F-35 Boarding Ladder

Orangeburst · by **Orangeburst** » 02 Nov 2011, 00:15

spazsinbad wrote:All of the above and more. AFAIK the test pilots fly all the three variations. Why worry about where the names are?

No worries here. Thought it curious and if some of the pilots are flying multiple variants, this is something that many of us have not seen substantiated.

spazsinbad · by **spazsinbad** » 02 Nov 2011, 01:27

What does it matter about the names then? I'm not worried - to me it seems that, like most USN squadrons AFAIK, a pilot name is put on the side of the aircraft but that does not mean that only that pilot flies that aircraft. To me it seems like it is a courtesy only and not some absolute fact. I'm guessing from your comment (if I have interpreted it correctly) that you yourself and others have not seen all the test pilots fly all the three variants? Is this what you mean? Why is this also significant. I don't claim to know only that I claim to have probably read that 'fact' at some time. Also seems to me to be an insignificant factoid. I'm always glad to be corrected though, preferrably with another reference. You may note I usually do provide a reference or two.

Orangeburst · by **Orangeburst** » 03 Nov 2011, 00:08

spazsinbad wrote:What does it matter about the names then? I'm not worried - to me it seems that, like most USN squadrons AFAIK, a pilot name is put on the side of the aircraft but that does not mean that only that pilot flies that aircraft. To me it seems like it is a courtesy only and not some absolute fact. I'm guessing from your comment (if I have interpreted it correctly) that you yourself and others have not seen all the test pilots fly all the three variants? Is this what you mean? Why is this also significant. I don't claim to know only that I claim to have probably read that 'fact' at some time. Also seems to me to be an insignificant factoid. I'm always glad to be corrected though, preferrably with another reference. You may note I usually do provide a reference or two.

I think our wires are crossed some. I could care less about the names on the aircraft, just that this may indicate to me that a pilot flies multiple variants. Nothing more, nothing less. I just did not realize it and found it interesting they cross platform between conventional and STOVL craft.

Anyways enough of this. BTW, you do a great job here on the site and myself and others appreciate your efforts.

spazsinbad · by **spazsinbad** » 03 Nov 2011, 00:15

'orangeburst' no worries. I had a similar 'crossed wires thought' trying to fathom what you were getting at. My interest here is to gather information that interests me and if relevant share it here; and glad to do it when so many other excellent contributors share their knowledge also. Thanks to all concerned.

spazsinbad · by **spazsinbad** » 04 Oct 2012, 22:42

OK 'Beavis' - where's the 'ButtHead'?

http://www.jsf.mil/images/gallery/sdd/m ... sc_040.jpg

"Col. Art Tomassetti, vice commander of the 33rd Fighter Wing, Air Education and Training Command at Eglin Air Force, prepares to exit the cockpit of an F-35B with the help of a ground crew member after completing a training sortie in the Lightning II. (Photo by Tony Giberson)" CAPTION frum: http://www.jsf.mil/news/docs/20120901_F ... FUTURE.pdf (89Kb)

spazsinbad · by **spazsinbad** » 30 Jan 2013, 05:47

What is the vertical line on the left side of the cockpit below the canopy?

https://www.f35.com/resources/f-35-town ... and-a.aspx

“The vertical gray line that has been added to the left side of the cockpit is a safety feature that will be added to all three variants of the F-35. It gives the pilot line of sight to the center line of the boarding ladder so he knows where to put his foot when exiting the aircraft. The line gives him a visual of where he should place his foot to locate the ladder that is in a blind spot just underneath him when stepping off the aircraft.”

https://ex.democracydata.com/243F8CB0E1 ... 9b167b.jpg
&
http://i619.photobucket.com/albums/tt27 ... b642fc.jpg
&
http://www.f-16.net/attachments/ladder_ ... ot_159.jpg

spazsinbad · by **spazsinbad** » 31 Aug 2013, 18:47

As youse can see I like ladders....

F-35B sea-trials aboard the USS Wasp 30 Aug 2013 Dave Majumdar on 30 August, 2013
http://www.flightglobal.com/blogs/the-d ... -uss-wasp/
http://www.flightglobal.com/blogs/the-d ... 200-st.jpg

steve2267 · by **steve2267** » 23 Jan 2017, 23:43

Found this old thread when searching on pilot's ladder or boarding ladder.

I saw some early comments grousing about the weight of the ladder when they were so concerned with saving weight at one point. But I did not see anyone ask how much it might have cost / weighed to add a motor / mechanism to enable the ladder to self-deploy / self-retract. I suppose there should always be ground personnel around... but in that unfortunate time when a pilot has to land off-base or in some remote stretch of highway / whatever / wherever for an emergency or some other strange reason, (s)he will have to either sleep in the cockpit, or figure a way to climb down, and then, later, perhaps back up.

steve2267 · by **steve2267** » 23 Jan 2017, 23:46

Went back through the thread and was surprised to find that Spaz' ladder video was not linked anywhere:

spazsinbad · by **spazsinbad** » 24 Jan 2017, 00:06

Yep pilots will get out without the ladder also. AFAIK that is part of their basic cockpit training, exactly how they do it as I recall is not explained. Remember the F-35A EGLIN FIRE? The pilot exited the aircraft tootsweet. :mrgreen:

'Happy_Gilmore' said: "Lockheed doesn't use boarding ladders, they use maintenance stands, all other F-35's other than AA-1 have a really cool built in boarding ladder system. In an emergency they just jump [12 ft] over the side, it's actually practiced and timed. " viewtopic.php?f=63&t=8111&p=97077&hilit=emergency#p97077