....after grabbing the ejector seat handle to 'steady himself'
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...ng-2500ft.html
*He panicked during the flight near Saint-Dizier airforce base in northern
France
•The man landed using his parachute and ended up in a field with minor injuries
•The French Airforce and the Defence Ministry are called to review procedures
A pensioner who was given a surprise flight in a £70million fighter jet as a
retirement present was flung out at 2500ft after grabbing the ejector seat
handle to 'steady himself'.
The astonishing drama is outlined in a newly released report by French aviation
investigators who have stern words for their country's Airforce and government
throughout.
At times, it reads like a dark comedy film script, as it describes how the
unidentified 64-year-old panicked and screamed with fear during his first flight
in the Rafale-B which took off from Saint-Dizier airforce base, in north-west
France last March.
Then he shot out at high speed, losing his helmet that had not been fastened
round his chin properly, before landing in a field close to the German border.
His anti-g force suit, worn by aviators who are subject to high acceleration
forces and designed to prevent a blackout, had also become loose around the
trousers.
'In addition, the stress of surprise has been magnified by the complete lack of
military aviation experience.
'The passenger said he had a complete lack of knowledge of the aeronautical
environment and its constraints, having never flown on a military aircraft.'
The 35-year-old captain on the flight, which took off on a sunny afternoon on
March 20, had 2000 flying hours behind him.
This included 905 in a Rafale, but he was used to having a military comrade in
the back seat of the two-seater jet.
Four of the pensioner's colleagues had turned up with a professional
photographer, and they placed a Go-Pro camera on their friend's helmet to film
the afternoon flight.
'Faced with a fait accompli on the day of the flight, it was very difficult for
him to refuse to participate in the flight,' says the report.
The flight had also been authorised by the French Air Force staff at the request
of the Defence Ministry, which also piled pressure on the pensioner who was
'considered a VIP'.
Analysis of radio recordings show that the pilot was in control of the
situation. Once informed that his passenger had ejected, the pilot realises that
he should have been ejected too.
'He then demonstrated a certain calm following the loss of the rear seat and the
canopy.'
The pensioner, meanwhile, had expected a gentle ascent, but the plane 'climbed
at 47 degrees', compared to around 10 to 15 degrees for a standard passenger
plane.
This was when the Frenchman reached out to hang on to anything he could, and
pulled the ejector handle.
There was then a loud bang, with the force of the ejection tearing his unsecured
mask and oxygen mask from his face.
The Rafele-B's command ejection system is meant to fire both seats at once –
meaning the pilot feared his seat would fly out at any moment.
He managed to land with the use of his parachute and ended up in a field,
shocked and with minor injuries.
The report calls on the French Airforce and the Defence Ministry to review its
procedures for allowing civilians on military flights.
*