Details emerging from Gripen Crash

Well they have released the information on the the Gripen Crash and it sounds like there is a major flaw in the aircraft. Ready for it? At high G's the ejection seat is triggered. Now they aren't saying at what G this is triggered just that "its high". Anyways hope that they get this all sorted out. Its interesting how a number of aircraft have been having G induced problems lately. Just a couple of quotes.

With the help of flight simulators the board has recreated the events leading up to the crash. The tests show that when G-forces were sufficiently high, the plane’s ejector seat is triggered, catapulting the pilot from the aircraft.

Exactly why this happens remains a mystery, although the board continues to run tests on the ejector mechanism. Investigators are to publish a full report on the incident in August.

The crash was the third to hit operational Gripens, although in each crash, the pilots have survived.

www.air-attack.com...

I wouldn't say that thats a 'major flaw' - a major flaw would make the aircraft unfit for the purpose it was designed, or unsafe for that purpose. All this means is the aircraft will be artificially limited to a G ceiling until the ejection system is fixed - I say a few months at most.

Plus since this is only the 5th crash in the Gripens 19 year flying history, and 11 year active service, its not exactly a significant problem and certainly points to a specific maneuver being at fault, which will probably result in pilots being restricted from doing that maneuver or similar ones in the short term.

I agree thats its not a major flaw in that the plane is no longer usable but it is a major flaw that it wreck a airframe and put a pilot in danger is my point. I agree the the Gripen has actually faired quite well in its testing and operations too. Also wonderig if anyone has heard anything about the new version that is set to be released in 2010. they are claiming to be focusing on having increased fuel capacity, upgraded avionics and other improvements.

Originally posted by Canada_EH
I agree thats its not a major flaw in that the plane is no longer usable but it is a major flaw that it wreck a airframe and put a pilot in danger is my point.

It puts civilians in danger too. I've been less than 100m from a Gripen slamming into the ground.

But this isnt so strange. The awesome Swedish engineering has a habit of producing... unstable... jetfighters with the SAAB 29 Tunnan scoring ~230 crashes, Lansen ~120, Draken ~120 and Viggen ~50.

So statistically, the Gripen is still doing just fine