Trillion-Dollar Plane Grounded Once AgainS  I've lost count on
the many times the F-35 has been grounded already (ok, I didn't,
it's been five). It feels like a $1 trillion joke that is not
funny at all. Now, 15 brand new F-35s are now dead ducks because
of a stupid mistake.  They loaded the parachutes in their
ejection seats in the wrong way, they were "reversed 180 degrees
from design during installation," according to Joe Dellavedova,
at the Joint Strike Fighter Joint Program Office. The reason for
the incorrect loading of the parachutes was "improperly drafted
packing procedures." A one trillion dollar plane grounded by
"improperly drafted packing procedures." Let that sink for a
bit.  Dellavedova argues that this "wouldn't have prevented the
pilot from ejecting and landing." But of course, it wouldn't be
the right kind of landing and the pilots could have been injured
because they would be hitting the ground in the wrong position,
according to Aviation Week's industry experts:  One industry
source notes,