Military of China, force comment.
Military of China, force comment.

data for : U.S. F22A fighter

for pilots suffering from “oxygen” plagued the U.S. military’s F-22 stealth fighter has been banned to fly three months. Currently, the investigation directed against the security key to life pilots – onboard oxygen system. The world’s most advanced fighter ruined because of such “low-level error” and gutter capsize, it seems incredible, but in reality has its own internal logic.

pilot poisoning danger-prone

pilots carry out their duties because the frequency is “hypoxia” symptoms, the U.S. military’s F-22 stealth fighter from beginning of May this year, indefinitely grounded. Sources involved in the investigation recently revealed that the problem may be due to airborne toxic substances through the oxygen supply system into the aircraft cockpit caused. U.S. Air Force for the occurrence of cognitive disorders has been a pilot for a blood test. In their blood, the investigators surprised to find a variety of toxic elements, including soot, residue antifreeze and propane.

According to the U.S. “Air Force Times’ analysis, the problem of a considerable portion of the aircraft from Alaska’s Elmendorf Air Force Base to take off, because the local weather is cold, the pilot used to start the engine in the hangar prior warm-up, inadvertently leading to poor air circulation exhaust gas gathered in the hangar, and then was re-inhalation of airborne oxygen systems. And the current system of airborne oxygen adsorbed nitrogen in the air can not filter out other ingredients, toxic substances and eventually enter the pilot body.

fighter jets flying at high altitude oxygen system is responsible for the process of oxygen, to provide for pilots mask breathing gas mixture. U.S. survey, in November last year killed in the crash of Captain Jeffrey Hani before the incident is likely to fall into a coma, while the other pilot is still commanding officers can not recall when he landed on his tree collision tip of the warning.

onboard oxygen system is integral to

Currently, the Air Force Western countries generally use a product called “molecular sieve on-board oxygen device” (OBOGS ) device to provide oxygen for the pilots, their advantage lies in its ability to achieve “aircraft does not stall, oxygen constantly,” the unlimited oxygen supply. As a U.S. Air Force’s most advanced models, F-22′s OBOGS the natural world on top, it is digitized hierarchical control, through the perception of advanced sensor altitude and tactical actions, it will automatically adjust the oxygen supply to the pilot volume.

conditions for high altitude flight in a modern fighter aircraft, the oxygen supply system is to protect life and its pilots continued combat capability of the key, once the problems, the consequences could be disastrous. Many pilots have had this experience hypoxia feelings at that time: “sad that even have the heart to die!” Lack of oxygen lead to pilot confusion or even syncope, thus causing the crash of the Air Force in various countries as examples of common.

“low error” is not necessarily low-end

engineering has an interesting concept – “low error” refers to the more mature, technical content is not emergence of high system functionality, adaptability issues. But “low-level errors are not low-end” sophisticated fighters often become its “disastrous.” The reason is mainly due to the operational performance of military aircraft made a new request, the traditional on-board system can not keep up with changing external conditions, such as the F-22 In order to achieve supersonic cruise, high-altitude performance of the aircraft have special requirements , onboard oxygen system, the corresponding change and improvement is a must. However, this does not cause major problems seem to upgrade the local, usually do not involve too much energy, “low error” will have a place to hide.

as an interim measure, similar risks within a short time limit can still use the aircraft altitude, range, etc. to hide. But after all, not a permanent solution, due to engineering failure occurrence, F-22 on-board oxygen system problems to become more frequent in recent years, evolved to the point can not be avoided, then only can do that is to be infinite phase grounded.

from now completed the survey, the difficulty of restoration depends on the U.S. military “failure point” the exact location. If the toxic substances due to the limited space in the engine start was only inhalation, as long as the aircraft outside the hangar can start to solve; If the engine must be started in the hangar, the oxygen supply system can delay work; If these changes are still unable to prevent failure to reproduce, the U.S. military may have to undergo a major revamp of the onboard oxygen system, the worst case need to develop a new system instead. There is no doubt, F-22 current difficulties will be resolved over time, but even so, it’s power and prestige are bound as before.