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Pilot lands faulty fighter jet on a stool at sea [video]
- grimman 12y agoA purpose-built tool that LOOKS like a stool. Ie. the title is misleading.
- ISL 12y agoThe purpose-built tool for main (rear) gear failure must be an interesting-looking piece of work.
- fletchowns 12y agoI don't understand the distinction you are trying to make. Even if it's purpose built, it still fits the definition of a stool.
- MrZongle2 12y ago"Stool" is probably a more descriptive term than what it is really called, which is probably along the lines of "EMERGENCY LANDING GIRDLE, HARRIER, REINFORCED, MIL-STD 9503" and conveniently priced in the upper five figures.
- ufmace 12y agoThat was my first thought when I read the title. What, a stool, like one I would sit on? A barstool or something? What stool wouldn't be completely destroyed by any aircraft landing on it?
- turnip1979 12y agoReminded me of those trust exercises where you have to fall back hoping someone would catch you :) Cool video though.
- doubleshadow 12y agoThis wasn't very cool. I think I could do this.
- nsxwolf 12y agoNothing you can do is cool then? That's sad.
- jonsen 12y agoThe solution was obvious immediately when the gear failed, "Oh shit!".
- hiharryhere 12y agoThis is amazing, Harriers are notoriously hard to control in vertical ascent/descent.
- rbanffy 12y agoI keep hearing managing the transition between normal flight and VTOL flight is the trickiest part, and that the VTOL mode is very automated, with reaction jets on the wings controlled with the stick the way you would expect them to be.
- dkulchenko 12y agoWhat would've happened had the "stool" not been there? It seemed (though perhaps the footage was slowed) that the plane descended vertically pretty slowly, so it would've banged the nose on the carrier at touchdown, but would that have been severe?
- jackgavigan 12y agoIt would certainly have grounded the aircraft until it could be inspected/repaired back on land and it would probably have destroyed the radar housed in the aircraft's nose.
- dwd 12y agoYou can see the airframe flex a bit as he hits the stool so you'd likely break the frame if it hit too hard. The point where it's flexing is where the front gear would normally be.
- Gustomaximus 12y agoWhat if a traditional landing jet had the nose gear fail? Do the belly land, eject or other?
- Sanddancer 12y agoBelly land and send the plane in for pretty considerable repairs.
- neurotech1 12y agoThere is a video on Youtube of a Marine F/A-18 with a nose gear problem using the emergency barricade on the carrier. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sD_mUwzpUs4 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sD_mUwzpUs4 The jet was reportedly flown off the carrier a few months later after being repaired. Some F/A-18 pilots with nosegear problems have used field arresting cable to stop and the empty center fuel tank to take the landing impact. With pilot skill and some luck, This results in almost no damage to the actual airframe.
- Pinckney 12y agohttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XmZC5uaw69s http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XmZC5uaw69s
- jusben1369 12y agoI liked how he made it very clear just how nervous/scared he was. No fake bravado.
- mtdewcmu 12y agoNo need when you've got video.
- stcredzero 12y agoSomeone should make a purpose-built remote-controlled vehicle for this! On my street, there are workmen who are using a remote-controlled vehicle to tamp down dirt during street repair. http://gamka.com/index.php/construction-equipment-rentals/wacker-neuson-construction-equipment/wacker-neuson-soil-asphalt-compaction-equipment/wacker-neuson-rt82-trench-roller/ http://gamka.com/index.php/construction-equipment-rentals/wa...
- mVChr 12y agoNice propaganda piece from whoever's trying to justify the horrible decision to put VTOL on the F-35.
- mtdewcmu 12y agoWas it propaganda? I watched it with no sound, but I was thinking about Pierre Sprey's critiques the whole time. At least we have excellent pilots.
- trhway 12y agoHarrier is 45 years old. There is no need for propaganda, just a statistics form its use would do it. So there is definitely need for the new VTOL. How this new VTOL was built is another question. F-35 VTOL seems to be an improvement over Harrier. Of course it is still to be seen in real life. What, because of VTOL req, F-35 isn't an improvement over is the F-15/18/22/etc...
- rbanffy 12y agoThe Harrier still is a pretty impressive fighter. The F-35 is, also, quite impressive, but not quite for the same reasons. Or the right ones, I should say. Unfortunately, in this world that considers low observability so important, the Harrier is the opposite of stealth.
- thrill 12y agoLow observability is crucial in a world where a $100,000 missile can bring down a $100,000,000 fighter.
- rbanffy 12y agoThere are two ways out of this - make fighters cheaper or make them stealthier. There is probably a $200K unit that can already track and take down an F-35. Or, in 10 years, there will be. Multi-mission fighters are usually easy targets.
- 12y ago