Multi-billion dollar stealth fighter plane is suffocating its pilots

[Swordsmyth]

About a quarter of the F-35 fighter jets made by Lockheed Martin Corp., or 55 planes, have stopped flying until further notice because of irregularities in pilots’ oxygen supplies, US Air Force spokesman Capt. Mark Graff said Monday.
Training flights at Arizona’s Luke Air Force Base, where the 55 jets are based, were canceled Friday and scheduled to resume Monday, but the grounding was extended indefinitely. More than 220 F-35s are flying worldwide.
The grounding comes at a critical time for Lockheed, which plans to demonstrate the advanced jet at the Paris Air Show next week. F-35 air operations at other bases continued, Air Force officials said.
The F-35 business accounts for about 37 percent of Lockheed’s total revenue. During the first quarter, Lockheed’s revenue from its aeronautics business increased 8 percent to $4.11 billion, led by higher sales of the F-35.

More at: http://nypost.com/2017/06/13/multi-b...ng-its-pilots/

[Suzanimal]

F-35 air operations at other bases continued, Air Force officials said.

O_o

[otherone]

The crew was breathing too loudly.

[Zippyjuan]

O_o

Five incidents reported at one base so they are the only ones shut down. No incidents reported at other bases so their flights continue.

http://www.cnn.com/2017/06/12/politi...ems/index.html

There are 55 F-35As at Luke Air Force Base. Graff said that it's still not clear what caused the oxygen incidents, but said that the pause was confined to Luke because "no other incidents have been reported" at any other Air Force bases since May 2.

[NorthCarolinaLiberty]

Five incidents reported at one base so they are the only ones shut down. No incidents reported at other bases so their flights continue.

http://www.cnn.com/2017/06/12/politi...ems/index.html

Downplaying spin, mister contrarian poster? Know anything about planes? You going to get in one?

[Swordsmyth]

Four US Navy pilot deaths in F/A-18 Hornets are said to have been caused by oxygen system failures. The Navy has released a review of oxygen problems occurring in its fighter jets.
A redacted Navy report was released Thursday, which touches on issues with F/A-18 Hornets and T-45 fighter jets, both experiencing oxygen problems, according to Stars and Stripes.
The review began in late March after Navy instructor pilots at training bases in Kingsville, Texas; Meridian, Mississippi; and Pensacola, Florida, did not want to fly with students in T-45 trainer jets, because “concern about contaminated breathing air reached a tipping point,” according to the report.

There has been a high increase in hypoxia and similar incidents among pilots. Hypoxia occurs when not enough oxygen reaches the body, leading to disorientation, loss of consciousness or even death, according to Stars and Stripes.
The report released on Thursday showed that T-45 oxygen system failure incidents rose from 13 in 2012 to 38 in 2016. The report also included the 21 failures that have happened in the first five months of 2017.
System failures for Hornet oxygen systems have risen from 57 in 2012 to 125 in 2016. There were 52 failures in the first five months of 2017 for the F/A-18s.

more at: https://www.infowars.com/fa-18-fight...s-navy-pilots/

[TheTexan]

I think root cause was LMT wasnt given enough money to build the F-35.

An error, easily corrected

[phill4paul]

Question for @Danke. Do pilots check their oxygen supply during pre-flight like scuba divers or do they leave it up to the flight crew?

[TheTexan]

Question for @Danke. Do pilots check their oxygen supply during pre-flight like scuba divers or do they leave it up to the flight crew?

Why would a pilot do safety checks? Its below their station. They can delegate it to the crew.

F-35 pilot's job is to do barrel rolls and missile exercises

[Danke]

Question for @Danke. Do pilots check their oxygen supply during pre-flight like scuba divers or do they leave it up to the flight crew?

Yes.

[Swordsmyth]

Yes.

yes they check? or yes they leave it up to the flight crew?

[Danke]

yes they check? or yes they leave it up to the flight crew?

Sorta.

[Swordsmyth]

Hypoxia Threatens Navy and Air Force Pilots, and the Threat Is Growing

http://www.popularmechanics.com/mili...-navy-hypoxia/