Do fighter jets have climate control?

[joeyjoejoe]

I know this is a silly question, but it's one that i've been dying to know. Do fighter jets have air conditioning?!? It seems like you would get awfully hot with all that flight gear sitting in a cockpit prepping for launch. I know at 40,000 feet the atmosphere is cooler and pilots are fine up there. But what about the 15-20 minutes before takeoff? If this is plane specific, then the jets I'm interested in are the f15/16/18/22/35

Also, maybe pilots do get hot at altitude. Is there a vent or anything in the jet? Even traveling at 500mph to let in some of that -30 degree outside weather?

What about aviators who fly in cold regions of the world. Say, alaska. Can the jets heat the cockpit in any way?

Thanks for anyone who can answers these burning questions!

 

[FLYTPAY]

Yes we have AC run off of bleed air from the engines. The system is similar for all fighter aircraft. The temperature can be controlled to make it comfortable. Also, the cockpit is pressurized so the last thing we want to do (unless an emergency) is let in the cold air at 40K, that would depressurize the cockpit, making for a dangerous situation where you could suffer hypoxia. Oh yeah, and the gear isn't that bad, you get use to it. Now as for the "Do fighters have keys?"question, no, they don't.

 

[Casual]

Yes we have AC run off off bleed air from the engines.

Isn't that really hot?

 

[nittany03]

Most jet aircraft incorporate both air conditioning and pressurization into the same Environmental Control System.

Since you have to cool engine bleed air down from hundreds of degrees to something safe in order to pressurize the aircraft with it anyway, it's a relatively simple matter to install temperature control valves in order to control the final "product" plus or minus a paltry 35 degrees or so.

To further geekify your day . . . A common system uses two inputs: "really hot" and "freezing cold." Mix these and you get "comfortable." The "really hot" is pure bleed air. The "really cold" is usually air taken from outside, then put through a compressor. Compressor heats it up by increasing pressure (Gay-Lussac's Law), and then it is run through a heat exchanger to cool it down again. After this, it is run through a turbine which depressurizes it, powering the compressor and making the end result freezing cold. The temperature is controlled by changing the volume of the really hot air and the really cold air to produce whatever floats your boat. Or cools your balls, as the case may be.

 

[joeyjoejoe]

The cockpits of modern day fighter jets are actually pressurized? Is this just some minor pressurization? I thought the oxygen masks were to provide you with breathable air in an otherwise unbreathable environment? I also thought that the cockpits were NOT pressurized, which is why ultra high altitude aircraft like the U-2 and SR-71 blackbird required pressurized space suits to fly in. I thought that body could tolerate the atmosphere at 50,000 - 60,000 feet (typical flight ceilings of modern day fighter aircraft, but maybe I'm wrong).

 

[MasterBates]

Joe^3, fill out your profile with meaningful information or face the banhammer.

 

[FLYTPAY]

The cockpits of modern day fighter jets are actually pressurized? Is this just some minor pressurization? I thought the oxygen masks were to provide you with breathable air in an otherwise unbreathable environment? I also thought that the cockpits were NOT pressurized, which is why ultra high altitude aircraft like the U-2 and SR-71 blackbird required pressurized space suits to fly in. I thought that body could tolerate the atmosphere at 50,000 - 60,000 feet (typical flight ceilings of modern day fighter aircraft, but maybe I'm wrong).

Each jet has a different "pressurization schedule". For example, at 40,000 in the Hornet, the cockpit is pressurized to 15000-17000 feet.....thus without the mask you would become hypoxic in time. The pressure suits prevent the blood from boiling. Wiki pressure suit.

Joe^3, fill out your profile with meaningful information or face the banhammer.

Feeling snarky are we.

 

[Purdue]

the last thing we want to do (unless an emergency) is let in the cold air, that would depressurize the cockpit, making for a dangerous situation where you could suffer hypoxia.

However, those of us who fly low and slow can open the scupper's on the windows freely for additional ventilation and cooling. :icon_tong We do also have AC, but even on our new 60 Sierra's it does not always work as advertised.

It get's mighty damn cold up at the higher altitudes, and when I had airsickness issues up at Vance, I remember more than one IP being upset that I flew without a jacket on, in the winter with ground temps at 30 degrees Farenheight, and the AC blowing full cold. It was like an icebox in my cockpit, but my airsickness issues dissappeared during those cold day winter flights. ;-) My IP's came out shivering...

In all seriousness, do you guys ever fly if the AC is busted, or is that a downer for you?

 

[joeyjoejoe]

"Do fighters have keys?"question, no, they don't.

lol this brings up another question, and im not sure if you just answered it or if you were referring to something else...... do fighter jets have any sort of security system for startup? Like a pair of keys? A code sequence before the avionics can start? Some sort of outside locking mechanism? Or do you just start the jet by flipping switches and going through your normal startup routine?

I know theres practically zero chance of someone stealing military aircraft because, well the entire base would be alerted to your mischeif, but still.

 

[FLYTPAY]

In all seriousness, do you guys ever fly if the AC is busted, or is that a downer for you?

It's a downer in the Hornet (SOP)....could be indications of bigger problems. Also, I have been in an S-3 that was stuck on full hot on a summer day. We aborted a low level to get on deck ASAP and end the hell. When I was in the S-3 RAG, I was in the trunk on a San Diego to Pcola XC that took off 15 minutes before sunset......the heat broke as we were leveling at 29K and the sun went down....the most miserable I have ever been in an airplane for 5 hours.

 

[joeyjoejoe]

sorry about the missing info, didnt think anyone would actually look or care So pressurized cockpits, wow, thats interesting. Why are they pressurized though? Is it just for comfort?

 

[Godspeed]

Watchout folks....

do fighter jets have any sort of security system for startup?.... Like a pair of keys?..... A code sequence before the avionics can start?.... Some sort of outside locking mechanism? Do you just start the jet by flipping switches and going through your normal startup routine? Exactly how would someone go about getting one of these jets? How much are they worth? And also where could one sell one of these jets? Thanks...

JoeJoeJoeyJibberJoe =

 

[FLYTPAY]

sorry about the missing info, didnt think anyone would actually look or care So pressurized cockpits, wow, thats interesting. Why are they pressurized though? Is it just for comfort?

Pressurized for safety. Temperature control for comfort.

 

[joeyjoejoe]

Watchout folks....



JoeJoeJoeyJibberJoe =

Hah, sorry. I had searched around on other military aviator forums before finding this one and most responses were 2+ years old by only a few responders. I got the feeling military pilots were simply too busy doing their job to be surfing internet forums and talking to people. But this site is great and there seems to be a heavily involved community.

By the way, after my warning I actually remembered seeing someone ask this question on a forum once, how to start up a fighter jet. Everyone thought he was planning on stealing a raptor or something lol, so you dont have to answer that question if it's a matter of national security. I'm not some foreign investigator trying to syphon off military security protocols.

I found this highly realistic flight simulator for an f-18 super hornet. I'll assume their depiction of the startup procedure is accurate and that you dont need a set of car keys to startup your jet

 

[Godspeed]

Hah, sorry.

Haha, no worries man.. I have no idea if the stuff is OPSEC or not. I was just ribbing you.. Cool looking game though...