004 - Ejection Seats

[@krparham0187]

Love your podcasts. My father was an A-7E Corsair II pilot BU#159993 and received a cold shot from CAT-3 aboard the USS Kennedy. He ejected and safely however the carrier created a massive wave that engulfed his parachute and he drowned. This event took place on 6/22/1978 and apparently the Commanding Officer Jerry Tuttle gave the go ahead to utilize a backup emergency faulty catapult system that resulted in my father's death. His name is LT. Bill Kinkade attached to VA-46 Clansmen. There is no mention of his death or what happened. I look up his Bureau #159993 and it just states fell off deck of USS J.F. Kennedy and lost at sea. No name or recognition of my father's sacrifice to his country. I wasn't sure if you could shed any light on this situation. Thank you sir.

[@FighterPilotPodcast]

You might reach out to the Navy History and Heritage Command (www.history.navy.mil/) to see if they can provide any information.

[@krparham0187]

The Fighter Pilot Podcast Thank you and I did.

[@therocinante3443]

I understand this is an early episode but this seems severely under viewed! Awesome episode fellas!

[@donhatland6100]

The B1-b has a selector switch for ejection. If a back seater leaves his seat he can disable the the ejection for his seat.

[@ewenriordan6614]

Don Hatland it would SUCK if you heard the seats go off come back and yours is gone

[@paulloveless4122]

Well, I'm on 4 of 120 something. Cant wait!

[@FighterPilotPodcast]

Welcome, Paul, but pace yourself! After you catch up you'll have to wait 10 days between episodes. 🤩

[@paulloveless4122]

@@FighterPilotPodcast I think I'll be ok....for now haha. I came on the recommendation of Mini Air Crash Investigation. Thanks for delivering awesome content.

[@FighterPilotPodcast]

@@paulloveless4122 You're welcome. 😎

[@dewizle5026]

As a Former AME this episode is near and dear to me. In my career, I have 2 ejections and 4 lives saved during my time in the Navy, the first one as an Airman and the last as a AME1 who was the CDQAR who bottom lined all the maintenance on the seats used that day other than the birth of my kids that is the most significant day in my life. My crew ejected out the envelope of the seat and survived Apr 1st, 2003. kzbin.info/www/bejne/n2GUdYOwordrj6c

[@jasonsong86]

What happened in that video?

[@dewizle5026]

@@jasonsong86 #1 Hyd failure and ship didn't follow natops to tow ac out of landing area since the bird had no brakes nose wheel steering.

[@pontiacGXPfan]

I read about this. Him and Basher(Michael Christopher Blasch) had to bail out of a Tomcat and Basher didn't make it

[@FighterPilotPodcast]

Correct.

[@FD1CE]

It's an amazing and super valuable, and impressive series of podcasts. I've just started to hear these treasures more orderly. Kudos to all freedom fighters

[@recoverydog]

Who has the unwanted record of most ejections?

[@FighterPilotPodcast]

Not sure, but a former simulator instructor in Meridian, MS had three. I used to work for a guy who had two from F-14s and he walked like an old man.

[@C420sailor]

@@FighterPilotPodcast 'Lucky'! What a legend. His sims though... #PTSD

[@stephenfowler4115]

I can see an obvious improvement that could be made to the ejection seat in the photo.

[@mxcollin95]

Really interesting talk.

[@ShamuXEagleDriver]

Listener questions start at 3:45 Ejection discussion at 14:25 Became a "Caterpiller Club" member on 18 Apr 2005 after jettisoning a engineless Viper over Charleston SC 😯

[@dinislopes5671]

Is this podcast available on Spotify?

[@tabascoindy5005]

Martin Baker were using bears in testing these seats

[@FighterPilotPodcast]

Why would they do that? Their bodies are way different shaped, and usually much heavier.

[@tabascoindy5005]

@@FighterPilotPodcast no idea. Its the USAF way of doing thing. I guess bears got less human rights than humans and no families to deal with if things go wrong. Thx 4 great podcast

[@FighterPilotPodcast]

@@tabascoindy5005 You’re welcome. I’d be interested in some evidence to substantiate that claim.

[@tabascoindy5005]

@@FighterPilotPodcast youtube got videos of bears getting free joyrides in ejection seats. Im not that lucky😵

[@simflier8298]

Seat is definitely for survivability and not comfort. Hard seeing navy films of crews ejecting from stricken aircraft and not making it. The worse was an F4 launching from the bow of Midway i think. The RIOs canopy came off during the stroke. His parachute drew out, waving as the plane continued. Plane went up then nose-dove into the sea. Terrible water explosion. Both parished. So sad. Ill never forget that.

[@FighterPilotPodcast]

Yuck. I'd say. I watched two friends perish in an S-3 off the waist catapult. They ejected upside down straight into the ocean. No good.

[@simflier8298]

I remember you mentioning it. I think ive seen that footage a while back. Aviation is definitely risky business. Thank you for your service in a very dangerous job

[@FighterPilotPodcast]

Thanks, Louie. Happy to do it and glad I never had to ride one of these seats! (That S-3 video used to be on KZbin but I think they took it down because I can't find it anymore.)

[@simflier8298]

Right on! We get to enjoy a healthy Jell-O on a great podcast. Keep it up! You're making a difference

[@finixhawkeye3213]

My brother is Indian Air Force Air Marshal Diptendu Choudhury. He had a couple of Ejections. He is also the first Su30Mki driver in IAF. So if you want. I can hook you up.

[@yxeaviationphotog]

I see you added the low level CF-18 ejection, from 2010, to the episode playlist. "Boozer", the demo pilot for that year, is a friend of mine. Had actually visited with him (and the demo jet) about a week or so before that ejection.

[@FighterPilotPodcast]

Yikes!

[@yxeaviationphotog]

@@FighterPilotPodcast Indeed! Led to the high alpha pass being dropped from the 2011 demo routine, pending the outcome of the investigation. A stuck ratio boost piston, in the right engine, is what led to the right engine not being able to go above idle thrust. Back then, a vertical climb, in afterburner, was initiated to recover from the high alpha. So, aysemmetic thrust, departure, ejection. He did get dragged on the ground, briefly, after a shroud wrapped around his leg. Luckliy, members of the Canadian Military parachute team came to his aid, released one of the Koch fittings and collapsing the chute. Spent six months recovering from back and muscle injury. High alpha was brought back in 2012 and the recovery was changed to pushing the nose down to level.