| Vipers in the Storm: Keith Rosenkranz Interview
by Jeremy Wesolowski |
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During your career as a Viper pilot, have you ever experienced G-LOC and how severe was it? What is the 'normal' thresh hold for an average pilot to endure G forces experienced during combat? KR: G-LOC is always a concern for a fighter pilot, even more so in the highly maneuverable F-16. When a pilot goes into a hard turn and the Gs begin to increase, the blood in your body tends to pool in the lower extremities. Wearing a G-suit and performing what is called an L-1 straining maneuver, will help keep the blood from pooling. Sometimes that isn't enough, though. As the blood drains from your head, the first thing you lose is the color in your vision. If you don't let off the stick and decrease the amount of G on your body, your peripheral vision begins to deteriorate. You eventually get tunnel vision and everything to the sides turns completely grey. The last thing that occurs before you lose consciousness is a total grey out. This is where you are still conscious, but can't see anything. If you don't relax the Gs, you are going to go to sleep real quick. If that happens, you have to hope you wake up quickly and have the altitude to recover once you do. I've been in a grey-out situation a few times. Fortunately, I always had the wherewithal to relax the Gs. Every pilot has a different level of G-tolerance. Light jogging, weight lifting, and a short and stalky build (distance between the head and heart is shorter).. helps increase a pilot's g-tolerance. What's your opinion of the MiG-29 'Fulcrum' and the Su-27 'Flanker' and their high maneuverability? Do you have any 'insider' information that you could share with us? KR: The MiG-29 and the SU-27 aircraft are great weapon systems. Both have above average radar platforms and they can maneuver well. Soviet missile technology is also advanced. Disadvantages are poor cockpit visibility - the Soviets never could figure out how to make a bubble canopy, and fuel efficiency. A friend of mine had an opportunity to fly air-to-air against East German MiG-29s after the reunification of Germany. He said they had to fly quite a distance to reach the airspace near the MiG-29 base. Once they arrived, the MiG-29s took off and the engagements began. After one or two fights, the MiG-29s were out of fuel and had to land. The F-16s fought a couple of more engagements amongst themselves, then flew all the way back to their base. |
 Viper Pilot in Kuwait. USAF Photo. Would it be possible for you to compare the Viper and the F/A-18 'Hornet'? Bias aside, which has the less demanding pilot workload? KR: The F-16 and the FA-18 are two outstanding systems. You should recall, however, that the YF-16 competed against the YF-17, which later evolved into the FA-18, during the mid-1970s. The YF-16 was the superior of the two aircraft and won the competition. The F-16s and FA-18s of today are much different aircraft. Today's F-16 is more maneuverable than the FA-18, but in a slow speed fight, the FA-18 has the advantage. The reason for this is because the FA-18 can fly at a higher angle of attack. Having a second engine and the added power to go with it is also an advantage the FA-18 has over the F-16. I've never been in an FA-18, so I can't comment on the differences in pilot workload. Please take the time to visit Mr. Rosenkranz's Vipers in the Storm website to look at some pretty interesting first hand information. Keith has some awesome plans for his website and I'll keep you folks posted when those changes occur. If you'd like to drop me a line, please do so.
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