RAF Pilot Seats

[CowboySlim]

So after a career in flying for the RAF, many pilots would go to the flight surgeons when they were done flying with complaints about their backs. Many of them had backs and spines that were in real terrible shape after a career of flying military planes. It was because of this that the Flight Surgery/Medical wing of the RAF got interested in doing comfort and ergonomic research into pilot seats. The company was trying to impress us with their technical expertise by telling us that they were using the results of these RAF studies to better design seats (or design better seats).

Well, what did I find interesting in all this? The pilots never complained until they were retiring from flying. You see, no pilot goes near a flight surgeon for any such reason as back pain/trouble for fear that they will grounded and their flying days deemed over.

AW, later buddy,

[Spazmogen]

I don't blame the pilots for waiting.

It's not often you get to fly that kind of aircraft on someone elses fuel tab.

Was that study on fighters or transports or both?
Of course, many of the pilots go on to fly commercially after they retire.

No doubt the seats on the big commercial planes are better suited for long haul flights.

[dodecahedron]

my...an uncomfortable seat at 10G...not pleasant!

[CowboySlim]

I really don't have much more detail on whether or not the study included both combat and transport seats. However, I would expect that the problems to be much more severe on the combat A/C. Not only the G loadings but also the limitations in the physical envelope that the seat designer has to work with in the combat A/C. I think that the pilot seats in military transport A/C are basically the same as in commercial A/C.

[aviationwiz]

Yup, I would have waited for sure.

I don't know how the seats are, but they do the job well, considering they need to be ejector seats, etc.

Hmm, now me, I'd rather fly a bomber, like a B-2 Bomber. Something only the USAF can offer me.

Screw F-16's, anyone can offer me that, RAF, USAF, IAF, AAF, TAF, nearly anyone.

Yeah, either the B-1, the B-2, or the B-52. Who agrees with me?

[David]

Aviationwiz wrote

Yeah, either the B-1, the B-2, or the B-52.

What no F-117A.

[aviationwiz]

Whopps, forgot that one. Also, the soon to be F-22.

[David]

Heres one for down the road the F-35 JSF

[CowboySlim]

My son is a recent EE grad who has been doing some graduate work sponsored by Northrop. He is hoping to get a job there, most likely on the JSF.