At least 9 fatal F-16 crashes and 1 fatal A-10 crash were blamed directly on male pilots fumbling with the urine bag.
However, according to Military.com, fighter pilots use an automated and battery-operated device to pump their urine into a collection bag.
Do fighter pilots wear pilots? Fighter pilots are trained in tactical dehydration and do not need diapers unless there is an extended mission or the pilot's preference. The alternatives would be to hold it or simply let it go inside one's clothing.
Nowadays, there are easier ways for pilots to relieve themselves without having wet diapers throughout the flight that works even for women.
According to Military.com, The new devices (AMXDmax) are hands-free, battery-operated, and worn underneath uniforms. Once the AMXDmax automatically detects urine, it pumps it into a collection bag. Because urine is nasty, sensors detect the urine within a second and rapidly pump it into a 1.7 quart (6.8 cups) collection bag. The pilot doesn't do anything other than release their bladder.
There are some differences between the design for males and females:
- The Male Cup can be reused for up to 20 flights with proper cleaning, dependent upon wear and tear.
- The Female Pads are meant for single use. However, some customers have requested to reuse the pad and the pad can be cleaned and sanitized using hydrogen peroxide at the pilot's discretion for up to 5 flights.
Source: thedrive.com
A single AMXDmax rechargeable battery (based on Omni) powered the unit for 16 hours or 12 full 60-second bladder relief cycles. Batteries are shipped in a "sleep state" to maintain longevity and need to be fully charged prior to first use, and every 6 months thereafter at a minimum to maintain battery capacity.
How do fighter pilots pee or poop
Do pilots have a toilet in the cockpit? There are only constructs to divert urine away even in a multimillion-dollar jet. Many older planes had a relief tube that flushed urine out of an aircraft. Fighter pilots who pee into a tube don't work for everyone, so they use "piddle packs", plastic packs that convert urine into a gel for disposal, but the method involves partially undressing while sitting strapped in a tiny cockpit.
Piddle packs evolved over time but never with female pilots in mind. Some women have reported stripping off clothes in the cockpit just to use one, Wired magazine reported in 2000.
The newer AMXDmax is just an extension to the design, making it more comfortable and peeing less disruptive in a flight.
It's not weird as it sounds.
India is also getting the same device used by US Air Force that will make urinating and flying a lot easier. The Aircrew Mission Extender Device, also known as AMXDmax, replaced the previous method of peeing into a bag an awkward experience at best with a wearable device that detects urine and flushes it into a bag for storage.
What do fighter pilots do if they have to poop? They can either
- Control the poop until the flight is over is definitely the best choice;
- Wear a diaper beforehand and poop inside the diaper and try to remove the diaper
- Poop themselves and embarrassed themselves on the return.
Do female fighter pilots wear diapers
Female pilots do wear diapers or pads given there is no easy way to relieve themselves.
"The pilots did wear diapers during the exercise as they were involved in long range missions. In the past too, they have resorted to this practice when they went to participate in Cooperative Cope Thunde in the US"
Female aircrew often deprives themselves of liquid to avoid having to urinate in flight, a practice called tactical dehydration, that can reduce physical and cognitive performance and impair a pilot's ability to withstand G-forces.
For example, in 1992 an F-16 crashed in Turkey after a male pilot undid his lap belt so that he could relieve himself in a “piddle pack” which at the time consisted of a dehydrated sponge in a plastic container only to send the aircraft into a spin when he wedged the belt's buckle between the seat and the stick that controls the plane.
Do fighter jets have AC
Even when you get in the cockpit, the air conditioning doesn't really get going until you're airborne, Lee explained. Then once you are airborne, the air is very dry at high altitude. Some pilots take Camelbaks with them to quench their thirst, but Lee prefers an old-fashioned water bottle. He takes small sips to make sure he has enough to last a seven or eight-hour flight.
Speaking of seats: just how comfortable is a fighter jet seat? Not very, Lee said. The seats may be built to rocket pilots out of a crashing aircraft the instant they pull the ejection handle, but they don't come with seat warmers or massage rollers.
How do fighter pilots drink water?
Similar to your plane flight, drinking and eating can be performed during the safe period of the mission and when the altitude is normal.
The fighter jets are partially pressurized and the fighter pilot could remove their mask to drink and eat, so a pilot could just drink from a water bottle. F-35 instructor pilot Maj. Justin “Hasard” Lee shared with Task & Purpose that he prefers an old-fashioned water bottle. He takes small sips to make sure he has enough to last a seven or eight-hour flight.
Staying hydrated actually makes a difference for pilots: according to one study from 1979, just 3 percent dehydration can reduce a pilot’s G tolerance by 40 percent. Mr. Lee added that dehydration is real and compound with the G suit:
The problem is that fighter pilots lose a lot of water before they even get in the cockpit. Just imagine wearing a G suit in the deserts of the Middle East or the humid flightlines of Florida or South Carolina.
How do fighter pilots eat
In the partially pressurized fighter cockpits such as the Super Hornet, there are times when cockpit altitude can be as high as 20,000ft. Sound judgment is required before removing the mask. Eating can be dangerous if the pilot lost focus and misjudged the altitude.
“You have to treat your mind like you do your fuel. You can burn all your fuel in 10 minutes with an afterburner, but a long sortie might last for eight hours. It's like taking a test for eight hours straight. You have to pace yourself, otherwise you run out of mental energy. Most pilots get into accidents on their way back to base. You might be super-focused in a firefight, but if you relax too much on the way back, it could be just as dangerous.
Conclusion
Thanks to current technology, fighter pilots can choose not to wear diaper and use their respective tools to relieve themselves.