YF-22 talk with Tom Morgenfeld

One thing of interest to me they tried was the articulating ejection seat he mentions - the pilot presses a button on the stick and the seat reclines the pilot to a reclined position for high G turns.

During the Demonstration/Validation (DemVal) phase of prototype production for the YF-22 aircraft (produced by Lockheed Aeronautical Systems (LASC) with partners Boeing Military Airplanes and General Dynamics Fort Worth), a very unique ejection seat was designed. The YF-22 ACES II seat was modified from a standard A-10/T-46A version to have a particularly unique feature.

In modern combat with the extremely dynamic manuevering ability of new aircraft the pilot must be able to survive and be in control of the aircraft while being exposed to rapid and high changes in G-force. There are two traditional methods of dealing with this problem. One is the use of the combined anti-g-suit and g-straining manuever (which involves a physical tensing of certain muscles while breathing in a certain manner), the other is placing the seat in a reclining posture. Both methods were examined by the project teams, with a new style anti-G-suit being issued for the former, and the modification to the ACES II seat for the latter.

The concept was simple (as so many engineering concepts are), but required much work to develop. The seat was to be installed in a traditional semi-upright posture with a seat back angle of 15 degrees, but to have the ability of changing the seat back angle to 55 degrees either by the pilots choice, or possibly automatically selected by the flight control computer at the onset of rising Gz. Many factors had to be considered during the design phase..

http://www.ejectionsite.com/yf22seat.htm

The new seats would have been called "Lazy Boys" by the air and ground maintenance crew. For sures.

Tom Morgenfeld is certainly one of the most accomplished test pilots ever. Notably:

-Graduated 1st in his class from the Empire Test Pilot School (ETPS) in the UK.

-Went on to VX-4 Air Test and Evaluation Squadron where he was part of several classified programs.

-Was on an exchange tour with the US Air Force and became the first Naval Aviator to be a qualified USAF Aggressor pilot when assigned with the famous 4477th Test and Evaluation Squadron (Red Eagles) flying US acquired MiGs.

-Went on to be a test pilot for Lockheed Martin. Held several positions including CTP of Skunk Works as well as its Director of Flight Operations. Flew several classified aircraft, including the then classified F-117 Nighthawk (callsign: Bandit 101). Even saved the 1st F-117 during an early test flight when he experienced an in-flight emergency after takeoff (nose wheel fell off). Was told to eject, but managed to safely land the aircraft.

-Was the first pilot to fly the 2nd YF-22 prototype (PAV-2), primarily flew that jet during the ATF Competition and eventually became the CTP for the YF-22 Follow-On Test program when the YF-22 airframe was selected as winner of the ATF program.

-Is a Fellow and past president of the Society of Experimental Test Pilots.

This man knows aircrafts, technologies and capabilities.

A notable quote I remember him saying several years back during a similar TED-type Talk at Rancho Palos Verdes regarding aviation history was when Morgenfeld was asked how does our aircrafts stand up against foreign types. Morgenfeld stated:

I don’t know about the newest or latest versions of those things (i.e. very latest Chinese / Russian Flanker / MiG variants) but their Su-27 and follow on (Flankers / Felon) are pretty potent. But what I do know is I don’t believe anything can touch an F-22…for a lot of good reasons.

(Morgenfeld is in the tan colored shirt in the middle back row)

The YF-22 was a pretty ugly aircraft. I'm glad the F-22 aesthetics is much much improved. I know looks aren't everything but YF-22 just didn't have the aesthetics of the YF-23.

The YF-22 was a pretty ugly aircraft. I'm glad the F-22 aesthetics is much much improved. I know looks aren't everything but YF-22 just didn't have the aesthetics of the YF-23.

X2....

The production F-22A looks deadly and sleek from most angles. The YF-22A looked like the creation of a 10 year old kid (front fuselage/cockpit anyway). I also like the clipped wing, reduced vertical stabs (still huge) and several other changes. YF-23A was such a looker, I'll be surprised if NGAD even comes close....

The YF-22 was a pretty ugly aircraft. I'm glad the F-22 aesthetics is much much improved. I know looks aren't everything but YF-22 just didn't have the aesthetics of the YF-23.

Compared to the YF-23, the YF-22 was definitely a more conventional looking aircraft. As that classic Twilight Zone episode so simply put it, "beauty is in the eye of the beholder".

@ mixelflick
Who knows what NGAD will look like . There are a still classified exotic designs the public hasnt seen. Artist concept renderings show an exotic flying wing. Others show a sleeker looking YF-23-isc design. Maybe the NGAD will look more conventional than what most people are thinking

Tom Morganfeld is a class act, both then and now. Spent a little bit of time talking with him as the Ship 2 P&W FSR at the time. Always had time to answer my questions, even though I was not part of the flight briefings/debriefing with the flight test engineers.

The YF22 engine rear inboard engine mount consisted of a large U shaped bracket that fit around the back end of the airframe center keel, with coke bottle mounts on each side going into the engine frames. During the post Dem/Val follow-on testing hard landing accident, the impact broke all of the bolts clamping the U bracket to the keel, sliding down the keel with both engines rolled inward by 10-15 degrees. It was a pretty hard impact. Getting the engines out of the airframe was scary challenge, with two 20 ton Pettibone cranes lifting both engines through a 1/2” shackle to get the mount bracket slid back up into position so the engine installation trailers could get under the engines an engage the ground handling mounts.

The YF-22 was a pretty ugly aircraft. I'm glad the F-22 aesthetics is much much improved. I know looks aren't everything but YF-22 just didn't have the aesthetics of the YF-23.

Compared to the YF-23, the YF-22 was definitely a more conventional looking aircraft. As that classic Twilight Zone episode so simply put it, "beauty is in the eye of the beholder".

@ mixelflick
Who knows what NGAD will look like . There are a still classified exotic designs the public hasnt seen. Artist concept renderings show an exotic flying wing. Others show a sleeker looking YF-23-isc design. Maybe the NGAD will look more conventional than what most people are thinking

True. In fact I don't think I've ever been as disappointed as when I first saw the X-35 prototype. Truly defined "conventional looking" IMO. I won't even get into the X-32, as I consider that debacle a crime against aviation lol. But the production F-35 looks a lot better, I think. It'll never look as sleek/deadly as an F-14 or F-22, but it's a big improvement vs. the X-35 IMHO..

From certain angles it really is beautiful, although I understand beauty is in the eye of the beholder...