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AGCAS-Saving Pilots

Doug Watt
@DougWatt
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AGCAS is the acronym for the Automatic Ground Collision Avoidance System.

The Auto-GCAS, developed jointly by Lockheed Martin Skunk Works®, the Air Force Research Laboratory and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), is designed to reduce incidents of what is known as controlled flight into terrain, or CFIT. According to U.S. Air Force statistics, CFIT incidents account for 26 percent of aircraft losses and a staggering 75 percent of all F-16 pilot fatalities.

The F-16 is capable of nine-G maneuvers which requires pilots to be trained to handle the physical stress of an aircraft that is more capable than the pilot to handle 9-G's.

There are two problems that can affect the pilot when flying a high-performance aircraft. One is GLOC-Gravity induced loss of consciousness and spatial disorientation when a pilot is so focused on the target that they lose track of how close they are to the ground.

AGCAS has saved 11 lives. 10 F-16's and one two-seater F-16. The following video from a former F-16 pilot explains what you are seeing on the Heads-Up cockpit display of an F-16 pilot whose life was saved by Auto-GCAS.

This post was promoted to the Main Feed at the recommendation of Ricochet's members.

Discussion (6)

  • The Reticulator@TheReticulator

    That's good to know about. Some years ago one of the F-16 squadrons that had flown in the July 4 air show here at Battle Creek later flew into the ground. For some of us it was almost like a personal loss.

  • Banned Member@BryanGStephens

    Wow. This is fantastic.

  • Bishop Wash@BishopWash
    Doug Watt (View Post):

    AGCAS is the acronym for the Automatic Ground Collision Avoidance System.

    Doug Watt (View Post):

    The Auto-GCAS, developed jointly by Lockheed Martin Skunk Works®, the Air Force Research Laboratory and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), is designed to reduce incidents of what is known as controlled flight into terrain, or CFIT. According to U.S. Air Force statistics, CFIT incidents account for 26 percent of aircraft losses and a staggering 75 percent of all F-16 pilot fatalities.

    Sadly the F-16 has the nickname of Lawn Dart.

    Doug Watt (View Post):
    AGCAS has saved 11 lives. 10 F-16’s and one two-seater F-16.

    Sounds like this it could help retire that nickname. Good on AFRL and the others.

  • GLDIII Purveyor of Splendid Malpropisms@GLDIII

    Given the resources of the DoD and the level of pilot automation that has progressed in military aircraft, one might have thought this ACGAS would have been offered sooner. The introduction of glass cockpits into general aviation in the last 20 years had been astounding and at price so affordable compared to similar systems in military aircraft.

    So I was really surprised when Garmin answered question, the pilot I am flying with suddenly has been incapacitated what do I do:

    Well you now push a button and the plane alerts ATC and will land itself at the nearest acceptable airport...

    I wonder when this stuff will be available on major commercial airplanes, because you know between the shortage of pilots in the training pipelines, and the airlines itching to cut cost this is the obvious next step.

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