French Super Etendard stalls after catapult launch - photos

[Altair]

A French Super Etendard carrier-borne strike fighter stalls after being catapulted off the Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier.




Previously:

1942 sinking of the USS Lexington - video
WWII USS Hornet aircraft carrier found on ocean floor - video and photos
Catapulting a test sled off an aircraft carrier - GIF and video

[Frank S]

So I guess it seems as though the French cannot fly any better than they drive.

[IntheGroove]

What? I meant to do that...

[Scotsman Hosie]

Some days it just doesn't pay to get out of bed. And something tells me the jet wasn't the only thing to land in the drink. That the pilot probably washed out of flight duty as well.

[jdurand]

Much like the recent Flat-Earth guy. Looks like he released the parachute on the lift-off jerk. NEVER be holding a trigger in your hand when you're about to be launched!

https://twitter.com/i/status/1231336002175717376

[Jon]

Much like the recent Flat-Earth guy. Looks like he released the parachute on the lift-off jerk. NEVER be holding a trigger in your hand when you're about to be launched!

https://twitter.com/i/status/1231336002175717376

Good find. Here's the video embedded:

[greyhoundollie]

It appears he tried to leave his parachute behind when he reached the top end of the launch rail. He wanted to reduce drag.
Evel Knievel was the one who had his hand on the panic button during the launch and did about as good as this guy did.
I am not aware of Evel Knievel's opinion on the shape of the planet earth.

I think this guy tried to use a steam rocket same as Evel Knievel did.

[jdurand]

It appears he tried to leave his parachute behind when he reached the top end of the launch rail. He wanted to reduce drag.
Evel Knievel was the one who had his hand on the panic button during the launch and did about as good as this guy did.
I am not aware of Evel Knievel's opinion on the shape of the planet earth.

I think this guy tried to use a steam rocket same as Evel Knievel did.

I suspect the exact same problem, hand on release and the setback of launch causes a pull on the lever.

I met Truax once, who built Evel's rocket, and he had some not for quoting comments about that. He also had lots of wonderful home movies (marked ORIGINAL, US GOVERNMENT) of him and others developing liquid fueled rocket engines.

[jimfols]

Good find. Here's the video embedded:

<video controls autoplay loop>
<source src="https://diqn32j8nouaz.cloudfront.net/mad_mike_rocket_launch.mp4" type="video/mp4">
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</video>

One site said the chute control got caught on the boarding ladder.

[greyhoundollie]

One site said the chute control got caught on the boarding ladder.

Maybe the chute decided not to go flying that day. It was climbing down the ladder to watch the launch from ground level.