https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a32131240/french-dassault-fighter-jet-joyride/

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A French defense contractor riding in a Dassault fighter learned the hard way that the grab bar next to his seat was actually the ejection handle.

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I've learned not to grab anything at the bar.

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But the first ejection damaged the front seat, such that it didn't eject, and the pilot was actually able to land his now al fresco fighter jet. At which point the pilot beat feet away from the aircraft, for fear that the dud seat would, like so many flights, take off late.

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Thought this was going to be a thread about Joey Crawford

Seems like really poor design to have an Oh **** handle that's really the ejection button.

https://theaviationgeekclub.com/story-f-14-pilot-able-land-tomcat-without-canopy-rio-erroneously-bailed/

The story of a convertible F-14 Tomcat.

The placement and color of the black and yellow striped ejection handle is universal in fighter jets. Hard to believe they flight line personnel were so lax in their duties.

The ONLY way one is allowed to sit in the cockpit of the jet I work on is to go through a special training which pretty much is 100% focused on NEVER touching that thing and then a little bit about what you can touch. You then get a special designation on your badge that allows you to strap the airplane on.

I've sat in the cockpit of our jet numerous times and never come close to doing something so stupid.

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I've sat in the cockpit of our jet

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humble brag

Reads like an old Darwin Award winner from back in the day.

Not Goose.

Caesar4 said:

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https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a32131240/french-dassault-fighter-jet-joyride/

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A French defense contractor riding in a Dassault fighter learned the hard way that the grab bar next to his seat was actually the ejection handle.

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Is an ejection out of a fighter jet every really considered premature?

So much for "hang on to your seats" ...

JoeAggie5 said:

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I've sat in the cockpit of our jet

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humble brag

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Only to inspect certain mechanisms operating from the inside Let me tell you - when you close the canopy, activate the latches and inflate the pressure seal, it is *** so quiet ***

If I powered the aircraft, it would be my last day at work there.

As an aside - 6'-0", 205 lb and I am REALLY uncomfortable in that thing. There's a reason fighter pilots are 5'6", 140 lb.

62strat said:

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Caesar4 said:

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https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a32131240/french-dassault-fighter-jet-joyride/

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A French defense contractor riding in a Dassault fighter learned the hard way that the grab bar next to his seat was actually the ejection handle.

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Is an ejection out of a fighter jet every really considered premature?

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Way back, we had a guy eject in the hanger - smashed him right into the hanger roof and killed him.

That was highly premature.

wbt5845 said:

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62strat said:

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Caesar4 said:

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https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a32131240/french-dassault-fighter-jet-joyride/

Quote:

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A French defense contractor riding in a Dassault fighter learned the hard way that the grab bar next to his seat was actually the ejection handle.

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Is an ejection out of a fighter jet every really considered premature?

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Way back, we had a guy eject in the hanger - smashed him right into the hanger roof and killed him.

That was highly premature.

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Where was this. There was an incident like this at NAS Chase field in Beeville back in the late 70's early 80's. I remember my grandpa coming home with blood on his shoes from the mess it made.

Fort Worth

I read the title wrong, was hoping for helpful tips.

How wild that he made it out mostly unharmed. There's like, a million ways that could have gone terribly wrong.

42 said:

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I read the title wrong, was hoping for helpful tips.

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Don't yank on the bar if you don't know what you are doing. That's what I learned.

wbt5845 said:

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JoeAggie5 said:

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Quote:

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I've sat in the cockpit of our jet

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humble brag

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Only to inspect certain mechanisms operating from the inside Let me tell you - when you close the canopy, activate the latches and inflate the pressure seal, it is *** so quiet ***

If I powered the aircraft, it would be my last day at work there.

As an aside - 6'-0", 205 lb and I am REALLY uncomfortable in that thing. There's a reason fighter pilots are 5'6", 140 lb.

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Fighter pilots are not any different size than everyone else. Just no outliers (over 6'5" ish or below 5'6" ish)

GAC06 said:

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wbt5845 said:

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JoeAggie5 said:

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Quote:

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I've sat in the cockpit of our jet

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humble brag

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Only to inspect certain mechanisms operating from the inside Let me tell you - when you close the canopy, activate the latches and inflate the pressure seal, it is *** so quiet ***

If I powered the aircraft, it would be my last day at work there.

As an aside - 6'-0", 205 lb and I am REALLY uncomfortable in that thing. There's a reason fighter pilots are 5'6", 140 lb.

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Fighter pilots are not any different size than everyone else. Just no outliers (over 6'5" ish or below 5'6" ish)

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Wrong. Tom Cruise is only 5'7".

goodAg80 said:

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But the first ejection damaged the front seat, such that it didn't eject, and the pilot was actually able to land his now al fresco fighter jet. At which point the pilot beat feet away from the aircraft, for fear that the dud seat would, like so many flights, take off late.

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The French are especially good at running away.

GAC06 said:

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wbt5845 said:

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JoeAggie5 said:

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Quote:

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I've sat in the cockpit of our jet

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humble brag

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Only to inspect certain mechanisms operating from the inside Let me tell you - when you close the canopy, activate the latches and inflate the pressure seal, it is *** so quiet ***

If I powered the aircraft, it would be my last day at work there.

As an aside - 6'-0", 205 lb and I am REALLY uncomfortable in that thing. There's a reason fighter pilots are 5'6", 140 lb.

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Fighter pilots are not any different size than everyone else. Just no outliers (over 6'5" ish or below 5'6" ish)

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I love it when some wanders in and shows their ass. 6'-5" is the max height for an Air Force pilot. In my 18+ years of working directly with fighter pilots, I can count the number of them I've seen over 6'-0" on one hand.

You've met fighter pilots? That's cute. I'm a little over 6'1". I know dozens over six foot, and my previous post is correct. What was that about showing ones ass?

nvm

He's a fighter pilot lol

GAC06 said:

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You've met fighter pilots? That's cute. I'm a little over 6'1". I know dozens over six foot, and my previous post is correct. What was that about showing ones ass?

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At least for the Naval Aviator, isn't it more based on the Anthro measurements rather than a pure height measurement? Weight also comes into play if I remember correctly for the ejection seat.

How tall are the lover pilots?

Yeah I don't believe there is a specific height minimum or maximum. Sitting height, reach, and buttock to knee length matter, plus weight for the seat but that's waiverable. 136 is the minimum for the most common seat, a little close to the ridiculous 140lb pilot mentioned above

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In a growing cascade of colossal fails, the next one was actually fortuitous: the pilot's own ejection seat malfunctioned.

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Oops. This is a bit disconcerting.

I wonder what "the quick and dirty safety briefing" did cover if not "This is the eject lever. Don't f-ing touch it."

Hey Nav said:

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In a growing cascade of colossal fails, the next one was actually fortuitous: the pilot's own ejection seat malfunctioned.

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Oops. This is a bit disconcerting.

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Yeah. Maybe they need to recall/replace their ejection seat mechanisms before somebody actually needs to use one.

commando2004 said:

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Hey Nav said:

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In a growing cascade of colossal fails, the next one was actually fortuitous: the pilot's own ejection seat malfunctioned.

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Oops. This is a bit disconcerting.

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Yeah. Maybe they need to recall/replace their ejection seat mechanisms before somebody actually needs to use one.

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I mean...it's the French military we're talking about. When was the last time they inked a solid 'W'? Yorktown?