Is the Air Force's F-22 fighter jet making pilots sick?

Two military pilots won't fly the F-22 Raptor, the Air Force's most sophisticated fighter plane, because they say a lack of oxygen during flight is causing disorientation and worse. Lesley Stahl reports.

[@ralfidude]

Because they just found out recently that its not the oxygen thats screwed up, its the G suit that inflates when the aircraft is NOT pulling G's, therefor restricting the pilot's oxygen indirectly.

[@pergrytt8427]

cobra snake strategy

[@DaisyDammit]

They MUST fix this. My uncle crashed an F-22 in 2009. He was a very experienced pilot. How many more must die??

[@piloto34HD]

The Viagra part just killed it. lolololol

[@wan_otakkiridesign]

🤣🤣🤣

[@Vicvines]

i saw a story where the air force actually said that the pilot who died was distracted by his lack of oxygen. They say it was the pilot's fault for crashing because he was distracted... by not being able to breathe... whaaaaaat the fuuuuuuuck?

[@cas343]

There's 4 kinds of hypoxia: - Hypoxic: caused by reduced O2 in the blood. - Stagnant: caused by hard acceleration on the body. - Histotoxic: some contaminant such as CO or alcohol taking the place of O2 in hemoglobin. - Hypemic Hypoxia: CO2 levels drop and you can't absorb any more oxygen (hyperventilation). The F-22 pilots had 3 of these. I've done hypobaric training and the onset of hypoxia is quite insidious. You won't notice until its almost too late.

[@user-xw4hn7lb3x]

Nah. It is the PAO fluid leaking into the OBOGS and they are breathing it in.

[@martypoynter9806]

Created by extreme G forces?

[@cas343]

@@martypoynter9806 lol hey it's been awhile since I flew hasn't it. They said it was due to G forces but that doesn't explain the black gunk they were coughing up.

[@raulgutierrez560]

@@cas343They said it was the carbon filter.

[@Kymv8382]

It's not really surprising that the body has adverse reactions to going 1500 mph pulling 8-9 G's regularly. You can build these insanely advanced aircraft's but that doesn't mean the pilots are physiologically capable of handling it.

[@ChristiaanBurgel]

If speed and G's would be the cause, these problems would have been occurring with many other fighter jets aswel.

[@zoltancsikos5604]

@@ChristiaanBurgel Exactly. It is the fault of the F-22.

[@buzzkanter]

Amazing men doing something very brave. Well done!

[@MetalMilitia6g7x]

I don't consider myself an aerospace engineer by any means but looking over the design makes me question if the unit is able to produce enough oxygen at high altitudes and during high speed maneuvers. Does the unit take into account the variables presented by atmospheric changes as well as change in engine speed?

[@abramstank8474]

maybe they're breathing in the jets exhaust.

[@donovan9356]

Abrams Tank you are probably right

[@gosugosu1280]

something like that, yea

[@ricecakeFTW]

Man that plane looks awesome regardless. I'm pretty sure they will fix the problem.

[@cechanowicz]

What stops them from checking if the have this problem while breathing o2 from a compressed holder?

[@m67pia]

What cind of fighter jet was Norway going to buy.?

[@supermansavez]

By now I hope they fixed the problem. The reason why there not allowed to say something is wrong is because we are to stuck up with pride and never admit something is wrong with a very expressive aircraft and that we as Americans are better then any other country even if we have to lie about it. These guys are brave and all there doing is paving the way for younger pilots of the future and make things better. God bless America! 👍

[@H2oRiz]

If the problem is fixed by taking oxygen up. Then the entire oxygen generating system has to be re-engineered and replaced, at Lockheed's expense

[@sdtommola]

i'm no aerospace engineer, but is it possible the capabilities of these advanced aircraft exceed the physiological capabilities of the human body? Is it perhaps not an engineering problem we need to seek, but a physiological limitation that needs to be addressed? What were the pulse oximeter readings throughout a sortie? Did O2 sat rates decline with a particular maneuver or at a particular speed? Is CO entering the system and disrupting hemaglobin's ability to transport O2?

[@theronbassett5505]

11:57 This aged well !!

[@Verdigo76]

Well part of the engine's air bleed system supplies pilots with oxygen to breathe. Commercial jets do the same thing. Im wondering if the radar absorbant material has anything to do with it. Its well known that the stuff flakes off and has to be reapplied often. I am thinking maybe its gettting into the air intake and contaminating their air supply. That or the air supply mechinism itself just sucks.

[@carlosquiroz7819]

It's not the same, very different in fact

[@AVISIONMUSICTV]

The body can only handle so much. Speed of sound, G force. They need to design a cockpit that can isolate the pilot from the forces of physics.

[@ffrgtm]

The Air Force specifically stated that the g-suit vests are not the root cause of the problem, but they believe they are contributing. All military equipment, especially a fighter jet, is engineered with a certain level of redundancy. A safety factor against failure modes. For a problem like this to occur, several things have to go wrong at once. That's what's happening... that's why this is so hard to solve.

[@tophat2002]

Any news on a fix yet?

[@ant2fresh13]

its like skydiving. when air is comming at u so fast its hard to breathe so if that aircraft is going the speed of sound does it take in enough air?

[@briankrasne3518]

This is why We need to get the NGAD program up and running already.

[@steveserba7766]

greatest handeling jet for the size that cuts out on oxygen even the emergency oxygen is not the equivilant to the sukohiu 35 or black bird. it feels like the pressure suite cuts out oxygen around the chest and legs. The fuel pumps can be opened uped for more speed.

[@usaffuturecadet8062]

The F-22 has in flight sensors that that traack your heart rate, and blood preasure. If you lose consciousness during flight the plane will basically fly itself. Hence not so much of a danger to the community.

[@steveserba7766]

Sukohiu 35 you can turn up or down air temperature or pressure or face mask oxygen temperature or pressure. Same with F14 or B2 if I can rember correctly. Mig 31 has all sorts of medical equipment.

[@omniscientnews4291]

Any updates about this story?

[@PchanStitch]

Given it's been over a year and they still don't have a clue what's causing it, I doubt that.

[@JBC814]

If this is the same system used on the F-18, then your guess is probably right. The symptoms they describe are consistent with toxic contamination (dizziness, etc.), so the new carbon filters may do the trick. However, if it is not the same system as used on the F-18, et al, then the system may be inadequate for use on fighters, as MetalMilitia6g7x has stated below.

[@user-xw4hn7lb3x]

PAO cooling fluid is leaking into the OBOGS and the pilots are breathing it in. ☠

[@mistervivaldee]

Damn you starscream!

[@PchanStitch]

You just saw at least two pilots who refuse to get into the aircraft. Why don't you ask THEM why they're crying?

[@davidv0901]

Maybe it's because of the weapons being inside

[@AVISIONMUSICTV]

If the oxygenation system is siphoning air from outside the plane, wouldn't that include the thermal fumes, vapors and exhaust from the after burners? As well as atmospheric gases and pollutants in the surrounding atmosphere? I get that it's filtering the oxygen but these factors have to be taken into consideration. The engineers must have missed these factors.

[@hobie1613]

It’s ram air, not air which has passed all the way through the engine where the exhaust gasses would be.

[@GuyFromSC]

The fact that this only has 515 👍🏼 and 145 comments, 11 years later is concerning, wierd, puzzling, and flat out scary. Has this issue been fixed or hushed? Could these “hypoxia-related” symptoms be anyway related to EW sensors, radars, radiation, RAM (Radar Absorbing Material)? These are cutting edge technologies and materials that we don’t know very much about. Just saying… 🙏🏼

[@bobbastion7335]

9 Gs is not uncommon. I think they are going to find that byproducts from combustion are making their way into the pilots respiratory system.

[@bigqwertycat]

Not enough air, and not enough room in the jet.

[@madbager1]

More like why is it making pilots sick and have extreme headaches!

[@transformersboy6472]

I love that F-22

[@zabercrombie24]

Hey Air Force another of the many reasons you should have chosen the YF-23 Black Widow II during the ATF competition !

[@bobbastion7335]

I know this is five years old but it is still right. As I recall the Black Widow outperformed the Raptor. You want to believe there was a good reason to choose one over the other but we are all aware of how contracts are acquired. Politics and money.

[@PchanStitch]

Here's the thing: A pilot getting disoriented from hypoxia could potentially plow into a neighborhood and kill dozens, a school and kill hundreds, etc...oh, and there's only 200 or so F-22s out there. THAT is why it's important to fix this issue.

[@willboe33]

Has anyone checked the OBOGS system. According to this story the air feed for it 'runs through the engine', and then to the O2 generator. It seems to me that it is possible to find intense heat, and serious toxins inside a jet engine as a result of burning a shitload of Jet A fuel. Or maybe it is Jet M by now. Also, as pointed out by SacredSocietyAP below, a LOX system is much better than OBOGS. It must be cheaper to retrofit an f-22, or two, with LOX than to kill pilots & planes.

[@FoxWithTheAngels]

Every aircraft that can go mach can make them sick.

[@SuzanaMantovaniCerqueira]

It was 11 years ago… What was the cause then ? 🤔 If the problem only happen during the flight ? They needed analyses during the missions. Maybe the air is too polluted ( more than the level which was based to create the filter) that the filter cannot work properly ?? Or a mechanical problem ?

[@lMrWongl]

It is probably the air coming from the engines that still may have enough resadue to give a pilot hypoxia

[@exoticgirl1]

I am rather thinking of problems with the pressure inside the cabin of plane. One does not get the bends from a lack of oxygen (Kaptain Wilson has been treated in a decompression chamber!), but from a dramatic sudden pressurechange. What if the problem is in the hull of the plane, rather than in the oxygen supply!! I mean, they go from groundlevel to extreme hights in no time, right. If it were the oxygen supply they could easily test that by equipting the men with airtanks.

[@archangle117]

@TheFlicky0069 why do you think it is "SHIT!". The oxygen issue is not the aircrafts problem but rather the G-suit which has now been fixed. so do you think it's shit because its the stealthest aircraft on the planet, or has the most total thrust for any fighter aicraft ever made, had the most powerfull fighter mounted radar,had the highest sustained turn rate of any modern fightet aicraft or because it mantains a unheard of 80-1 kill ratio in the worlds most advanced air-air exercise?

[@SuzanaMantovaniCerqueira]

Protect the militaries’s health, please. Increase the Risk Analyses.

[@goonigoogoo5868]

it finally shot down a very dangerous balloon

[@pntballer4life01]

Why don't they just install onboard oxygen tanks until they get it figured out? Also why go through the engine then to the pilots? It doesn't seem like that's a good idea in the first place. Who knows what they're breathing in then. Why not go to the pilot then the engine, or just have separate lines to the engine and the pilot?

[@legiongamers99]

Didn't it turn out to be the suit that they were wearing and it was squeezing on their chests to hard?

[@JBC814]

Obviously there are contaminates in the oxygen. It can't be anything else. Need monitors to measure all variables in the system. I would think that the engines should not have anything to do with the pilot's air supply.

[@nicandlucian]

that's what happen when the human body is pushed beyond what it can handle, the jet can do a lot more but there's a limit to how much you can push the human body, that's why you are seeing a lot more of unmanned military crafts technology cause I'm sure the military egg heads realize humans have reach they limits and the machines have out surpass human body tolerance abilities.

[@blakemosley5965]

nicandlucian it was the vest they were wearing

[@Mao_tse_tung]

It’s the emf electronic warfare devices used causing this

[@hanselito2416]

Do you think maybe because your oxygen intake is directly relational to your altitude? "couldn't find a single engineering flaw" what is it people, get some ideas

[@Jbutler63]

I'm pretty disappointed with the U.S.AirForce not taking appropriate actions to ground the fleet of F-22 Raptor's.I support these pilots to not fly the F-22's.Thankyou gentleman for serving our Country. '

[@Space_Maniac]

bruh the OBOGS isn't fixed yet

[@courtneygillespie1187]

More training..... flying this thing is going tuff but no plane can match it's maneuverability.... like they say it's invincible.

[@joshuaacosta8105]

General Schwartz looks like Spock

[@challyho6375]

What's up with the tash looks like he's stuck it on he needs to be told how to grow one or buy a razor

[@Mao_tse_tung]

It’s the planes stealth and anti stealth tech causing it. Looks up the harm of emf on respiratory system

[@jordanhess2061]

It seems like a dumb idea to run breathing air through the damn engine first.

[@Dennisaj]

This is the same problem a US Navy captain faced during the coronavirus.

[@tnekkc]

did she get a face lift? I worked on the F22 electronics design, a long time ago.

[@user-yq6ud4wz7r]

Yo can you give me the plans :D

[@its-andrew-y]

what a dystopian way to end the video with a “sponsored by viagra”

[@asheshinfinite3766]

Josh looks sick! USAF shouldn't take these precious pilots' lives so lightly!😒

[@H2oRiz]

I would imagine that there are a lot of very smart people working on this problem. They mentioned NASA for one. I'm sure Lockheed Martin is investigating this, or at least they better be. Maybe we need a low tech solution. Why don't they just take with them a tank of compressed oxygen and breath that and see what happens. If every pilot did that and the cases of hypoxia drop down to a normal level, then you know it's the oxygen generator and not the pilots.

[@anonymousraptor3236]

Sorry

[@saitamasaitamas7271]

alien tech!! Raptor taking Pilot Life :)

[@BWS952]

Anyone else getting Maverick and Goose vibes?

[@sushilgeorge4989]

Omg the f-22 ISNT THE MOST EXPENSIVE PLANE ever. People don't even know what military technology is anymore

[@Matt-dm2gs]

It was at the time this video was made...

[@sushilgeorge4989]

+Matthew Tortolano I mean I guess..

[@kirkengnath5501]

The pilot's are breathing dirty air. They also found proof of contaminate's in the air line's and the charcoal filter's. One of the pilot actually had a situation where he needed yo pull a ring for a spare air system. I am not a pilot or a mechanic but if the pilot's were breath an oxygen mixture in their mask's wouldn't that help them get a better oxygen for them the pilot's to stay alert and oriented while flying the F-22.

[@Nr1from1978]

So. Did these guys lose their career here after?

[@shawnsobczak3700]

Nr1from1978 you must be from California

[@klawspawski]

why not just use regular gas tanks like the one used by divers temporarly until the problem is solved

[@admirallive2377]

Is this a joke or something?

[@sammy080798]

All these flight surgeons in these comments. Everytime I went to see mine, he was the only one in my command.... Crazy how many there are now.....

[@steveserba7766]

Have been a guest passenger.

[@XrGrimreap3rX]

Maybe we've now reached the point where we should completely eliminate the need for a pilot. Unmanned drones are already being used. I reckon it wont be long now until fighter jets don't need pilots. Would certainly make things a lot less complicated as when designing the plane you don't need to take into account the health and well being of the pilot as there isn't going to be one.

[@crazycorn4829]

XrGrimreap3rX As a pilot thats a bad idea.

[@godfather4047]

+XrGrimreap3rX you always need a pilot to engage in dogfights.

[@XrGrimreap3rX]

Yes, but as planes get more advanced, its going to get more difficult to make sure that the Pilot can actually survive the high G maneuvers. They created those expanding pants ages ago to keep your blood in the upper part of your body by restricting blood flow to your legs stopping you from blacking out, but even that technology is starting to become ineffective. I suppose you could create some sort of zero g atmosphere in the cockpit, but that's impossible at the moment :D

[@andrewlaco1776]

In a free market, Lockheed would scramble to fix the problem and pay the family of the man they killed. But in the M.I.C.......

[@danielkinney6325]

They cannot afford to have pure oxygen tanks aboard?

[@bootywarrior69420]

No... Its too expensive...

[@coolnathan90]

why wont the air force just REPLACE THE OXYGEN SYSTEM IS THAT HARD!!!?! >:(

[@bootywarrior69420]

Yes

[@danielkinney6325]

Why is she smiling and repeating what they say?

[@amarmirza08]

Hahahaha says the guy named "Warpath". Wow.

[@LynchGaming1999]

Sponsored by Viagra😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂 I died because of the irony pilots are have hard times flying get it "hard"😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

[@SacredSocietyAP]

Here's the problem. OBOGS is an outdated system that should have never been put into the aircraft. They should have used a LOX system like that of the F/A-18, which works great. OBOGS is fine in patrol aircraft, but for a fighter you need a LOX system. After a decade of dealing with these systems, I can tell you that who ever put the OBOGS system in the F-22 was a complete moron, and should be fired for incompetence.

[@princenoah21]

The F15 is not fly-by-wire, though.

[@hreason]

The 15E has fly by wire

[@ant2fresh13]

maybe bcuz its so fucking fast

[@williamzabel2080]

That general is putting his pilots st unnecessary risk and should be court martialed and the f22 grounded and scrapped.

[@VRtechman]

Im beginning to think this is just a scam to make Human Pilots seem inadequate in comparison to drones. Eventually the D.O.D. will decide that it's not financially viable to have man Military Aircraft.

[@AugustusLarch]

This f-22 machine was shipped as wreckage. I always thought so. It's a collection of misaligned parts. They are cancelled now. Thank Gaea.

[@bears893]

They say Russia planes are equivalent

[@ant2fresh13]

u know this bcuz u have flown one? or u just watched a couple of youtube videos? bcuz im pretty sure its not shit

[@PaulG.369]

Just blame it on Putin already

[@PaulMcDougall04]

Are pilots allowed to have a mustache? Last I heard, all members of the U.S. Military are required to be clean shaving (except Army Rangers).

[@TracyGossett]

That's incorrect. You may have a mustache that doesn't extend past the break in your lips.

[@TheWimmse]

+Paul Mcdougall and if ure special forces u can even go full snackbar!

[@SuEnRoD]

or over the top lip line AFR 35-10

[@CptTierOps12]

“We couldn’t wait to get back on” “But the problem wasn’t fixed, why were you eager to go?” “Cuz we’re pilots” Ok buddy

[@steveserba7766]

flys like F16 for its size I have heard all about the black spew nothing ever out of F15 piolots about oxygen.

[@cyfense]

We are in the world that honest journalism is supported by Viagra

[@ar9287]

... sponsored by Viagra®.

[@meaningful2366]

Why the mustache?

[@user-yq6ud4wz7r]

To absorb radar.

[@WalkerChristopher11]

@@user-yq6ud4wz7r that's my boy Goose. Is that you ice!?!

[@JustWatchingYourVids]

Her "tie" is rediculous :). A rope... Really? Haha. As far is the story goes, I don't think these two should be in trouble. Obviously, there is a problem. They fear for their lives more than their awesome career. FIX THE PROBLEM. They want to fly this cool thing. Fix it and then they won't have a problem w/ it. It's a no brainer. Don't be mad at them either. They WANT to fly this for the US. Duh!

[@oneladiesmancookingforbegi7066]

200 Raptor F-22 Pilots, and Leslie couldn't find ONE who's BLACK

[@amarmirza08]

That's interesting and all but these are multi-billion dollar toys which have no purpose.

[@pitaksingseri7238]

คนที่คุณคุยด้วยคือคนที่ทำจอดเรดาร์ขึ้นใหม่ขอเรียกว่าลูกมะพร้าวอยู่ด้วยกัน19วันที่สนามบินเพื่อรอดูอาการคนๆ1ขอไม่เอ้ยชื่อ

[@danielkinney6325]

They are being used

[@shawnsobczak3700]

daniel kinney like your mother you communist

[@realdeal7188]

5g