HONOLULU - The Hawaii Air National Guard said Tuesday that one of its pilots briefly experienced an oxygen deficit while flying an F-22 stealth fighter this month.
The pilot also felt dizzy. He activated the emergency oxygen system until his symptoms abated and the plane's oxygen-generating system returned to normal.
The pilot landed safely after the incident, the first time a Hawaii F-22 pilot has experienced hypoxia, or oxygen deprivation, Anthony said.
A medical exam cleared the pilot for duty. All 14 of the Hawaii National Guard's F-22 planes are operational, Anthony said.
The nation's F-22 fighter jets were grounded for four months last year after pilots complained of experiencing a lack of oxygen that can cause dizziness and blackouts.
An Air Force advisory panel studied the problem for seven months but couldn't identify the cause. The panel supported a plan to keep the aircraft flying with pilots using special sensors, filters and other safety precautions.
In May, Defense Secretary Leon Panetta ordered that F-22 flights remain "within proximity of potential landing locations" so that pilots can land quickly in the event that they experience an oxygen-deficit problem.
The F-22 is the Air Force's most-prized stealth fighter. It was built to evade radar and is capable of flying at faster-than-sound speeds without using afterburners.
Five other bases are home to F-22s: Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska; Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Va.; Nellis Air Force Base, Nev.; Holloman Air Force Base, N.M.; and Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla.
Source: http://www.mauinews.com/page/content.detail/id/562984/F-22-pilot-in-Hawaii-briefly-suffers-from-oxygen-deficit.html?nav=5031
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