? They don't provide any real worth to the safety or security to the UK yet they are putting their life's at risk daily. If they were to die doing their day job in the raf it would be 'easier' to accept, but to die for the sake of entertainment is hard to take IMO. This. If it had been a straight choice during the Strategic Review last year between keeping the Red Arrows and an additonal squadron of Typhoons/Tornado GR4s/Harrier GR9s, I know which way I would have gone.
alpine_saint Posted 9 November, 2011 Author Posted 9 November, 2011 From initial reports up here, the ejector mechanism fired and the pilot went up, but the parachute failed to open. http://www.thisislincolnshire.co.uk/Red-Arrows-pilot-injured-incident-RAF-Scampton/story-13788887-detail/story.html Must be something like this, ejector seats should normally save the pilot, even if fired from the ground.
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