What is Digg?50 Comments
- yhamade, on 10/12/2007, -1/+17Perhaps if you RTFA you'd have realized that when you cut a hole in the canopy; maybe, just maybe, you'd need to buy a new one. I don't think the newly installed sunroof would be as structurally sound during super-sonic flight.
- atlantisceo, on 10/12/2007, -0/+15The problem was a few screws that were too short...they replaced those so the actual canopy itself isn't the problem.
Of course, if you had read the article you would know that... - The_Decryptor, on 10/12/2007, -0/+11Did you read the article?, that's what it says.
They had to replace the canopy, because the had to cut it open to get the pilot out. - Phaid, on 10/12/2007, -1/+10The pilot could still have ejected if that had really been necessary -- the F-22 is fitted with a zero/zero ejection seat (capable of safely ejecting at zero altitude / zero airspeed) and the canopy can be blown off in an emergency. Since ejection presents serious risks to the pilot even in the best of circumstances and would have caused a great deal of damage to the aircraft's cockpit, it was not the right thing to do considering the aircraft was safely on the ground and the pilot was in no danger. If the aircraft had been flying and developed a problem such that the pilot needed to eject, he still could have -- the canopy can be blown off even if it can't be normally opened.
- JohnClay, on 10/12/2007, -1/+7The $82,000 was for the canopy that was destroyed while removing the pilot, if I understood correctly.
- zediker, on 10/12/2007, -0/+6"Air Force officials said the optically perfect canopy on the $130 million jet will cost about $82,000 to replace."
Its $130 million. - strictnein, on 10/12/2007, -2/+7Am I the only one who thinks locktite tastes kind of good? ...
- IShortysI, on 10/12/2007, -0/+5Rpharazon, to correct you it was not an exercise, the pilot was actually stuck in there for 5 hours. heres a article with a image of the actually cut canopy http://www.f-16.net/news_article1815.html
- slundal, on 10/12/2007, -3/+7yes, yes you are
- foolfromhell, on 10/12/2007, -1/+5cant believe no one has said this yet. Goose would have died if he went into that plane...
A moment of silence everyone... - zbeast, on 10/12/2007, -2/+5I use lots of LOCKTiTE and ya. it is kind of tasty.
No I don't eat it but you do from time to time get a little in your mouth.
I wonder if Ben and Jerry's would make loctite flavored ice cram. No not with real Locktite. - thermus, on 10/12/2007, -1/+4Your comment is painfully shortsighted and naive. There do exist nations that wouldn't think twice about attacking us if our Air Force consisted of brooms and slingshots. Historically, a strong military is a significant component to a strong country and stable economy/way-of-life. I say, spend the money.
There are so many non-military projects where our tax dollars are being wasted. Go complain about those. - bubbagump, on 10/12/2007, -2/+5Damn --- accidental hit the "green" thumb. Wanted to negative dig this one too...
The fact is, you don't buy a raptor to fight terrorists. There are other threats that we must prepare for. We likely don't even know who the 'target' will be.. Maybe its China (they did threaten Taipei w/ nukes). Maybe it is some small dictator. We don't know. That is why we prepare.
Because preparing for war is a lot cheaper than fighting one. Ask any family that has a fallen soldier in their family.
War prevented by neutrality? I don't think so..Remember Perl harbor? Isolationism didn't work so well then...
We didn't have to fight the Soviet Union...why? Not because they are nice guys, but because they were absolutely convinced that they would be annihilated if they tried it. Peace through superior fire power works.
The fact is our fleet of airplanes is aging...they need to be replaced. Because our enemies have increased technology, we _must_ also invest in technology that is advanced today, but in a few short years will be common place. Its better to build right the first time than to have to retool an entire airframe in 5 years.
Stop sounding like a drive-by zealot, and start making valid points with commentary, and you might not have a hole dugg for you.
Remember, you're the one who set the tone by calling "us" morons....
Troll... - Joe091, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3I can, however, confirm that you are an idiot. This was not an exercise. Why would they do an exercise in leaving a pilot in the cockpit and cutting off an expensive ass canopy? Don't make ***** up.
- bjsiders, on 10/12/2007, -5/+8Considering that the per-plane cost of the Raptor is over $300 million, an $80,000 canopy is nothing.
- JohnboiWaltune, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2Take me to bed or lose me forever.
- flightvector, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2An exercise? What the heck are you talking about?? Oh yeah, the air force always needs to practice cutting open the canopy with a saw because they need to be able to do it quickly during combat. I hope you don't go and practice breaking all the windows during a fire drill.
- rlombardo, on 11/05/2008, -1/+3Please give me a break...we spend enough on social welfare. (actually too much)
whats the point of ridding poverty if china/iran/alqaeda/n.korea nuke us all? - NickyBatts, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Right... we are all better off now that we have the F-22. China will never attack us now!!!
Our brand new $150 million dollar F-16s were getting dusty anyways.
Sigh. You're still all morons.
That $300 million would be so much better spent on other things... - Neumahn, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2I am the engineer that designed the canopy actuator back in 1997. It is good to learn that the actuator was not the problem. It was a very complex mechanism but it has been tested extensively.
- matthewsmith, on 10/12/2007, -5/+5i wonder what would happen if the pilot had to eject hmmmm i think they use explosive to severe the canopy from the plane though.
- sgibbers17, on 10/12/2007, -1/+1Also there was damage to other parts of the plane due to the removal of the canopy including paint work and interments in the crewstation that were also damaged from the oil of the chainsaw.
- soupisgoodfood, on 10/12/2007, -1/+1Are optically perfect canopies really that important in todays fighters?
- unitedstatians, on 10/12/2007, -1/+1full picture please f-22?
- bubbagump, on 10/12/2007, -1/+1The screws were likely obscured by the canopy itself...besides that, there isn't room to move around inside one of those things anyway. You don't "get in" a fighter jet, you strap it on...
- raccettura, on 10/12/2007, -3/+3What did we learn fellow diggers?
BIGGER IS BETTER WHEN IT COMES TO SCREWING!
yea, it had to be done. - sgibbers17, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0A canopy is 1" thick lexon and one very very thin sheet of gold, so thin you can see through it, in the middle for radar absorbson. that is why canopys are so expensive
- bubbagump, on 10/12/2007, -1/+1Were the screws obscured so they couldn't be tightened from inside the canopy?
I know...you could tell me, but.... - theImposs1ble, on 10/12/2007, -4/+4thats how goose died, poor maverick. sent him off the deep end and made him a scientologist.
it wasnt an f-22 though. i think it was an f-14.
highway to the danger zone - sleepyness, on 10/12/2007, -1/+1@rye134
Percentages mean nothing when actual dollars almost top $500 BILLION.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Military_budget_of_the_People%27s_Republic_of_China
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Military_spending
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Military_budget_of_the_United_States
In NATO, the US spends the most. Who gives a crap about the percentage of the GDP.
This doesn't even include the black projects and all that other crap they spend money on.
The US spends a LOT of money on defense, etc. IMO too much resulting in too little. - Neumahn, on 10/12/2007, -1/+0I assume they were obscured but I do not know, I was only responsible for the actuator. Here is a pic:
http://www.rocketstarrobotics.com/images/f22canopy.jpg - 0crabby0, on 10/12/2007, -2/+1So this wasn't a contractor problem?
And a screwdriver screwing the right size scews in place couldn't fix the problem - They had to cut him out?
DUCTAPE... - mcbanx, on 10/12/2007, -2/+1What a colossal waste of money. Shouldn't we be spending our money on something more worthwhile like health care for all or rebuilding our public transportation system or how about ridding ourselves from foreign oil or maybe we try to eliminate poverty.
- KilroyWasHere, on 10/12/2007, -2/+1We wont need to fight anyone with the Raptor BECAUSE WE HAVE IT! It is at least 20-30 years advanced over anything the rest of the world is capable of. A small price to pay to ensure that you continue to have the freedom to rag on the US.
- gnarbuckets, on 10/12/2007, -1/+0good I was wondering when they were going to fix that.
- Joe091, on 10/12/2007, -2/+1How come every time anyone mentions ANY American jet fighter, reguardless of the situation, someone has to start quoting Top Gun? Seriously.
- rlombardo, on 11/05/2008, -3/+2Actually the cost of the 9/11 attacks was $500k not $100k but whose counting?
I agree with everything said by bubbagump and killroy.
80 cents of every dollar spent by the U.S. government goes to medicare and social security costs. In terms of percentage of GDP the U.S. ranks 20th in the world in terms of military spending. I worked in a Congressional office and had a copy of the budget on my desk...I know what I'm talking about.
If you knew anything about what you were talking about you might be able to make a semi-valid or cohernet arguement...but I digress.
digg is a waste now...its full of a bunch of whiny liberal pansies - sleepyness, on 10/12/2007, -1/+0@rye134
There is no real way of stopping a nuke. The missile defense system still blows..although better than before. Even if one nuke went off in say NYC, it would be devastating. - Simmonsfield, on 10/12/2007, -1/+0Do you think he had to go pee, if so where?
- Perryman, on 10/12/2007, -1/+0wouldn't be the first time. Though, if you're going up and you're an experienced pilot, you probably have your own "pre-flight" bathroom procedures...
- Sippi, on 10/12/2007, -8/+6Next time try using LOCKTITE on the screws so they will not backout.
- Geckomind, on 10/12/2007, -4/+1Sounds like a typical Eurofighter problem....
- carguy84, on 10/12/2007, -8/+4"Well, he wouldn't be a military pilot if he didn't"
I think the military is more concerned with making sure you're a killer once you're IN the jet... - inactive, on 10/12/2007, -10/+2Let me get this straight - if a "design problem" was the cause of this, then why is the Air Force paying $82,000 to replace the canopy? On the other hand, "technical issue" may be air force speak for "nobody read the instruction manual."
- NickyBatts, on 10/12/2007, -11/+2Are you kidding me? My post got buried because:
"Considering that the per-plane cost of the Raptor is over $300 million, an $80,000 canopy is nothing."
You damn morons. My point was, why the hell do we even need a $300 million fighter plane? To fight who? Terrorists spent less than 100K blowing up the towers and this is our response?
Whether it is civil or militarily, America is addicted to spending. This is a huge problem facing this country and you damn morons mod me down. Wonderful. - RPharazon, on 10/12/2007, -10/+1I read this story back in April, and it was confirmed to be an exercise, not a real-life event. As much as I hate the F-22, I'm going to mark this as inaccurate.
- hackwrench, on 10/12/2007, -14/+3Man, that airman seriously needs to go on a diet!
"Just about any military pilot would kill to get into an F-22 fighter"
Well, he wouldn't be a military pilot if he didn't - violentvinyl, on 10/12/2007, -13/+1“I’m in debt up to my eyeballs.”
“Somebody help me.” - NickyBatts, on 10/12/2007, -17/+3America hemorrhages money.
- sleepyness, on 10/12/2007, -21/+0Why don't they just change out the screws? Replacing the entire canopy is a waste of money. =|
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