Whole assembly from the sea between Alonissos and Halkidiki o F16 fighter pilot which quit with the ejection seat midday during exercise. The lieutenant battled the waves for an hour and a half as adverse weather conditions prevailed.

It was 33 minutes past one in the afternoon when the alarm went off at the air force operations center. The pilot of an F16 block 52 plus was forced to abandon his aircraft.

The aircraft had taken off from the 110th Fighter Wing in Larissa. The pilot was forced to abandon it near the islet of Psathoura in the Northern Sporades. Fortunately the pilot was able to successfully use the aircraft’s ejection system and crash into the sea.

A search and rescue helicopter immediately took off from Limnos, while coast guard and parasailing vessels rushed to the area.

Two minutes after three the rescuers located and pulled the operator from the sea. The pilot who struggled in the sea for 1.5 hours was immediately transferred to the 251 General Aviation Hospital and underwent a series of tests. As reported by SKAI journalist Louisa Krondiris, the axial and magnetic scans came out clean. According to information, the doctors estimate that there is no cause for concern. However, he will remain hospitalized for at least 24 hours for preventive reasons. According to the report, he is in a good psychological condition, while his wife is by his side from the first moment, while his father is also expected to arrive at the hospital.

“From what I heard, without being 100% sure, he’s fine, he was in good health, he was in a small boat he says, the small boat had apparently been opened,” said a fisherman.

The F16 operator did not hide his love for his job.

When the state of his health allows it, he will be asked to provide information about the accident, while the investigation by the competent levels of the air force will provide answers to the causes of the fall of the f 16.

As reported by Yannis Paliouras, the “Ierax” exercise in which the operator of the F16 fighter took part means that multiple aircraft with multiple pairs, 4 in this case, conduct dogfights, hard and close, with almost no limits. According to information, the pilot reported an engine problem. However, the nature of the problem or what caused it is not known, but this is the first insight into the reasons for the downing of the aircraft. At this point, his colleagues inform him that there is an abandonment and fortunately they see that a parachute canopy has opened. At the same time, in the Air Force operations center, the aircraft’s marking turns red.

This is how a fighter pilot ejects

The video shows how a fighter pilot is ejected. The seat of the aircraft is ejected. Then a mechanism releases a parachute that holds the pilot. The straps are automatically cut and the seat is moved away and then slowly lowered. Under the buttocks, there is the life pack where there are things that keep him alive when he reaches the water. Among them boat, life jacket and a whole kit. At the time of launch the pilot is unconscious as he exceeds the limits of human endurance. Whenever everything is done mechanically and automatically because it is a given that he cannot do something himself. Usually before reaching the ground the pilot regains consciousness. However, this is not a given. The manufacturers believe that the pilot does not regain consciousness even when he reaches the water. Then, through the sensors on the life jacket, it inflates, at the same time the boat that is tied to his leg inflates.

In this particular case, the pilot and his equipment reportedly worked flawlessly.