So stealthy we can't find it

[Cindy Claveau]

Missing F-35: US military asks for public's help to find jet

The US military has asked for the public's help to locate one of its $100m (£80m) F-35B fighter jets after the pilot ejected from the aircraft.
It went missing on Sunday afternoon when the pilot was flying over the southern state of South Carolina.
The pilot, who has not been named, ejected and parachuted safely. He is in a stable condition in hospital.
Officials said the aircraft was involved in a "mishap" but did not offer details of what that was.
It was left in autopilot mode when the pilot ejected, a spokesman at Joint Base Charleston told NBC News, adding that it may have been airborne for some time.
Officials said they were focusing their searches around Lake Moultrie and Lake Marion, north of the city of Charleston.

 

[Isabeau]

 

[Katheryne Helendale]

Well... Oops!

 

[Casey Pelous]

Lockheed-Martin: Well, hello and welcome! Thinking about a stealth multirole combat aircraft today?

USMC: Yeah, we were ...uh ....we were thinking about an F-35 .....

Lockheed: Oh, SUPER selection, and we just happen to have them on sale this week for just $135,000,000 with easy money payments of once-a-week twice-a-week and never on Sunday! Did you ....uh ....(looking behind customer) ... uh ....did you bring your trade-in?

USMC: Oh. That. Yeah, well .... we think we can bring it in ... maybe next week?

Lockheed: I see. But it is in good condition, right?

USMC: We .... ah .... oh, boy, this is awkward .......

 

[Essence Lumin]

Williamsburg County is just east of those two lakes.

Debris field located near Williamsburg County in search for missing F-35 fighter jet, officials confirm

WILLIAMSBURG COUNTY, S.C. (WCBD)- Officials with Joint Base Charleston (JBC) confirmed that debris from an F-35 fighter jet that went missing Sunday has been located in Williamsburg County. Officia…

www.counton2.com

 

[Free]

Missing F-35 jet flew for 60 miles without a pilot, who ejected into backyard after 'mishap'

The F-35 Lightning II stealth fighter jet that went missing in South Carolina eventually crashed into a wooded area.

www.usatoday.com

The F-35 Lightning II stealth fighter jet that went missing in South Carolina flew without its pilot for about 60 miles before crashing into a wooded area.

The debris from the jet was found Monday after the pilot ejected and parachuted to safety into a residential backyard on Sunday.

But many questions remain amid an ongoing investigation into the incident. The U.S. Marine Corps hasn't yet released much information about how the "most expensive" aircraft went missing and crashed.

The Marine Corps is handling the investigation, now documented as a "Class-A mishap," according to the defense agency. That occurs when damages reach $2.5 million or more, a Department of Defense aircraft is destroyed, or someone dies or is permanently disabled.

They have classes of mishaps. How cute.

 

[Katheryne Helendale]

Missing F-35 jet flew for 60 miles without a pilot, who ejected into backyard after 'mishap'

The F-35 Lightning II stealth fighter jet that went missing in South Carolina eventually crashed into a wooded area.

www.usatoday.com

They have classes of mishaps. How cute.

I might have missed it, but was there ever any report on why the pilot punched out in the first place? I mean, if that bird flew another 60 miles, he probably could have landed it somewhere, as long as the issue wasn't a total hydraulic system failure.

 

[Casey Pelous]

I might have missed it, but was there ever any report on why the pilot punched out in the first place? I mean, if that bird flew another 60 miles, he probably could have landed it somewhere, as long as the issue wasn't a total hydraulic system failure.

So far, it's officially "a mishap."

There's some chatter, which stands a very slim chance of being from someone who knows something, that there's an auto-eject function on that plane that activates if the engine -- which is located directly behind the pilot's head -- goes out of balance. Such as if a blade on the big fan (?) broke. Apparently, there's enough force there to be rather quickly fatal for the pilot. Imagine -- one moment you're flying along, then, boom, you've taken up skydiving.

Remind me not to become an F35 pilot!

 

[Katheryne Helendale]

Yeah, if any mechanical component of a jet engine comes apart, things can get really bad really fast.

 

[Free]

Remind me not to become an F35 pilot!

Do I need to set an alarm? Or is this more of a calendar entry?

 

[Casey Pelous]

Do I need to set an alarm? Or is this more of a calendar entry?

Just be ready -- if I find myself in any military flight school, I'll send up a smoke signal.

 

[Sid]

As long as the plane isn't found somewhere in Russia, we should be good.

 

[Veritable Quandry]

Just be ready -- if I find myself in any military flight school, I'll send up a smoke signal.

No problem. That's the number one reason people are kicked out of flight school.

 

[Free]

No problem. That's the number one reason people are kicked out of flight school.

Smoke signals?

 

[Veritable Quandry]

If you plane is smoking, you did something wrong.

 

[Free]

 

[Cindy Claveau]

If you plane is smoking, you did something wrong.

It could be a diesel plane!

 

[Casey Pelous]

Somebody better tell these guys ....

 

[Rose Karuna]