F-22 equipped pilot warning system
According to Major General Charles Lyon, who is quoted by the publication, they explained to all pilots that in the event of an abnormal situation or indisposition, it is necessary to activate the emergency system and terminate the task. After activating the 911 system, ground services will help the pilot safely land the aircraft.
The installation of the emergency system on the F-22 is caused by almost two dozen cases of vertigo in fighter pilots. Several cases led to loss of consciousness of the pilots. In November 2010, due to the lack of oxygen in the Raptor pilot crashed in Alaska.
As Lyon explained, the main cause of hypoxia is established. What exactly is in question, Major General did not specify. Earlier it was reported that the lack of oxygen may be due to high-altitude compensating suits that squeeze the pilot's chest on high-speed flights. Another possible cause of discomfort was the failure of the onboard oxygen generation system (OBOGS).
The problem of hypoxia was proposed to be solved, in particular, by partially redesigning the F-22 and equipping the aircraft with chemical analyzers to detect excess nitrogen in the oxygen mixture. In early June, it also became aware of the purchase of automatic backup oxygen systems for the Raptor 40. Their delivery is due to end on April 2013.
F-22 Raptor is considered one of the most expensive projects of the United States Department of Defense. The cost of each aircraft is estimated at 150 million dollars. In addition, significant amounts are spent on investigating and eliminating the causes of pilot hypoxia.
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