Tri (ortho) Cresyl Phosphate is a dangerous additive
May 8-10, 2012 -- SPECIAL REPORT. Virginia Air National Guard pilots muzzled for getting too close to the military's deepest secrets
Virginia Air National Guard F-22 Raptor pilots Major Jeremy Gordon and Captain Joshua Wilson are facing the loss of their wings and punitive administrative reprisals for appearing on CBS 60 Minutes to discuss pilot safety issues with regard to the F-22's oxygen system.
The pilots revealed problems with pilot sickness, including hypoxia, or the loss of oxygen to the brain, as a result of "unknown" problems with the F-22's oxygen system.
The F-22 oxygen problem has already resulted in the death of Air Force Captain Jeff Haney when his F-22, manufactured by Lockheed-Martin and the most expensive jet fighter ever built at $395 million per plane, crashed during a training mission in Alaska in November 2010.
The F-22 oxygen problem has already resulted in the death of Air Force Captain Jeff Haney when his F-22, manufactured by Lockheed-Martin and the most expensive jet fighter ever built at $395 million per plane, crashed during a training mission in Alaska in November 2010.
Lockheed and the Air Force blamed the crash of Haney's plane on pilot error. However, other F-22 pilots have experienced similar problems with disorientation, hypoxia, and dizziness as a result of the oxygen system.
Lockheed Martin is loathe to discuss the problem with the F-22. Their contract with the Air Force to supply 200 F-22s is valued at a whopping $79 billion.
Pentagon and industry insiders have revealed to WMR that the "unknown" problem with the F-22 is the result of a fuel additive that has long been used by the U.S. and other military forces around the world.
Lockheed Martin is loathe to discuss the problem with the F-22. Their contract with the Air Force to supply 200 F-22s is valued at a whopping $79 billion.
Pentagon and industry insiders have revealed to WMR that the "unknown" problem with the F-22 is the result of a fuel additive that has long been used by the U.S. and other military forces around the world.
The additive extends the life of aircraft components over the life cycle of not only the F-22, but other military aircraft and even armored vehicles, such as the Bradley Fighting Vehicle.
The fuel additive in question is triorthocresyl phosphate or TCP.
The fuel additive in question is triorthocresyl phosphate or TCP.
Lower concentrations of the synthetic organo-phosphate are found in the commercial fuel additive STP but the military, in an effort to increase and extend the performance of aircraft and vehicle components, uses higher, and more toxic, concentrations of the additive.
TCP is a neuro-toxin is when released into an aircraft's oxygen system, pilot incapacitation, partial or full paralysis, hypoxia, and disorientation can occur.
Experts suspect the Pentagon has been covering up the TCP problem for decades.
Experts suspect the Pentagon has been covering up the TCP problem for decades.
In 1977, an Air National Guard navigator became incapacitated on board a C-130 Hercules. The cause was determined to be air contamination from jet engine synthetic lubricating oil.
TCP is also used in commercial aircraft and commercial pilots have blamed the additive for flight problems.
TCP is also used in commercial aircraft and commercial pilots have blamed the additive for flight problems.
An article in the February 25, 2006, London Observer cites complaints from the British Airline Pilots' Association (Balpa) that TCP has caused British pilots, including a pilot flying a FlyBe airliner from Belfast to Gatwick, suffered double vision, headaches, nausea, loss of concentration, and disorientation during the flight. S
Symptoms also cited by pilots of the F-22 and other military aircraft.
TCP can also result in neurological psychotic behavior by pilots and may have been a factor in the March mental breakdown of JetBlue pilot Clayton Osbon, who, while flying at 35,000 feet, stormed out of the cockpit of his New York to Las Vegas aircraft and screamed to startled passengers that there was a bomb on the plane and they were going to crash.
TCP can also result in neurological psychotic behavior by pilots and may have been a factor in the March mental breakdown of JetBlue pilot Clayton Osbon, who, while flying at 35,000 feet, stormed out of the cockpit of his New York to Las Vegas aircraft and screamed to startled passengers that there was a bomb on the plane and they were going to crash.
