Initial Reaction to Missing F-35

About this video

Max reacts to a September 2023 incident in which an F-35 continued flying for 60 miles after its pilot ejected at 1,000 feet above ground level. He explains that the aircraft likely maintained its trajectory due to its flight control system seeking 1G flight after the pilot ejected. Max speculates that the pilot may have experienced a mechanical failure or bird strike that prevented pitching up to a safer altitude before ejecting, though he emphasizes an official investigation will determine the cause.

Key takeaways

• Max explains that F-35 and F-16 flight control systems seek 1G flight, meaning the aircraft continues on its last trajectory when pilot input stops, which is why the unmanned F-35 flew 60 additional miles
• Max speculates the pilot may have ejected at low altitude due to a mechanical failure or bird strike that prevented climbing to a safer ejection altitude, though he stresses the official investigation will determine the actual cause
• Max argues that the F-35’s ground collision avoidance system (GCAS) was likely disabled after ejection, as it wouldn’t make sense for the aircraft to continuously save itself until running out of fuel

Episode details: published September 23, 2023 · 16.1K views · 8:01 long. Summary written by Self Growth Videos from the episode itself. The analysis and commentary described are Max Afterburner’s, attributed to him — his channel includes hypothetical-scenario and news-react content, which is presented as his analysis, not established fact.

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