Air Force lifts flight restrictions for lighter-weight F-35A pilots

The Air Force announced Monday it has lifted flight restrictions on the F-35A after validating fixes to the jet's seat and helmet that will allow pilots weighing between 103 and 245 pounds to safely fly and eject from the fifth-generation fighter.

The service in 2015 restricted all pilots weighing less than 136 pounds from flying the jet due to concerns that problems with the ejection seat and helmet could cause severe and possibly fatal neck injuries to lighter-weight pilots. Brig. Gen. Scott Pleus, head of the Air Force's F-35 integration office, told reporters May 15 the service has validated modifications to the helmet and ejection seat that will make the jet safer for those pilots.

"Our goal -- and it is the Air Force's intent -- is to do everything possible to give the pilot the greatest chance of survival in the unlikely event that an ejection is required from a fighter aircraft," Pleus said. "I personally have flown in the seat and believe that with these modifications, this is the safest seat that I've ever had the chance to fly in."

Rockwell Collins makes the F-35A helmet and Martin-Baker the ejection seat.

The modifications include a lighter helmet with a new head support panel and a lightweight seat switch that would slightly delay the speed at which the parachute deploys in the case of an ejection from the jet, Pleus said. The service expects it can perform 14 seat modifications per month and complete the process by December or January. The helmet modification is still in pre-production and will move into full production this fall. Pleus said the service expects that both modifications will be in place by early 2018.