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6  November 6, 2015                                                              Desert Lightning News

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Air Force sets weight restrictions for F-35 pilots

Secretary of the Air Force Public Affairs Command Information                    the F-35 Joint Program Office to ensure the F-35 system meets this re-
                                                                                 quirement.
   WASHINGTON (AFNS) -- -- Air Force leaders recently made a deci-
sion to restrict pilots weighing less than 136 pounds from flying the F-35A          “We expect the manufacturer to find and implement a solution,” said
Lightning II due to safety concerns about the ejection seat in a portion of      Secretary of the Air Force Deborah Lee James. “We must ensure the ejec-
the flight envelope.                                                              tion seat is tested to meet our specifications and weight requirements. We
                                                                                 are going to ensure this gets done right.”
   The manufacturer of the seat has been conducting tests to ensure the es-
cape system works reliably and safely in all planned conditions. In a recent        Air Force headquarters and wing leadership took immediate action to
test, analysis identified an unacceptable risk of neck injury during para-        inform and ensure the safety of the pilots, to address concerns, and ensure
chute deployment/opening for lighter-weight pilots at low-speed condi-           the manufacturer meets requirements for the seat. The F-35 is still in a
tions. The requirement is for the seat to be certified for any pilot weighing     development phase. As discoveries are made, fixes will occur, according to
between 103 and 245 pounds. An unacceptable level of risk was discovered         Air Force officials.
for pilots weighing less than 136 pounds.
                                                                                    Concurrent testing and production of all models of the F-35 are per the
   Air Force leaders decided that as an interim solution, no pilot less than     plan laid out from the beginning of the program. The intent of concur-
136 pounds will be allowed to fly the aircraft until the problem is resolved.     rency is to get weapon systems to the warfighter as quickly as possible
As a result, one pilot was impacted.                                             and strengthen manufacturing and supply chains. Several agencies are
                                                                                 dedicated to solving the issue. The F-35 Joint Program Office is working in
   There is also an elevated level of risk for pilots between 136 and 165        concert with the contractors to explore possible options to fix the ejection
pounds. While the probability of an ejection in this slow speed regime           seat issue.
remains very low, estimated at one in 100,000 flight hours, the risk of a
critical injury in that circumstance is currently higher than legacy fighter         “While the F-35 is a program in development, safety is always at the
ejection seats. The Air Force has accepted risk of similar magnitude in pre-     forefront and a built in expectation,” said Maj. Gen. Jeff Harrigian, the di-
vious ejection seats. Based on the remote probability of an event occurring      rector of the F-35 Integration Office. “As issues are discovered, the Joint
requiring ejection from the aircraft and pilot weight considerations, the        Program Office immediately works with the manufacturer to take action
airworthiness authorities recommended and the Air Force has accepted             and get fixes in place.”
continuation of flight for pilots falling within the 136 to 165 pound range.
No ejection system is without risk. The Air Force continues to work with            The Air Force continues to work to identify any potential issues to en-
                                                                                 sure the best possible capability is delivered to the warfighter.

                                                                                                                                                                   See F-35, Page 27

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