KursadA Posted January 31, 2006 Share Posted January 31, 2006 Don't worry, this isn't one of those "So what is the real range of the AESA radar anyway??" questions...This one is fairly plain and simple: Are there any rules and regulations to prohibit a fighter pilot from carrying a cell phone on a flight? Obviously a working(switched on) cell phone should be forbidden, but can a fighter pilot even carry his turned-off cell phone during a mission? I'm really befuddled, because a Turkish F-16C went down yesterday after a complete engine failure; and the pilot is said to have reported the crash using his GSM cell phone while dangling from his parachute in midair! I had no idea a pilot could carry a cellphone on a mission.. Link to post Share on other sites
Murph Posted January 31, 2006 Share Posted January 31, 2006 Kursad, I don't know of a reg prohibiting it in the USAF. I also don't know of anybody doing it either. Regards, Murph Link to post Share on other sites
dbec Posted January 31, 2006 Share Posted January 31, 2006 what about IPOD's ... j/k Link to post Share on other sites
Keith Diamond Posted January 31, 2006 Share Posted January 31, 2006 what about IPOD's ... j/k The F-22A comes standard with the new 30 GB IPod, while Block 50/52 F-16CJs come standard with the 4 GB IPod Nano. As part of the new A-10C upgrades, the Warthog is due to recieve the AM radio. Link to post Share on other sites
Phantom726 Posted January 31, 2006 Share Posted January 31, 2006 (edited) Hi, I am not a pilot my self but I seriously doubt that a pilot will have the time to, or even be capable of, digging out his cell phone from his suit, turn it on, punch in the pin code, dial the telephone number for his squadron (or whoever he would call) and tell them that he has just ejected from his jet - all while descending in his chute. I would imagine that during a complete engine failure, the pilot would try to re-light the engine a number of times (provided he has the energy and altitude to so) and make a controlled descent with the Emergency Power Unit doing its job. As I recall it, you are not required to eject until you are 2.000 feet above the ground if you are in full control of the jet and 6.000 feet if the plane is un-controllable. Assuming he ejected somewhere in between, his descend to the ground would not take long, leaving him little or no time to things such as pulling out his cell phone. On top of that an ejection is an extremely violent experience, which will basically bust your brain and leave you more or less unable to do things like finding your cell phone. My guess would be that a reporter somewhere got it all wrong, and what actually happened was that the pilot activated his emergency beacon in his harness (standard operating procedure) or - what is also a possibility - he didn't pull out the phone until safely on the ground. Just my 2p worth. Rgds Bjarne Edited January 31, 2006 by Phantom726 Link to post Share on other sites
Blennidae Posted January 31, 2006 Share Posted January 31, 2006 The F-22A comes standard with the new 30 GB IPod, while Block 50/52 F-16CJs come standard with the 4 GB IPod Nano. As part of the new A-10C upgrades, the Warthog is due to recieve the AM radio. :lol: ;) Link to post Share on other sites
Murph Posted January 31, 2006 Share Posted January 31, 2006 As I recall it, you are not required to eject until you are 2.000 feet above the ground if you are in full control of the jet and 6.000 feet if the plane is un-controllable. Depends on the aircraft/seat combo, but those are the usual nuumbers. Assuming he ejected somewhere in between, his descent to the ground would not take long, 1 minute per 1,000 feet is what we would plan on. My guess would be that a reporter somewhere got it all wrong What a shocking concept. what actually happened was that the pilot activated his emergency beacon in his harness (standard operating procedure) or - what is also a possibility - he didn't pull out the phone until safely on the ground. Once the seat separates from the aircraft, the ELT is activated sending out a Guard tone. Once on the ground the pilot would use his survival radio. Regards, Murph Link to post Share on other sites
Ken Middleton Posted January 31, 2006 Share Posted January 31, 2006 As part of the new A-10C upgrades, the Warthog is due to recieve the AM radio. ;) potato powered at that Link to post Share on other sites
Sean Bratton Posted January 31, 2006 Share Posted January 31, 2006 what about IPOD's ... j/k A certain North American air demonstration team used to travel from show to show listening their walkmans under their helmets. Strangely enough it came to light during an accident investigation - but was not a factor in the accident. Cheers, Sean Link to post Share on other sites
Phantom726 Posted January 31, 2006 Share Posted January 31, 2006 QUOTE(Phantom726 @ Jan 31 2006, 04:01 PM) My guess would be that a reporter somewhere got it all wrong What a shocking concept. ;) I assume the Turks also carry SARBEs in their harness and would activate them as part of the post-ejection drill?? Bjarne Link to post Share on other sites
Murph Posted January 31, 2006 Share Posted January 31, 2006 A certain North American air demonstration team used to travel from show to show listening their walkmans under their helmets. Strangely enough it came to light during an accident investigation - but was not a factor in the accident.Cheers, Sean Sean, It's not unheard of on long deployments for pilots to use a Walkman. I know the F-117 pilots, and others, did it flying to Saudi in Desert Shield, then the Stingbug pilots continued the practice in Desert Storm. Of course as Iron Eagle showed, some time in the simulator and a Queen tape ensure you can take on anybody. Regards, Murph Link to post Share on other sites
boom175 Posted January 31, 2006 Share Posted January 31, 2006 AFI 21-101 Strictly prohibits "personal communication devices" on the flight line, or in the hangar. Note that it states "personal" Govt issued devices are OK as long is there is no other conflict i.e. in a fueling safety zone, servicing LOX etc. Note that AFI 21-101 is an Maintenance instruction but it should appply to all. Its mainly meant as a control regulation to prevent someones phone, pager etc gettting into some places where they shouldnt be (engines, flight control linkages etc.) HTH Craig Link to post Share on other sites
KursadA Posted January 31, 2006 Author Share Posted January 31, 2006 I assume the Turks also carry SARBEs in their harness and would activate them as part of the post-ejection drill?? Bjarne Yes, they should have Turkish-made devices based on the PRC-434. Link to post Share on other sites
Sunliner Posted January 31, 2006 Share Posted January 31, 2006 I knew a USN hornet pilot who usually flew with a walkman & a pack of Oreo cookies. Don't know about the phone though. -Mike Link to post Share on other sites
Hawk10 Posted January 31, 2006 Share Posted January 31, 2006 I always thought the rule for the use of an ejection seat was "When your fear of the aircraft overcomes your fear of the ejection seat, it's time to get out" which has no relationship to the altitude! Link to post Share on other sites
Sunshine117 Posted February 1, 2006 Share Posted February 1, 2006 Flew with my cell phone tonight as a matter of fact. Then again I fly in a Grumman product.... Tried to use one to call back to base one time while on deck with the engines turning and there was so much background noise that it was almost unusable. Link to post Share on other sites
Collin Posted February 1, 2006 Share Posted February 1, 2006 I knew a USN hornet pilot who usually flew with a walkman & a pack of Oreo cookies. Don't know about the phone though.-Mike This is too funny... bringing back memories. The amount of stuff we used to carry in the lower flight suit pockets was sometimes comical. In a Hornet (or A-4, or T-2)...you don't have a lot of room... or the chance to eat anything on single cycle hop. Now take an S-3 or E-2 crew that is looking at a double or triple cycle hop... if you could stuff a pizza in your pockets you would. The rolls on CV-62 were excellent... about the only thing they baked right on that thing. Not out of the ordinary to see a couple of guys stuffing their lower legs full of rolls before heading up for a long flight. Nothing like sitting in the overhead, in the Gulf waiting for some Hornet to bolter.... watching the sun set and offering your pilot/TACCO or AW a nice tasty roll. AW1 'Obi" was famous for bringing cookies on his flights... his helmet bag was a grocery store... always hoped he would be scheduled for my backseat on those long flights. Walkman... some guys used them... normally one earpiece only... so you could hear the radio with in the other. Some of us with digital camcorders would put the mic piece in our HGU helmets to catch the radio and ICS chatter on the tape. Now that I fly the P-3 and there is actually a galley back there... you can cook in a crock pot (excellent for TransPacs and such). Did see one mishap report about someone setting their hamburger on fire in the oven once.... that was a hoot. I still go back to my jet ways and stuff my pockets with g-dunk. Cheers Link to post Share on other sites
Fishwelding Posted February 1, 2006 Share Posted February 1, 2006 As part of the new A-10C upgrades, the Warthog is due to recieve the AM radio. Okay, yea, that last sentence, with no real prior warning, was beer-through-the-nose funny. Link to post Share on other sites
Sunshine117 Posted February 1, 2006 Share Posted February 1, 2006 [quote name='Jeff Stoermer' date='Jan 31 2006, 08:48 PM' post='656533' Sunshine, not many Grumman products left... There's reasons why there aren't many Grumman products left...hence the cell phone! All fairness though I've been incredibly lucky with the E-2...only a couple single engine approaches and no fires! Link to post Share on other sites
mkimages Posted February 1, 2006 Share Posted February 1, 2006 what about IPOD's ... j/k Listening to my scanner, it's not that uncommon to hear music being broadcast on air-air frequencies by military planes passing by. There are several frequencies that are "set aside" for informal comms (eg. 303.0 (thirty-thirty), is called "Winchester"; 299.5 is "Cheap Suit"; 333.55 is "Full House", etc.). Plug in your iPod or Walkman, turn on your transmitter, and your entire flight gets hoppin' tunes all the way across the country. :lol: Link to post Share on other sites
Waco Posted February 1, 2006 Share Posted February 1, 2006 Also known as "Wingman Radio" or KCGO... Link to post Share on other sites
twobobs Posted February 1, 2006 Share Posted February 1, 2006 Had a buddy B-1 WSO of mine totally crack me up with a story on that B-1 that went down out of Guam. Cell phones and ********* were scattered amongst the debris of the crash site. If an ARIA ever went down, you'd find nothing but cans of clam chowder, Dinty Moore Beef Stew, ********* and some classified hard drives... Link to post Share on other sites
drhornii Posted February 1, 2006 Share Posted February 1, 2006 Sean, It's not unheard of on long deployments for pilots to use a Walkman. I know the F-117 pilots, and others, did it flying to Saudi in Desert Shield, then the Stingbug pilots continued the practice in Desert Storm. Of course as Iron Eagle showed, some time in the simulator and a Queen tape ensure you can take on anybody. Regards, Murph Listening to a walkman! chalk one up for the movie Iron Eagle for authenticity...... Link to post Share on other sites
SimFixer Posted February 1, 2006 Share Posted February 1, 2006 Heard a story years and years ago when working the F-16 ADF (which had an HF radio) that the ADF guys that did cross-countries in the western US used to dial up this particular oldies station in the Salt Lake area and get 60's tunes over the HF. And someone correct me but not too long ago someone did an experiment that involved making a phone call from the cockpit using the on-board A2G gizmos that were installed as part of some mod. I'll have to look up the specifics and get back to ya. Link to post Share on other sites
Murph Posted February 1, 2006 Share Posted February 1, 2006 Heard a story years and years ago when working the F-16 ADF (which had an HF radio) that the ADF guys that did cross-countries in the western US used to dial up this particular oldies station in the Salt Lake area and get 60's tunes over the HF.And someone correct me but not too long ago someone did an experiment that involved making a phone call from the cockpit using the on-board A2G gizmos that were installed as part of some mod. I'll have to look up the specifics and get back to ya. Depending on the VOR/ILS receiver, it was possible to pick up some radio stations. You could also use the radio to call the Commode Post to get a phone patch. Regards, Murph Link to post Share on other sites
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