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Seat height on landing in the real bird


Rhinozherous

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Hello!

Because of the AOA required for landing I always drive my seat quite a bit up to have a better view on landing thru the HUD... do real Viper pilots also adjust the seat up for landing? Or is this more a simulation thing?

Thank you!


Edited by Rhinozherous

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You flying in 2D? I have no need to do this in VR, I think the 2D cockpit viewpoint might be a little further back then IRL which exacerbates this issue. 

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I've read Viper pilots often loosen their straps and sit up in their reclined seats. Sometimes they get aches and pains in their upper back and shoulders from sitting up in that way so often. This is from memory and I can't find a source for it. Maybe it was from a pilot, maybe a youTube comment, don't remember.

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As long as you can see the 15 degree mark on the HUD that's enough. I don't know if you're allowed to have loose straps or if it's required to be strapped in for landing. DCS does weird things sometimes though. I've found myself shoved into my seat like a 2 year old behind the steering wheel of a Buick inexplicably many times. If it helps you, do it. You're not going to scratch the canopy with your helmet in the sim.

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15 hours ago, Theodore42 said:

I've read Viper pilots often loosen their straps and sit up in their reclined seats. Sometimes they get aches and pains in their upper back and shoulders from sitting up in that way so often. This is from memory and I can't find a source for it. Maybe it was from a pilot, maybe a youTube comment, don't remember.

The only straps you can loosen/tighten are the lap belt or seat kit.  The harness is inertial reel.  

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I forget where I heard or read about it, but it was recommended after canopy bird strike testing that the pilots set their seats to have their heads no higher than a certain height below the canopy (2 feet comes to mind for some reason, rings a bell)

During bird strike testing of the canopy they found the HUD combiner glass would completely shatter from the canopy deformation if struck directly in that area. If struck higher, they found the canopy would deform about 2 feet IIRC.

The idea being if the pilot kept their helmet out of the deformation margin of the canopy, in the event of a bird strike there would be no direct force impacting the head of the pilot (the glass shattering into the face of the pilot from the HUD combiner seemed to be less of a concern to their testing... Possibly because they expect the pilot to have their helmet visors lowered during takeoff and landing phase of flight when threat of bird strikes are most probable)

 

The HUD glass destruction looks like it would be very unpleasant to personally experience, it looks like it is vectored straight into your face and lap.


Edited by Baz000
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15 hours ago, Baz000 said:

have their heads no higher than a certain height below the canopy (2 feet comes to mind for some reason, rings a bell)

I'm not sure how you'd have your head 2 feet below the canopy in an F-16, You'd need to take the seat out and be sat on the floor of the cockpit.

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But I believe there is a procedure using the HUD test symbology where you're meant to position the seat so you can see the correct amount of HUD, although clearly, not everybody uses it.

Its discussed a bit more here: https://www.f-16.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=9839

D


Edited by Deano87

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My Fathers Aviation Memoirs: 50 Years of Flying Fun - From Hunter to Spitfire and back again.

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maybe not 2 feet, I did mention that for some reason that dimension did come to my mind IDK, I fly so many planes in DCS... However, canopy deformation is a thing and that post you linked to on F-16.net does mention it.

"This was not the whole story though. Sammy was flying in and was heard by his wing-man say "oh no" then silence. They later found out he hit a turkey buzzard which caused his canopy to flex enough and either break his neck or knock him out. He continued to glide until he belly flopped into the ground. No additional communication was heard even after repeated calls from this wing-man before hitting the ground.

The point was if he had been sitting lower could this have been avoided and is that the reason the guys are sitting lower now?"

 

If you want to know about pilot body clearances inside cockpit, the USAF did a research study on it when they considered relaxing body size entrance requirements for Undergraduate Pilot Training (AFI48-123) to provide equal opportunity for both genders. The research described here was undertaken from 1997 through 2000 to determine the smallest and largest people that can safely and efficiently operate each current USAF aircraft.

https://apps.dtic.mil/sti/pdfs/ADA405598.pdf


Edited by Baz000
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22 minutes ago, Frederf said:

I've always heard it as balling your fist and placing it between your helmet and canopy which is in my case about 4 inches.

This is commonly taught in the training aircraft too apparently to aircrews. According to parts of that USAF commissioned report I read.

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Dan Hampton (Viper Pilot) mentioned sitting high so he can see the ground below him better for SAM threats.  Doesn't answer the main question but a good bit of information.

[sIGPIC][/sIGPIC]

 

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On 11/3/2021 at 10:47 PM, Mover said:

The only straps you can loosen/tighten are the lap belt or seat kit.  The harness is inertial reel.  

The inertial reel can be unlocked with the handle on the left side of the seat, just before the "seat arm" handle 


Edited by Falconeer

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On 11/5/2021 at 12:24 AM, Falconeer said:

The inertial reel can be unlocked with the handle on the left side of the seat, just before the "seat arm" handle 

 

It shouldn't be locked unless you're doing a barrier engagement.

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On 11/4/2021 at 11:53 AM, Frederf said:

I've always heard it as balling your fist and placing it between your helmet and canopy which is in my case about 4 inches.

To whom it may concern,

I am an idiot, unfortunately for the world, I have a internet connection and a fondness for beer....apologies for that.

Thank you for you patience.

 

 

Many people don't want the truth, they want constant reassurance that whatever misconception/fallacies they believe in are true..

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