F-22 questions unanswered by Pentagon

WASHINGTON (WAVY) - The F-22 Raptors at Langley Air Force Base continue to fly as does the investigation to determine what is causing problems with the life-support system in the cockpit of the aircraft.

"We've got the best, smartest people from the corporations, Lockeed, from the Air Force, from other sources from NASA working to solve that problem," says Col. Dave Nardi with Virginia Air National Guard.

The people Nardi is referring to is a panel of experts representing nearly 12,000 flight hours in U.S. Air Force aircraft.

At the Pentagon Thursday afternoon, the man leading the Air Force Committee studying aircraft oxygen-generating systems, retired Gen. Greggory Martin says from April 2008 to May 2010, the Air Force experienced 14 physiological incidents with the fleet of F-22s.

Investigations into the cause of these incidents have not revealed a root cause, according to retired Gen. Greggory Martin.

But a physiological incident, reported by a Langley pilot on March 26 , was according to the Air Force, determined to be nothing more than a false reading from a simple device like the ones worn by long-distance runners to measure heart rate and blood oxygen levels.

The pilot did not experience any oxygen-related illnesses on Monday, but returned to base as a precautionary measure. Along with the monitoring devices F-22 pilots are now wearing, the emergency air supply system is being modified with a new handle, to make it easier for pilots to activate the system.

"There was a small ring that was in there. We've replaced it. For $47, this handle which is now in every aircraft in Alaska," says Maj. Gen. Lyon.

Many of the jets at Langley are also equipped with the new handles.

Gen. Lyon tells WAVY.com that 87 percent of the Raptors at Langley Air Force Base have these handles installed now. They expect that installation to be complete for the entire fleet by the middle of April.