Dino's T-45 Grounded

[jmbiii]

Carrier quals are cancelled and I've put the T-45 in the hangar 'til this blows over.
At times I've felt a bit light headed while tooling along in Dino's great T-45.:very_drunk:

Dino, you should offer your services and instruct those in charge how to fix a 'bug' in the Goshawk ! :biggrin-new::adoration:

[stovall]

Carrier quals are cancelled and I've put the T-45 in the hangar 'til this blows over.
At times I've felt a bit light headed while tooling along in Dino's great T-45.:very_drunk:

Dino, you should offer your services and instruct those in charge how to fix a 'bug' in the Goshawk ! :biggrin-new::adoration:

The issue mentioned above appears to be more than the oxygen system. The SPIRIT of flying has a new meaning if you are downing a few six packs before flight. Good comment. :ernaehrung004:

[PhantomTweak]

The OBOGS (On-Board Oxygen Generation System) was great. When it came out a while back.
The F/A-18's have been having troubles with it for a long time. They even had to come out with an additional training method, and machine, for what to do, and how to tell, it's got a problem.
They sit the pilots down in front of a system much like FSX, or P3D, just a computer screen and stick/rudder/throttle set-up the average sim pilot would give their eye-teeth for. They wear their flight suit, gloves, helmet, and mask, and off they go, pre-briefed flight profile, high, low, whatever. Then a tech can vary the ratio of O2 to everything else being fed the pilot's mask, just as if the OBOGS had failed, partially or completely.
The pilot first has to recognize the symptoms of hypoxia as they come on, slow or fast, and take the correct actions. Harder than you might think, since the first thing to occur is the brain doesn't work properly any more. Kind of a Catch-22 set up. Brain isn't working right, but your brain is what recognizes there's a problem, and what to do about it. It's a very insidious problem, and the problems can be very subtle.
If the IP's are refusing to fly in the T-45's any more, the OBOGS systems are suddenly showing a much higher failure rate, and severity of failures, than "normal" for the OBOGS. It's not a huge problem, if they recognize the symptoms in time, down low, like on CQ's, as the partial pressure of oxygen is plenty high enough, and they can pull off their masks, like they did all the time in Top Gun, but if they are assigned a holding altitude above, say, about 10-12,000', then there's a problem.
The emergency oxygen available in the seat is only 10 minutes, under optimum conditions. If the OBOGS are failing at a high rate, or there's no money to repair/replace them, then the seat's oxy reserves are being used extensively, leaving no reserve for if there is a necessary ejection. Very dangerous problem, over-all.
I can't say I blame the Instructors for refusing to fly in these planes any longer. Means the training system over-all has pretty much come to a complete halt. I hope the government will release some cash to get the problem fixed, or we're going to be way short of Naval Aviators!
Maybe Dino will have insight for this. SOMEthing has to be done, that's certain!
Have good flights all! Keep an eye on your fingernails. They turn even a little purple, get down below 10K! :D
Pat☺

[fsafranek]

They should just integrate an O2 sensor like they put on your finger when in the hospital into the gloves or suit somewhere.
When the amount of oxygen in the blood drops so far set off all sorts of bells and alarms and kick the OBOGS into high gear.
The sensor will know there's an issue before the pilot ever does. Maybe even restrict use of the seat mounted supply until that
point. (You heard it here first :encouragement:)
:ernaehrung004:

[awstub]

Same issue seems to be affecting the F=22's and USAF pilots are refusing to fly now as well.
I wonder if the systems are produced by the same defense contractor...

[PhantomTweak]

They probably are, and the way things are looking, it's probably Lockheed. I wouldn't be surprized. I worked for them for 15 years, and it was 15 years too long, let me say!
Pat☺

[awstub]

Well, the issue doesn't seem to be affecting things at PAX River. I was there on Wednesday and the place was hoppin'.
I sat at the end of Rwy 32 and watched the F-18's, EA-6 and F-35 ops. One of the F-35's was doing tests with the arresting gear.
It was a nice way to spend my lunch hour :smile-new:

[Dino Cattaneo]

Safety first!
...but this whole thing reminded me that I need to spend some time in rebuilding the T-45C source files.
I am seriously considering a further upgrade to my T-45 model (but I am not improving the OBOGS system)...

[mikewmac]

Safety first!
...but this whole thing reminded me that I need to spend some time in rebuilding the T-45C source files.
I am seriously considering a further upgrade to my T-45 model (but I am not improving the OBOGS system)...
:encouragement::encouragement::encouragement:

[Navy Chief]

Too bad LOX isn't used anymore. Although there was an occasional problem with contamination from a cart....nothing on a scale of this proportion. Nope. NC

[rvn817j]

Just wear a pulse oximeter like I do when I fly a cross country! FAA regs say no oxygen required below 12,500 feet, but you can bet if you fly above 7500 feet or so for a long period you will feel some effects of oxygen deprivation. I carry / wear a pulse oximeter so I know when it is time to fly at a lower level.

If I can do that, I don't understand why the military can't provide that simple, inexpensive device to our pilots / air crews!

(I do understand that flight crew wear gloves, etc. as part of their flight gear. What I'm suggesting is that the military (simply) incorporate a pulse oximeter into the glove with a small screen (or wireless link to a screen somewhere in the cockpit) that shows oxygen level and pulse. Seems too simple, so maybe I don't understand the problem?)

[henrystreet]

Safety first!
...but this whole thing reminded me that I need to spend some time in rebuilding the T-45C source files.
I am seriously considering a further upgrade to my T-45 model (but I am not improving the OBOGS system)...

Dino,

Thanks for this news. Let us know if you need any crowdfunding. I know sometimes it feels like an albatross around your neck but it is one of the most iconic add-ons for the MS flightsims and an absolute necessity for the ultra peculiar sector of the community I inhabit. Even in my ambivalence about it, I fly it all the time.

Appreciate all your hard work.

[Woogey]

I second Henry's sentimate about Crowdfunding. If you are really desiring to rebuild and upgrade the T-45, I would most definately donate to the cause. Although FSX has been really irritating me lately, X-plane 11 keeps calling to me. In a couple months when P3d64 is out and we can get some thorough comparison reviews, then I will make my plaform decision. The New build PC is only going to get two Simulators DCS, and..(_________).

-Woog

[fsafranek]

Just wear a pulse oximeter like I do when I fly a cross country!
Great idea! (http://www.sim-outhouse.com/sohforums/showthread.php/105271-Dino-s-T-45-Grounded?p=1076469&viewfull=1#post1076469)
:ernaehrung004:

[Stinger]

I don't know what the problem is?:icon_question: Manny and I flew last night doing Carrier traps last night off Pensacola and didn't experience any trouble at all. Must be a real world thing,Aah?. Certainly not grounding our fleet of Goshawks, I have several pilots that need training .:friendly_wink: hehehe

[rpetty]

Stinger...here is a link to a news report on the T-45 grounding. Pilots are suffering from effects of oxygen deprivation in the T-45 and those statements, which aired on FOX News, resulting in the grounding of the entire fleet until some resolution is made.

https://www.navytimes.com/articles/navy-grounds-all-t-45-training-jets-after-instructors-refuse-to-fly

[Stinger]

Yeah... I get it dude, i was being facetious.... my flying days are over, except for flying this desk

[PhantomTweak]

my flying days are over, except for flying this desk

Welcome to the club!
I've got so much "armchair pilot" time, I could qualify for Instructor :D :D

Have fun!
Pat☺