Forum: F-22A Raptor

Not exactly a "blackout switch" but something designed to enhance survivability..

http://www.rockwellcollins.com/news/page10734.html

Rockwell Collins successfully controls and lands wing-damaged UAV

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (June 10, 2008) - Rockwell Collins, through newly-acquired Athena Technologies, has completed a successful flight test of a significantly damaged unmanned F/A-18 subscale model air vehicle. The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) sponsored the flight demonstrations held this spring at the Aberdeen Proving Grounds in Maryland.

During the first flight test, nearly half of the airplane's right wing was ejected to simulate battle damage and in-flight failure. During the second flight, almost 60 percent of the airplane's right wing was ejected. Upon ejecting the wing section during both flights, Rockwell Collins' Automatic Supervisory Adaptive Control (ASAC) technology reacted to the airplane's new vehicle configuration, automatically regained baseline performance, continued to fly the plane, and then autonomously landed it using internal Inertial Navigation System/Global Positioning System (INS/GPS) reference only.

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That's pretty cool. I wonder if it can handle a partial separation with the piece still attached, especially with the tendency of composites to flex and shred without simply falling completely off. Or perhaps the wing is shot up and loses its stiffness yet will not sever, so it oscillates. If a computer could regain enough control to save the asset, that would be remarkable!

madrat wrote:

That's pretty cool. I wonder if it can handle a partial separation with the piece still attached, especially with the tendency of composites to flex and shred without simply falling completely off. Or perhaps the wing is shot up and loses its stiffness yet will not sever, so it oscillates. If a computer could regain enough control to save the asset, that would be remarkable!

I think it would be a good thing to design some of that capability into any plane that can accomodate it.

darkvarkguy wrote:

I received an email about the F-22 the other day that spoke of a 'Black Out' switch the pilot can press for missile evasion that will allow to aircraft to pull excessive Gs to 'out turn the missile and control the plane while the pilot is in G-LOC. Sounds like a civilian's Hollywood twist on a G-LOC recovery system, maybe?

i belive it is tehorically possible, but i also think that a long absence of oxigene in to the pilot's brain could be dangerous too (well, ever better than exploding in the sky.. or maybe not..)
Where does this mail came from ?
Can you paste the text here ?

fiskerwad wrote:

The latest Vipers already have a Black Out switch, it's on the throttle.
fisk

Isn't that switch to "blackout" the cockpit lights?

gbu24loader wrote:

fiskerwad wrote:

The latest Vipers already have a Black Out switch, it's on the throttle.
fisk

Isn't that switch to "blackout" the cockpit lights?

Yep, toggles NVIS.

Forum: F-22A Raptor

'Black Out' switch?