Path: utzoo!utgpu!watmath!att!cbnews!military From: baldwin@cad.usna.mil (J.D. Baldwin) Newsgroups: sci.military Subject: Re: Naval Accidents Message-ID: <11487@cbnews.ATT.COM> Date: 17 Nov 89 06:09:47 GMT Sender: military@cbnews.ATT.COM Lines: 38 Approved: military@att.att.com From: "J.D. Baldwin" In article <11333@cbnews.ATT.COM> MARTIN,HENRY DODD writes: >The pilot reportedly "punched-out" at about 300 ft AGL. > [ . . . ] They say >that the chute wasn't open completely when he hit the ground. > > I have one question for anyone out there who knows about Navy Airplanes. >Does the Corsair II (A-8 or A-7 maybe???) have a 0/0 eject capability >(If the pilot "punches-out" while on the ground setting still, the chute will >fully open before the pilot hits the ground)? It looks like it doesn't, but >something could have gone wrong... A zero/zero eject capability does *not* imply a wide "ejection envelope". I can't speak specifically for the A-7 ejection seat, but the ESCAPAC in the A-4J and S-3A that I'm familiar with has a very safe zero-zero record. Still, survivability in an ejection situation depends mainly on nose-down angle, roll attitude, sink rate, and airspeed. Although an S-3A ejection on the ground at any airspeed is considered well within the envelope ("safe," as such things go), an S-3A ejection at 300 ft. AGL with a 20-degree dive angle, wings level, 1000 fpm sink rate (not excessive by any standard), and approach airspeed of about 120 knots is WELL outside the envelope--probably no chance of survival for front-seat crewmen. My recollection is that the A-7 (and all other carrier-deployable aircraft) *does* have a zero-zero seat. This wouldn't protect the pilot in an in extremis situation at 300' AGL with, presumably, a substantial nose- down angle, some roll, and a high sink rate. Pure speculation, of course, but this sounds like another of those he-stayed-with-it-longer- than-he-should-have stories. If he ejected on the edge of or outside the envelope, he may have gotten a partial chute, which saved his life. -- >From the catapult of: |+| "If anyone disagrees with anything I _, J. D. Baldwin, Comp Sci Dept |+| say, I am quite prepared not only to __||____..}-> US Naval Academy |+| retract it, but also to deny under \ / baldwin@cad.usna.navy.mil |+| oath that I ever said it." --T. Lehrer ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~