F-111 ejection pod

[SLUF4]

I was reading a book today that had a brief section about the F-111. It mentioned that it had an ejection pod that separated the whole cockpit from the aircraft and had airbags to cushion the landing and also kept it afloat in water. Did this system work very well and do any other aircraft have it aside from the shuttle? Also the book mentioned that the pilots didn't have to wear G-suits because of this pod, but I can't figure out why that would make a difference. Of course I don't know much about G-suits.

 

[tomgoodman]

Capsules

The original B-1A had a capsule, and it was used once, but a chute malfunction led to a fatality. The B-58 had individual capsules which slammed shut as part of the ejection sequence. A capsule can eliminate the need for a pressure suit, but does nothing to reduce G forces.

 

[SLUF4]

Thanks, Tom;
I guess the author got it mixed up with the pressure suit, but that makes a lot more sense.

 

[Buckeye]

They have an F-111 pod and the B-58 capsules on display at the USAF Museum in Dayton, Ohio. The F-111 pod has it's own rest quarters, starbucks coffee machine, surround sound system, and flotaion system......OK well maybe only the last one, but still their is hope. Here is a link with a picture of the pod:
http://www.ejectionsite.com/texans/f111d_34rt.jpg

 

[Colonel Savage]

The original B-1A had a capsule, and it was used once, but a chute malfunction led to a fatality....

B-70 maybe?

 

[tomgoodman]

B-1a

B-70 maybe?

Don't know about the B-70. The B-1A that crashed on a test flight got out of C.G limits when the wings were swept forward with the fuel load distributed too far aft. It pitched almost straight up (at low altitude) and was unrecoverable. The AC was killed and the other crewmembers injured when the capsule landed. May have been outside the capsule's safe ejection envelope.

 

[SLUF4]

They have an F-111 pod and the B-58 capsules on display at the USAF Museum in Dayton, Ohio. The F-111 pod has it's own rest quarters, starbucks coffee machine, surround sound system, and flotaion system......OK well maybe only the last one, but still their is hope. Here is a link with a picture of the pod:
http://www.ejectionsite.com/texans/f111d_34rt.jpg

Thanks for the picture link-that's pretty neat looking...the book also said that the stick had a pin that you could place in it to turn the stick into a bilge pump for getting rid of water. Crafty.

 

[stein429]

F-111 Ejection Pod

Flew the 'Vark for a few years at both Mountain Home and Upper Heyford. There was a 29K lbs rocket that was located behind and between the seats. Your speed at the time th eejection handle was pulled determined how the thrust got vectored; there was both a Hi and Lo speed mode. The cushion underneath was indeed there to mitigate the impact of landing on dry land. The stick could be used as a bilge pump in the event of a water landing. Never had to grab the ejection handle but had a few friends that did; some successful and some not.

 

[propsarebest]

Flew the 'Vark for a few years at both Mountain Home and Upper Heyford. There was a 29K lbs rocket that was located behind and between the seats. Your speed at the time th eejection handle was pulled determined how the thrust got vectored; there was both a Hi and Lo speed mode. The cushion underneath was indeed there to mitigate the impact of landing on dry land. The stick could be used as a bilge pump in the event of a water landing. Never had to grab the ejection handle but had a few friends that did; some successful and some not.

there have been a few guys that ejected in a -111 that have had major lifelong back problems due to landing on dry land.

 

[Bill Mostellar]

there have been a few guys that ejected in a -111 that have had major lifelong back problems due to landing on dry land.

My last Commander was one of them. The pod didn't land properly. He lost his ejection seat qual and transitioned to C-5s then C-21s.

He was the BEST Boss I've ever had.