BAC Lightning ejection

[weremoth]

I've been told if you were to eject from an English Electric/BAC Lightning,
the instrument panel could take your kneecaps off. Can anyone confirm or
deny?

[TJ]

"weremoth" > wrote in message
...
> I've been told if you were to eject from an English Electric/BAC
Lightning,
> the instrument panel could take your kneecaps off. Can anyone confirm or
> deny?
>
>

No. Pilots were anatomically measured to see if they met the paramaters for
various aircraft types. There was sufficient clearance for kneecaps as you
can see from the following images.

http://www.thunder-and-lightnings.co.uk/lightning/full/bru98518.jpg

http://www.thunder-and-lightnings.co.uk/lightning/full/bru98521.jpg

http://www.thunder-and-lightnings.co.uk/lightning/full/msl97107.jpg

TJ

[weremoth]

Thanks for the info and pointing me to those cool pics TJ

"TJ" > wrote in message
...
>
> "weremoth" > wrote in message
> ...
> > I've been told if you were to eject from an English Electric/BAC
> Lightning,
> > the instrument panel could take your kneecaps off. Can anyone confirm or
> > deny?
> >
> >
>
> No. Pilots were anatomically measured to see if they met the paramaters
for
> various aircraft types. There was sufficient clearance for kneecaps as you
> can see from the following images.
>
> http://www.thunder-and-lightnings.co.uk/lightning/full/bru98518.jpg
>
> http://www.thunder-and-lightnings.co.uk/lightning/full/bru98521.jpg
>
> http://www.thunder-and-lightnings.co.uk/lightning/full/msl97107.jpg
>
> TJ
>
>
>

[Ben Full]

weremoth.exe failed a turing test with the following:

> I've been told if you were to eject from an English Electric/BAC
> Lightning, the instrument panel could take your kneecaps off. Can
> anyone confirm or deny?




My best friend's father had the 'pleasure' of ejecting from a Lightning at
RAF Coltishall in the late 70's. He still has both his kneecaps. The
medicals make sure that your buttock to knee length is within limits to
prevent this sort of thing. I think the cockpit design team at BAC in Warton
looked into it as well.

regards

Ben Full

Champagne for my real friends
Real pain for my sham friends


--
BMFull

[The Raven]

"Ben Full" <my name @NOSPAM.btinternet.com> wrote in message
...
> weremoth.exe failed a turing test with the following:
>
> > I've been told if you were to eject from an English Electric/BAC
> > Lightning, the instrument panel could take your kneecaps off. Can
> > anyone confirm or deny?
>
>
>
>
> My best friend's father had the 'pleasure' of ejecting from a Lightning at
> RAF Coltishall in the late 70's. He still has both his kneecaps. The
> medicals make sure that your buttock to knee length is within limits to
> prevent this sort of thing. I think the cockpit design team at BAC in
Warton
> looked into it as well.

I believe the Mirage III, Maachi MB-326, and other aircraft had similar
issues. I definitely know my knees wouldn't clear a Maachi panel, the Mirage
though seemed to have sufficent room.

The story I'm told about the Mirages is that potential RAAF pilots with leg
issues would only be accepted if they agreed to the ejection risk. How true
that is another matter.

--
The Raven
http://www.80scartoons.co.uk/batfinkquote.mp3
** President of the ozemail.* and uunet.* NG's
** since August 15th 2000.

[Ben Full]

The Raven.exe failed a turing test with the following:

> "Ben Full" <my name @NOSPAM.btinternet.com> wrote in message
> ...
>> weremoth.exe failed a turing test with the following:
>>
>>> I've been told if you were to eject from an English Electric/BAC
>>> Lightning, the instrument panel could take your kneecaps off. Can
>>> anyone confirm or deny?
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> My best friend's father had the 'pleasure' of ejecting from a
>> Lightning at RAF Coltishall in the late 70's. He still has both his
>> kneecaps. The medicals make sure that your buttock to knee length
>> is within limits to prevent this sort of thing. I think the cockpit
>> design team at BAC in Warton looked into it as well.
>
> I believe the Mirage III, Maachi MB-326, and other aircraft had
> similar issues. I definitely know my knees wouldn't clear a Maachi
> panel, the Mirage though seemed to have sufficent room.
>
> The story I'm told about the Mirages is that potential RAAF pilots
> with leg issues would only be accepted if they agreed to the ejection
> risk. How true that is another matter.

Interesting. I guess it will just make selection for certain types a bit
more rigid. We have some really tall pilots around at work. You can tell
they arent fast jet boys though - some would certainly part company with
their knees. Not such a problem in helis or heavies.

regards

Ben Full

PS great tagline!

--
BMFull

[The Raven]

"Ben Full" <my name @NOSPAM.btinternet.com> wrote in message
...
> The Raven.exe failed a turing test with the following:
>
> > "Ben Full" <my name @NOSPAM.btinternet.com> wrote in message
> > ...
> >> weremoth.exe failed a turing test with the following:
> >>
> >>> I've been told if you were to eject from an English Electric/BAC
> >>> Lightning, the instrument panel could take your kneecaps off. Can
> >>> anyone confirm or deny?
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> My best friend's father had the 'pleasure' of ejecting from a
> >> Lightning at RAF Coltishall in the late 70's. He still has both his
> >> kneecaps. The medicals make sure that your buttock to knee length
> >> is within limits to prevent this sort of thing. I think the cockpit
> >> design team at BAC in Warton looked into it as well.
> >
> > I believe the Mirage III, Maachi MB-326, and other aircraft had
> > similar issues. I definitely know my knees wouldn't clear a Maachi
> > panel, the Mirage though seemed to have sufficent room.
> >
> > The story I'm told about the Mirages is that potential RAAF pilots
> > with leg issues would only be accepted if they agreed to the ejection
> > risk. How true that is another matter.
>
> Interesting. I guess it will just make selection for certain types a bit
> more rigid.

Exactly. Pilots considering various types should figure out up front what
they can reasonably fit into.

> We have some really tall pilots around at work. You can tell
> they arent fast jet boys though - some would certainly part company with
> their knees. Not such a problem in helis or heavies.

I recall one Mirage pilot who was very large, no one could believe he could
squeeze into the cockpit.

--
The Raven
http://www.80scartoons.co.uk/batfinkquote.mp3
** President of the ozemail.* and uunet.* NG's
** since August 15th 2000.

[Andrew Chaplin]

The Raven wrote:
>
> I believe the Mirage III, Maachi MB-326, and other aircraft had similar
> issues. I definitely know my knees wouldn't clear a Maachi panel, the Mirage
> though seemed to have sufficent room.
>
> The story I'm told about the Mirages is that potential RAAF pilots with leg
> issues would only be accepted if they agreed to the ejection risk. How true
> that is another matter.

I believe the T-33 was another aircraft that had such a hazard, and
that was one of the reasons it was replaced as the advanced trainer in
Canadian service by the Tutor.
--
Andrew Chaplin
SIT MIHI GLADIUS SICUT SANCTO MARTINO
(If you're going to e-mail me, you'll have to get "yourfinger." out.)