F-35 Ejection Seat Fears Ground Lightweight Pilots

An anonymous reader writes: Writing for Defense News, Lara Seligman and Aaron Mehta report that "[c]oncerns about increased risk of injury to F-35 pilots during low-speed ejections have prompted the US military services to temporarily restrict pilots who weigh less than 136 pounds from flying the aircraft. During August tests of the ejection seat, built by Martin-Baker, testers discovered an increased risk of neck injury when a lightweight pilot is flying at slower speeds. Until the problem is fixed, the services decided to restrict pilots weighing under 136 pounds from operating the plane, Maj. Gen. Jeffrey Harrigian, F-35 integration office director, told Defense News in a Tuesday interview."

Comments

Re:The F-35 is having problems?

[swell]

"And yet another bug in the slow-motion uber-expensive train-wreck that is the F-35 program."

Much of the expense of this boondoggle is due to accommodating a human on board. The tiny detail of ejector seat engineering is a fine example.

Why are we building such dinosaurs in this century? A similar pilotless craft could be faster, far more maneuverable, travel greater distances, and cost less. (Not to mention that no pilot would be at risk.)

Google could have a fully tested, state-of-the-art control system ready in 6 months (... or Lockheed could do it in 6 years at far greater cost). Use some of those remote pilots who work in comfortable quarters in Nebraska and you're ready to control the sky worldwide.