The Death-Defying Mechanics of Fighter Jet Ejections | Cars Insider

In TV and movies, a fighter pilot ejecting from their jet comes across as a cut-and-dry procedure. Although it occurs in only a few seconds, ejecting is a complex and violent process that relies on a lot of luck. Even for fighter pilots who successfully eject, around 20% to 30% of them suffer some sort of spinal fracture.
We spoke with Air Force veteran Lt. Col. Pete Smith, one of the few fighter pilots who has actually had to eject, to learn what really happens.
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The Death-Defying Mechanics of Fighter Jet Ejections | Cars Insider

[@quikslvr69]

Should have interviewed Capt Mitchell on how he survived ejection at mach 10, another ejection in combat and still managed to steal a F14

[@gaboqse]

He had the protection of plot armor

[@wildtrex]

😂😂🤣🤣🤣👍🏻

[@qwill8254]

@@TheNotFakeBot212 no it's 10 ....

[@_jaegerboy_]

Wait mach 10? Was he flying Apollo rocket?

[@qwill8254]

@@_jaegerboy_ yes ... Didn't you see the movie

[@fredjohnson9426]

My dad ejected from his Harrier once after the engine disintegrated over Scotland. Kept the plane under control, picked his moment, ejected, landed in a tree, and went for a cup of tea with the farmer whose land he ended up on. The rescuers arrived to find him still round the kitchen table, mug in hand.

[@AJ-iu6nw]

yea, THAT happened

[@kuiper921]

@@AJ-iu6nw what makes you think it’s fake?

[@fredjohnson9426]

@@kuiper921 I guess because it’s a good story, so therefore couldn’t possibly be true!

[@ezryder111]

Sounds perfectly plausible for true gentlemen to me...I love it

[@JonatasAdoM]

@@fredjohnson9426 I was just telling my mom today that people can't even believe in themselves these days.

[@grampsinsl5232]

Having worked for an ejection seat company myself, I think it's outrageous that you're claiming that ejections "leave most pilots with severe injuries." That was certainly true in the days of the Martin-Baker Mk.5 seats with their ballistic mortar charge to blast the pilot out to a very high peak altitude, which was needed because a series of parachutes had to come out and have time to inflate aerodynamically from sheer airflow - first drogue, then second drogue, then main. All of that took time, and so in order to advertise ground-level ejection capability the seat had to be kicked to a very high altitude in a very short time, which meant a brutal load on the aircrew's spine. The Mk.7 was an improvement, replacing the shock-loading mortar charge with a fast-burning rocket pack, but it still had the same aerodynamically-opening parachute train and so it still had to kick the aircrew to a high altitude in order to give enough time for everything to happen, and so spinal injuries were still pretty common. But in the 1970s a new concept came along, the Stencel SIII series of seats that dispensed with the sequentially-opening chutes, each dragging out the next in line. Instead it used a single drogue that only had to align a small rocket with the relative wind, and it was that rocket that pulled the main chute directly out of its housing on the seat as soon as the seat itself cleared the aircraft (for a ground-level ejection.) Once the main chute had reached full line stretch, a lanyard pulled a pin that fired a ballistic spreading charge, blowing out small weights that were attached to every other riser line, which completely expanded the chute in a fraction of the time needed by old-fashioned aerodynamic opening. Because this whole operation happened so quickly, the height needed to obtain a fully open chute was much less than with the Martin-Baker seats, and so a much smaller rocket impulse was needed to boost the seat up to that altitude, which meant much lower stresses on the pilot and far less potential for spinal injuries. The Stencel seat's development had been paid for by the US Navy, and so naturally the US Air Force wanted nothing to do with it. (That whole USN/USAF technology rivalry reached ridiculous levels in those days, hence the reason why one Service's decoy flares and chaff dispensers were square while the other's were round.) USAF spread all kinds of horror stories about opening shocks of ballistically-spread parachutes, which were demonstrably untrue from both test and real-world ejection data. But as soon as Stencel's patents expired, USAF immediately jumped on the bandwagon and incorporated key Stencel SIII features into its own range of seats, to the betterment of them all. And so today ejection injuries absolutely do not "leave most pilots with severe injuries" thanks to over half a century of technological refinement.

[@mosesmuiri5938]

This is the most informative piece of information regarding a subject I've come across today. Bravo for that detailed elaboration.

[@nexpro6118]

I was your supervisor

[@mdbizzarri]

Solid information, and the Stencil was a massive improvement. I know the Hornet had the Stencil, didn't F-16's have it as well?

[@okieboy7065]

Which hornets had stencils? The hornets I worked on had Martin-bakers

[@jayhache5609]

@@nexpro6118 bot response

[@Cars_and_adventures]

My girlfriend is head of recruitment for Martin Baker. "The company that makes pretty much every ejection seat for NATO" and the passion she has for the company is amazing !

[@iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii2458]

Ask her why it costs $90 for a single screw that goes on the seat!!!

[@Cars_and_adventures]

@@iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii2458 😂😂 she's in charge of recruitment not sales 😂

[@f4cphantom2]

I'd love to work there, but I don't live in England.

[@JulianShagworthy]

They're the company that made the seat that killed that Red Arrows pilot right?

[@brinsonharris9816]

Dude. She’s a catch!

[@LlamaTheory]

Once upon a time, I was an AMMO troop in the USAF, and we handled the storage and inspection of all of the explosive components that go into the chair and ejection system. It's honestly shocking just how many explosives of various shapes and sizes go into the cockpit of a fighter. The pilot is essentially sitting on a bomb, attached to a rocket, attached to a couple boxes of shotgun shells. In most fighter aircraft, the pilot does not sit in a position that has a direct line up and out of the cockpit without some noodley appendage being in the way. So, in addition to the explosive bolts and rockets to take the canopy off the plane, there is also an elaborate explosive train that moves most of the instrument and control panels out of the way of the ejecting pilot.

[@dasboat64]

Exactly right. Working on & around those seats are no joke, ever!

[@ezryder111]

Cool to hear some extra info from someone who worked on them, thank you!

[@Tremumbus]

Didn't know the instruments get jettisoned too, but I guess you'd smash your knees on them if they didn't

[@IGATECK]

Dang I didn't know even the instrument panels were charged

[@glxytoni]

oh thats glorious, makes me think if you could "ammo wreck" an ejection seat

[@johnpowe8254]

I was a USN AME Ejection Seat Mech. From 1972-1985. I once held the highest grade achieved in the Navy AME A school from 1972-78. I taught Navy A school from 1975-76 and the AME C (advanced) 1976-78. I have had two Ejection Seats that I installed/final inspected eject under flight conditions, both pilots survived to continue flying. The fact that the Aircrew depended on your work to save their lives was satisfying work.

[@kevinmccorkle7476]

As a former Navy PR, I approve....lol

[@tommynikon2283]

My dad had to punch out of a F-100/USAF over France, early 1960's on a trip back to the UK. Lost his engine. Helo'ed out after pickup, he was drinking martini's at the O Club that evening. Bought his parachute rigger a half gallon of his favorite; became honorary member of the Caterpillar Club. (all pilots who have ejected and lived). And still around...@92!

[@himabimdimwim]

Woah, incredible!

[@koneeche]

Why do they call it the caterpillar club?

[@dougdavis8986]

A good pilot can easily land without an engine

[@genefogarty5395]

@@koneeche The silk threads on the chute saved their lives, silk comes from caterpillars.

[@JoshuaTootell]

Grandfather also had his caterpillar pin. But ...he jumped out. That was WWII 🤣

[@QuixEnd]

Gosh, the older jettison mechanics were SUPER sketchy!! Imagine being pinned to a rock shaped like a chair by these big mouse traps that'll restrain your limbs, then get blown up by a series of explosions. 50/50 chance of survival, 100% chance of bad injuries.

[@WhuDhat]

better injured than dead eh? lol

[@geelllee]

I guess it's a little better than 100% death :/

[@adinprasetio]

@@geelllee right, desperate times desperate measures ? ✌️

[@dasboat64]

Wow. Nice. Sounds like my experience. 2 F14 crews used my seats... They all got out alive! 👍

[@JonatasAdoM]

@@geelllee Depends on the post survival

[@BatMan-oe2gh]

In 1991, my sister-in-law was dating an American Carrier Fighter Pilot who was based on Carriers. I can't remember the name. He was taking off and just as they left the deck the engines flamed out. No way to save the plane so he and his RIO ejected. Both survived but he was actually 2 inches shorter due to the compression from the ejection. It took him 6 months to get over his injuries, and his RIO about 8 months. They save your life but leave you with lifetime injuries.

[@ComedyLoverGirl]

That's why the pilots have a maximum of 2 ejections, then they can't fly anymore for their own health's sake.

[@nexpro6118]

American Carrier Fighter Pilot as compared to a, non carrier fighter pilot or a, regular fighter pilot or maybe a French Carrier Fighter Pilot? lol. they are just fighter pilots....If you want to get specific, just say, naval fighter pilot or, Carrier certified fighter pilot. reads and looks weird and even can come off as a fake story when you write, "American Carrier Fighter Pilot" lol

[@BatMan-oe2gh]

@@nexpro6118 What? American Carrier Fighter Pilot states he is an American Carrier Fighter Pilot.

[@bryanmaloy4797]

My late uncle, suffered 2 fractured neck vertebrae and broken left arm ejecting from F-4C in Oct 67.

[@nexpro6118]

my uncle is batman

[@oksyar]

I had similar experience while using desktop computer when my chair was pretty low, I just forced myself to pull the lever and my hydraulic chair lifted me 15 inches per second, so many G's, I'll never forget the day!

[@kenlanier2131]

Great video! I was a Parachute Survival Equipment Specialist at Nellis AFB back in 88-92. The ACESII is an amazing system.

[@mdbizzarri]

When you can't fly McDonnell-Douglas, fly Martin-Baker! I used to work on the martin-Baker GRU-7 on F-14's and have 4 successful ejections. I saw 2 on the flight deck. They are an amazing piece of engineering, and all of the steps in working on them were written in blood. I had a friend who tried to take a short cut, and he ejected himself into the hangar ceiling and died. He broke the very specific rules that were drilled into all of us from training school, and reiterated every time we worked on them. He also put others at risk, and caused several hundred thousands of dollars of damage because of his hubris, which he was always way over confident in his abilities. It's a shame, and I miss him, though his stupidity and arrogance are almost unforgivable doing what we did.

[@felixbui9818]

did your friend commit suicide or was it an accident?

[@mdbizzarri]

@@felixbui9818 It was an accident. He was removing the drogue chute by himself while the seat was still in the aircraft, and used a screwdriver as a pry bar, which then started the ejection sequence. While it would seem like you could remove a drogue chute like this, it breaks the rules of: 1, have a performer, QA, and safety person while doing maintenance (3 people), 2, any maintenance on a seat requires the seat to be removed, and 3, jets are down if explosive cartridges are out of date, which was the issue that he was trying to resolve so the training squadron could make a flight that day. The full report was about 20 pages, even covering the food he ate in the last 24 hours, his mindset with his wife, and things going on in the squadron. It was eye opening reading the report. This incident also downed all F-14's for 24 hours so AME's could review, re-train, and reiterate safety procedures.

[@yo_itsjoshy]

@@mdbizzarri Have you read the full report? May our fellow brother Rest In Peace.

[@Cubrooski]

I worked on the MK. H-7 in the USAF F-4's for 13 years when it was the QF-4. I'm very sorry to hear about your friend. I've heard stories like this concerning the Martin Bakers. I hated working on it everyday for 13 years. I respected it but also feared it to a degree. The banana links were terrifying

[@electoplater]

my friends dad was benny lynch

[@carminenovellino5091]

Maverick lost his best friend on ejecting manoeuvres

[@karliejai]

I've seen that documentary as well. I think his name was Goose right?

[@ntiba6059]

@@karliejai 😅

[@IkesPimpHand]

Captain Mitchell later successfully ejected at Mach 10, so it's all good

[@crimsonsnow2469]

@@IkesPimpHand 😂

[@kuiper921]

Goose’s death was modeled after an actual RIO who got hurt (died? I forgot) from hitting the canopy on the way out

[@jamesdanko2915]

I was the last Naval FRAMP instructor for F4 Martin Baker ejection seats; they are very precise and life savers but they can also kill you with one mistake. Can't believe that was 40 some years ago.

[@evansheens2327]

I’m an egress tech in the af which means I work and maintain ejection seats, I currently work on the A.C.E.S. II ejection seat that goes into the f-22 raptor, let me tell you, they barely go into the actual amount of stuff that goes into the seat itself and how it works, like there’s so much stuff and so many things that happen in under a second, it’s crazy

[@waynesworld7804]

Kudos to the pilots who fly these jets.

[@mjribes]

I understand the hesitation in ejecting. In my very first solo skydive my parachute didn't open correctly, and I had a debate with myself as to when and whether to cut away and use my reserve. In hindsight it's stupid, but it's what I did.

[@Fusion991]

Liar

[@darksu6947]

But did you die bro?

[@mjribes]

@@darksu6947 Only a little bit...

[@darksu6947]

@@mjribes I'm glad you didn't splatter on the ground and end up looking like a wet noodle.

[@NASTrading]

@@darksu6947 I’m hungry

[@carlparlatore294]

On 3 Sep 68 I was a pilot in the backseat of F-4C 64-681 flying out of Cam Ranh Bay VN to support some grunts on the ground that needed close air support. On our first pass dropping Mk -82 high drag bombs we got hit with 14.7 mm AAA. We were at 500 ft and 450 kts. The Jet started to roll violently and my front seater yelled EJECT, EJECT, EJECT! Well after the first EJECT he was talking to himself - Thank God the Martin Baker HH-7 I was strapped to worked as advertised --- it was pretty violent and I don't know how long I was in the chute but the next thing I knew I was hanging in a 100 ft tree about 30 feet off the ground. I had lost my helmet, watch and gloves from the wind blast (BTW air at 450 kts is not a gas but solid 🙂). I was busted up pretty badly and could hardly move. If it wasn't for some very brave Army aircrews (flying Hueys and a LOC) who braved some pretty heavy ground fire I wouldn't be here today.

[@jakee.4030]

cap

[@CQBlitz0]

@@jakee.4030 why

[@stiritup4663]

That’s how my grandpa went to school everyday when he was a kid.

[@pHixiq]

Yeah same …🤣

[@duckiiee4416]

Did he ever get to school if he kept ejecting on his way there?

[@tonioyendis4464]

That's got to be a scary feeling when you have to eject! Especially at night and off shore. I can't imagine what goes thru a pilot's mind on the way down; even with your training kicking in.

[@patrickkenyon2326]

Picture the worst rollercoaster you have ever been on. Now imagine riding it during a hurricane. And an earthquake. While being shot at. It is great fun. Highly recommend.

[@patrickkenyon2326]

Oh, and as for what goes thru a pilots mind on the way down? Its pretty much " Oh Crap oh Crap oh Crap. This is gonna hurt. "

[@tonioyendis4464]

@@patrickkenyon2326 - yeah, I'm sure the fun-meter is pegging out while all this is happening to you! Lol...

[@427SuperSnake1]

This exact scenario happened to man named Brian Udell, and the thing is he ejected at beyond the speed of sound, I believe over 720 knots. He tells his story on KZbin you should look it up. It was all at night over the ocean. You can hear him describe how the supersonic winds tore his body apart yet he survived.

[@007mia7]

This is so fascinating. I had no idea just how complex this was, amazing engineering.

[@supbaby86]

I was hoping they would mention the thrust vectoring some of these seat have, very cool.

[@mj1s735]

I was in the USAF and I remember spending many hours seating in ejection seats while working on aircraft avionic systems. Yes we installed safety pins to make the seats safe, but the explosives are still armed in them. You get use to seating in the seats, but it is still a little un nerving the first few times you have to sit in one. Especially when you know that if your didn't install the safety pins and pulled the ejection handles you would activate the seat and it would eject you.

[@johhnyytwotime510]

do you know if that ever happened before? an accidental discharge of the ejection seat?

[@mj1s735]

@@johhnyytwotime510 This question would be better answered by someone that worked in Egress, that is the shop that maintained the ejection system on the aircraft. But in my 22 years in the USAF, I never experienced it, or heard of it happening. There are many safe guards in place to keep it from happening, so even though there are many explosives in the system, it is still not dangerous, say like a loaded gun could be.

[@johhnyytwotime510]

@@mj1s735 oh I got you...thanks for the in depth explanation, I appreciate that.

[@tonyv8925]

@@johhnyytwotime510 1971, an airbase in the South of USA. An egress airman was working on an ejection seat of a T-37B when it fired. He was NOT in the seat but leaning over it. He did not survive. So all of us guys that worked on T-37 seats had to take a safety course, just to make sure we were on top of procedures.

[@cj-bd3ql]

That's good those guys getting ready for Armageddon

[@mikew735]

This was really good, learning about the extremes that some humans either put them selves through or design is incredibly entertaining, or maybe a better way to say it is the extremes people put themselves through by design.

[@FreeTurtleboy]

F-111 aardvark....That eject system is a module....a Pod ...... unique Thanks for your information

[@56darren]

I worked on the Martin Baker SJU 17 v2a for the super hornet loved every minute of it

[@nexpro6118]

wow....the odds....thos makes you number, 35698753 person in the comments to have worked on ejection seats....it's like EVERY person to have ever worked on ejection seats are in this specific comment section. lol (not saying you are the liar or lying) but a lot are ha

[@satoriwabisabi]

I've always wanted one of those ejection seats in the passenger seat of my truck. 😂

[@Datareel]

Ejecto-seato CUZ!

[@satoriwabisabi]

@@Datareel all day!!! Lol

[@khanaliqasim1757]

Knight rider

[@kristoffermangila]

More like 2 Fast 2 Furious...

[@johnsonfromml8662]

now whenever you have passengers you don't like, just push the yeet button

[@erikrhafer6644]

When I was a kid, my neighbor and myself were in a navy jet at an airshow pushing all the buttons, the kid that got in after us got ejected out of the aircraft. It was horrible, I will never forget that day. Happened at Willow Grove Nas Pennsylvania.

[@worldtharra]

What happened to the kid?

[@erikrhafer6644]

@@worldtharra unfortunately he passed away almost instantly.

[@NegativeROG]

Determining whether a problem is fixable or not in ONE SECOND proves that these guys are a breed apart.

[@colinsdad1]

This USAF Vet wants to give a HUGE shout out to USAF PJs- "So That Others May Live"!

[@ryansaving]

You’re the man, brother I know it’s got to be one of the most scariest decisions you’ve ever made

[@polattanoglu756]

Huge respect to this man.

[@stevetheduck1425]

Living pilots often mention that they debated whether to stay with the plane a few more seconds, some don't mention this sort of thinking. We don't hear from the pilots who decided badly in that sort of situation. I recommend the method standard for the RAF in the 1970s to 1980s when I was in: make the decision to eject, both when and why, in the safety and comfort of the crew room. Do not wait for a rapidly-developing situation to make the decision for you.

[@ostrich67]

There's a USAF film called "Ejection Decision-A Second Too Late" that discusses that.

[@jabberwockygaming6996]

I was involved in a rescue on Dec 2002 where 4 pilots ejected out of a B1-B at 17k feet while inverted (what pilots told us). When we got to them 3 hours later they were all alive but pretty banged up. They said it was the most violent thing they had been through. That was a crazy night for everyone.

[@erichuffman8928]

Thank you for your service.

[@aslamstudio558]

Ah, nothing like watching a video about fighter jet ejection seats on *car insider*

[@mj1s735]

I believe one clip showed it, but there are some planes where the ejection seat has to punch through the canopy to eject. Talk about adding more things to the ejection equation!

[@nickroyce7]

Was an AME in the Navy. I was in charge of all the survival and egress for f-18 super hornets. The ejection seat is really no joke.

[@truelove8719]

Salute to these brave pilots

[@drjamespotter]

One of my school physics teachers was a retired RAF navigator. He had been grounded mid career after his second ejection from a Javelin.

[@orangejjay]

Nothing like replaying the same five clips ten times. Really good stuff.

[@SimonAmazingClarke]

I saw a pilot and rear eject out of a harrier in the late 80s. The rear survived. These were Martin Baker Zero Zero seats.

[@TheAlmostHarmless]

Zero Zero seats still have an envelope, the most significant factor of which is sink rate. The distance required for the chute to deploy is nearly the same regardless of if you're inverted or not, the sink rate is what kills you.

[@dillonvillon]

A few minor injuries vs death.... that 90% survival rate also includes those that ejected well outside of the ejection envelope (ie. Inverted at 500ft, 90⁰ nose down at a few thousand feet, etc)

[@syedayanather713]

Maverick said it right “you don’t think, you think up there you’re dead”

[@ayoubkhalil1]

Great video, didn't think I'd end up so interested.

[@jamesburnette4120]

the seats in the F4 had straps that went around your leg just above the knee and straps that went around the ankles short straps around the ankles long straps around the legs. you didnt want to mix them up or you would leave the plane with broken legs.they served to pull you into the seat to become more compact. also the F4 had a face curtain in stead an ejection handle between the legs

[@tenshi66]

Y'all should do a video on Lt Col Rankin who ejected from a crusader in a thunderstorm. I spent my entire career on jump status, and what he experienced in that thunder storm was my nightmare scenario on a jump.

[@EhmedCousCous]

is that the guy who kept being thrown around in the storm until he almost froze to death?

[@JoshuaTootell]

Just read the wiki entry. Yeah...

[@MrMh722]

I believe that all pilots who eject from a Martin Baker get a special tie. That is a very very exclusive club.

[@MrLegantWong]

Thanks for sharing the valuable experience 👍

[@dimitrz2000]

No wonder in many Airforce like Indian Airforce it's rare for an airman to return back to fighter jet flying after an ejection experience. I used to wonder why and after seeing this graphical video , it drives home the intensity of the entire process on the human body.

[@dimitrz2000]

@@MorriRay before making stupid comments, read and understand what I wrote.

[@niko7626]

Well tbf… there were about 20 better examples for an airforce than indias. India doesnt have high-end military tech and is still in the 90‘s/00‘s in terms of hardware, so i dont really have to guess why the indian pilots dont go in a cockpit again after such an ejection. Meanwhile im really confident saying this since i am an officer in the armed forces: with f14, eurofighter, raffale or other 4.5/5th gen jets do NOT have that problem as big as for example india, taiwan, argentina or whatever country still uses coldwar jets

[@dimitrz2000]

@@niko7626 if you had understood english, you would have understood why I used IAF, since I am from India I would naturally use a procedure followed in our airforce as an example. I can't use procedure of USAF which I don't know. Secondly if you were really in the armed forces of any decent country , you would not have used such derogatory comment about armed forces of another country- because there is a sense of ethics & respect that armed forces follow . Unless offcourse you are from a country whose armed forces doesn't have such ethics. Regarding your misguided understanding regarding the capabilities , I could have answred you point by point but then it's quite obvious that you don't have the mental capacity to comprehend the answers or you are some loser who thinks it's great to be a troll. In both cases it's not worth entertaining such sorry excuse of humans . So be happy to live in what ever fantasy world you want to live in. 😂

[@dimitrz2000]

@DR. SUSHANTA ROY-CHOUDHURY yes Abhi was an exception .

[@chandrakanthveluri9860]

@@dimitrz2000 Do u think Abhinandan returning as a fighter pilot a political decision or it was for his reportedly shooting down of an F-16? Also before thinking of ejection system we need to think FTB at high altitude as we have to go to Russia and France to test Kaveri engine all the time. I think this is the time our government prioritize it. What do u think?

[@InspiredInsights4U]

Has an Air Force avionics technician. It was drilled to us anytime we went on on a flight line or even in the hangers you absolutely must identify every pen, which always had a red flag on it, and count them and know for sure that all pens were in the canopy and the seat so it was safe to get in there and work on them then the other big hazard that a lot of people didn’t realize was that if you had anything protruding from your pockets, i.e. screwdrivers or whatever tools you might be carrying around they could accidentally pull a flag or pull handle, so it was drilled into us day after day and thank God we all had safety on our minds first no incidents

[@6828oaklawn]

Pen? Is that anything like a "pin"?

[@InspiredInsights4U]

@@6828oaklawn my apologies for any spelling errors or punctuation errors. I am visually impaired so I do not see the words as my iPhone transcribes what I tell it. Thank you for the correction.

[@LauRoot892]

@@InspiredInsights4U Where are you from ??😑

[@datdude5962]

Wonderful video, glad you lived to share this with us yourself

[@zoyalis1487]

Jesus. I was done when I heard there were explosives underneath the seat. I'd love a more in depth documentary of this. I was just a regular soldier in the ARMY, and I was clueless about the severity of what happens. I definitely have been hoodwinked by television and movies. God Bless our military.

[@simon1841]

Back in the 1960s my dad worked for a metal manufacturing company in England, which was the only company at that time that could make the alloys that were used by Martin Baker. I remember they had an ejector seat on display at the factory on the occasion of a Royal visit (minor royal, not the Queen) and I was fascinated by it as a 7 year old schoolkid.

[@theophrastus3.056]

Some bombers, like the B-52, have ejection seats too. The main charge is entirely ballistic, making for a lot more instantaneous Gs than the rocket seat used in most fighters.

[@JohnDoe-pv2iu]

Yep, and half the personnel eject downward from the plane. Check altitude before ejection, Navigator!

[@josephastier7421]

Their ejection sequence is also slower than from a fighter jet because they expect trouble to happen at high altitude.

[@theophrastus3.056]

@@josephastier7421 Actually, a ballistic seat is initially faster because the process is nearly instantaneous. A rocket motor has a build up in speed, but a ballistic seat is like being fired from a cannon.

[@josephastier7421]

@@theophrastus3.056 Rockets can be designed to work so quickly they are more like a directed blast.

[@theophrastus3.056]

@@josephastier7421 True. But that’s actually not desirable in an ejection seat, as there’s a risk of breaking bones wjth a sudden jolt. Still, they are incredibly fast, as you indicate. Ballistics seats are used only where rockets are not possible, like where two crew are seated side by side. (The B-52 is one example.) You would want rocket blast to burn whoever ejected second. But the drawback is virtually instantaneous acceleration, very high G’s, and virtually no padding on the seat itself. That last feature is because the compression of the pad during the ejection would hurt the occupant. In the slightly slower acceleration of the rocket, that’s not a problem. Rocket seats are the better option, that’s absolutely true, because the acceleration is more manageable.

[@quantumfineartsandfossils2152]

I'm totally blown away wow

[@KillersFromTheWest]

This was super interesting. Subscribed

[@A.J.1656]

Who told this guy an ejection seat is the most complex thing on a fighter jet? That's not even close to being true. 🤣

[@TheHannukahZombie]

He doesn’t even know basic math. He said he was less than a second from death and pulled the seat handle at 2000 feet. Math says he would have been going 1300mph+ and then he contradicts that later. Piss poor attempt at making a factual video.

[@A.J.1656]

@@TheHannukahZombie I spent some time working in debrief where I'd have to explain things to the pilots like, "there's no way that system broke because this jet doesn't have that system", "fuel did not leak from one wing to the other you had to have turned on the transfer pumps to land with more fuel in a wing tank than it started with", "no, there is not fuel leaking from the aileron because there is no fuel in the aileron" and "don't write up what you think the crew chiefs should do to repair the jet, you need to write what malfunctioned and let them fix it". They're not the best sources for technical knowledge. lol

[@righty-o3585]

Not to mention the forward momentum of the jet. Chances are you will be moving at least 200 mph when you launch out of the cockpit

[@EhmedCousCous]

yeah but you won't accelerate to 200 mph within a second

[@LukeNasti]

And it'll be chilly

[@righty-o3585]

@@EhmedCousCous you'll go from the security of your cockpit, to immediate 200 mph wind, then rapidly decrease speed due to the air friction. It does not sound like a fun time

[@righty-o3585]

@@LukeNasti LOL Yes, very

[@kchip9725]

Thank you for the sacrifices you made for our countrys service

[@rizzorizzo2311]

My first tour in Iraq we had two F16 pilots accidentally collide in a bad sandstorm and they both had to eject. Neither one of them survived the ejection. They were both knocked unconscious and the wind drug them several miles across the desert. One ended up tangled in the perimeter wire of our FOB and the other was a couple miles past it. Crazy shit.

[@TidewaterC]

I got ejected from a bar once.

[@Cubrooski]

I've worked on USAF ejection seats since 1997. A couple false statements in this video. When the pilots pull the D-Ring( the handle between the legs) it does not send an electrical signal. It fires two explosive Initiators. Atleast on legacy aircraft i.e. F-15, F-16, A-10. Second false statementa motor doesn't separate the pilot from the seat, explosives and physics do. The main parachute is fired out of what's called a mortar. Just like see in the war movies where they drop the round down the tub and it shoots it out....same thing kind of happens with the chute except it is locked into the mortar while installed in the seat,, and when it's needed during the ejection a mortar cartridge is fired and pushes the chute out of the seat. Before the mortar is fired a different cartridge is fired releasing the lap belts, shoulder straps, and seat pan (so the survival kit stays with the pilot). A lot of moving parts goes into an ejection and it's process that happens very quickly. Also a lot of factors go into a successful ejection that i didn't cover here.. It is a violent process but more crew members survive the mishap these days thankfully.

[@TheHannukahZombie]

No seat used a “mortar” they use rocket motors to pull the drogue parachute out, there is no firing the chute out of anything, the explosive isn’t anywhere near it.

[@Cubrooski]

I beg to differ....I've worked on them for 25 years. The component the chute sits in is called the mortar and the chute is fired out of it. I used my example may be a poor example. But look it up. Search for the ejection site and look up the ACES II seat

[@Cubrooski]

@@TheHannukahZombie they don't use rocket motors to pull the drogue out, it's called the drogue gun cartridge, there is a difference between a cartridge and a rocket motor

[@CamperGun]

I worked in the ACES2 program at McDonnell Douglas back in the late 70's on the final line usually installing the computer into the seats. Everything Cubroski said is correct and true. I left in the 80's, so some things may have changed since then although I've seen the same seats at airshows.

[@Cubrooski]

@@CamperGun thank you Rick. Not much has really changed other than the computer that's been upgraded over the years

[@bassterix7151]

Thanks for the video! I'll keep this in mind next time I take the ol' Eurofighter out for a spin 🙏

[@keithmayhew2161]

Nice video.Thank You for your service Sir..I,hand salute you..

[@BillBrandon]

In a2-seater the pilot commands”eject eject eject” but the other crewman will never hear the third - pilot is already gone.

[@LauRoot892]

Brand 😮

[@johnp139]

The rear seat is ejected first if the inter seat sequence is set in dual mode.

[@mickhorsley3169]

I used to pack 'chutes for ejection seats. It's a very exacting process where you literally go by the book, step by step no matter if it's the first or the fiftieth one you've packed.

[@kenlanier2131]

Me too Mick, 3/4" loop on the stows, torque the SeaWars, tack the reefing line charges, packing the drouge in the back of the seat. Oh and lastly do a tool inventory to make sure you didnt pack any FOD in the container. 30+ years still remember some stuff. :) Good times

[@frankharley1000]

Ditto, good stuff. 👍🏼😎 USMC parachute rigger, F-4s, A-4s, & AV-8Bs.

[@kenlanier2131]

@@frankharley1000 Right on 😀Semper Fi!

[@nexpro6118]

wow....the odds....thos makes you number, 35698753 person in the comments to have worked on ejection seats....it's like EVERY person to have ever worked on ejection seats are in this specific comment section. lol (not saying you are the liar or lying) but a lot are ha and.....nobody "packs" the ejection seats.....they come from the manufacturer done and if they have to be removed (the chute) it goes back to the manufacturer.....just saying....

[@frankharley1000]

@@kenlanier2131 Semper fi, Ken! 👍🏼👍🏼

[@pgp]

Props to the editor for using the same footage over and over

[@alanmcquillan]

Good chat, thank you.

[@_jaegerboy_]

Channel name : "Car's insider" Video : *P L A N E S* ain't complaining tho

[@80s_Boombox_Collector]

the target profile is essentially the same

[@Slickgoodlin]

While they are the majority, not all aviators who who fly in ejection seat equipped aircraft have been fighter pilots in fighter jets. A small number of non-pilot flight crew in certain aircraft have been equipped with ejection seats. Examples: Air Force B-1 and B-52 bombers. Navy S-3 Viking Anti-Sub jet. Army OV-1 Mohawk Surveillance plane.

[@erica1957]

Navy S3-A was a 4 seater too. B-52 had downward ejecting seats.

[@anissah389]

I’m at NAWS China Lake and it’s a blessing to see rows of F/A-18s everyday. Hooyah!

[@blessedblessed6848]

Thank🙏 you for sharing

[@fl260]

Massive respect to these incredibly brave and hardy men defending our country.

[@logosofgame4273]

Ah, the ejection seat. Only a man from Northern Ireland would be crazy enough to come up with something so bonkers.

[@patrickkenyon2326]

Well, it is better than the alternative, that being joining with your aircraft to form a crater.

[@TheHannukahZombie]

The Germans invented them, not someone from Ireland.

[@maxasaurus3008]

Incredible! If there are any Vets reading this, Thank You. (ESPECIALLY Vietnam Vets)

[@piros44]

Chuck Yeager said he only did five more take offs than landings. Arguably the most bad ass pilot who ever lived.

[@billbright1755]

The WWII Japanese Zero was an example of the Japanese code of Bushido. Considered modern day samurais they knew there was virtually no escape from their, in some ways, fragile but very potent aerial weapon platform. Designed purely as offensive system with little or no pilot protection as armor plate or self sealing tanks. It was however very nimble at lower dogfight speeds and in maneuver could out perform a similar heavier, due to self protection, aircraft . In the hands of an expert flyer it was very formidable all things being considered. It was essentially victory or return upon your shield .🛡 Born to the house of a warrior “ grasp the long and the short swords ⚔️ and to die “.

[@LauRoot892]

Bright 🤧

[@emki542]

Hesitation.. procrastinating...🎉🎉🎉 beautiful lesson

[@mothmagic1]

The sheer acceleration is awesome. 0-60 in 4 inches 0-375 in six feet.

[@AgastyaSingh]

I think goose would disagree with the death defying part

[@rumplestilskinbob7415]

Russian pilots are extremely good at ejecting

[@epicn]

Looks cool, nuff said

[@corporeidad]

Notable. Qué interesante. Un outsider total como yo se puede enterar de esto sobre lo que no tiene idea, ni se le hubiera ocurrido ... 👌👌

[@coolcat6303]

Fighter pilots are literally sitting on a Hot Seat 💺🔥✈️

[@hansolowe19]

I am curious to know about the types of injuries people sustain, 10-30% of all ejections resulting in injuries or deaths is nothing to sneeze at. Vertebrae? Neck? Arms? Legs? Where? How? Why?

[@ibrahimsalman5504]

Tail bone fractures or breaking is quite common from what ive seen

[@ibrahimsalman5504]

Especially in the older planes

[@jesper9622]

Spinal fractures. It was explained in the video. And most likely in the neck

[@starliner2498]

@@ibrahimsalman5504 yeah cause they used a explosive cartridge which provided a sudden acceleration add opposed to the gradual acceleration from the rocket motors these days

[@jesflynn4048]

@@starliner2498 the 'explosive cartridges' are the motor device that actually gets the seat and its occupant out the aircraft (see two-tube assembly in MB seats)- rocket motors with enough thrust to achieve the initial high acceleration required, would be uncomfortable for jockey. In-service rocket-packs intitially used a bunch of 1" (dia) motors, but the seats also had a 5-cartridge staged 'gun' which, yep, made the jockey's a bit shorter after their escape. That was to give survivability on the runway. The Harrier vtol introduced a new 'issue', solved by 2" rocket pack motors, which then allowed a slight de-rating of the 'gun' for most future seats - but still a gun. Being in a 'bang seat' is like being a cork in the end of a shotgun, essentially; all the rest of the cool-looking stuff happens after your cork has popped. The first 'ejection' from an aircraft was from a Gloster Meteor - using a big spring driving a trubuchet-style arm on the spine of the aircraft, to which the unfortunate was attached.

[@joerichards2730]

Totally awesome 👌

[@rustywoodpecker8191]

That was uplifting

[@cosmicpsyops4529]

At that point in your life, you're probably better characterized as "death-accepting" whatever the outcome, coming from Marine infantry. 😅

[@patrickkenyon2326]

When the alternative is riding your aircraft into the ground, even a wonky system looks pretty good.

[@disuser-lp3qv1tm8f]

They should have this for players who get ejected during a game.

[@disuser-lp3qv1tm8f]

@itachisasku i mean in real life

[@disuser-lp3qv1tm8f]

@itachisasku no, but games are real life

[@TheUnvarnishedTruth-]

*Thank you very much for this informative and interesting video! I'll never think about a pilot ejecting the way I used to!*

[@tombigelow7391]

Awesome vid😎

[@allgood6760]

Scary stuff! ✈️

[@coolstorybrooooo7643]

He joined the Martin-Baker club, get a neat tie because you've joined an exculsive club.

[@andrewrixon2347]

Martin Baker use a WWII Gloster Meteor (see 00:22) as their test bed. I’ve worked at their factory and it’s almost “ men in sheds” where they’re made but absolutely fascinating and Lord do they make a beautiful product !

[@dashcameraro2031]

Anastase Dragomir (1896-1966) was a distinguished Romanian inventor, most famous for his "catapultable cockpit" patent (with Tănase Dobrescu) as an early form of ejection seat, although preceded by Everard Calthrop's 1916 compressed air ejection seat, and others.

[@pradipbera5098]

It's thrilled me, I had worked on ejection system for around 15 years and had chance to speak couple of fighter pilot who ejected. Yes hesitation and timings are two great components in ejection

[@nexpro6118]

wow....the odds....thos makes you number, 35698753 person in the comments to have worked on ejection seats....it's like EVERY person to have ever worked on ejection seats are in this specific comment section. lol (not saying you are the liar or lying) but a lot are ha

[@pradipbera5098]

@@nexpro6118 You believe me or not that's your perogative. But by saying I worked on ejection system, am not going to earn handsome or to increase my viewers. But like to keep you informed and others too that I have worked in Indian Air Force as a Ground Tech crew for Fighter planes and served in various fighter squadrons. over those years ejection system and it's explosives used were part of my service. I can't or should give any further class to you on this vast subject in this platform.

[@CallsignAegis]

Very Extremely interesting

[@westsiyed]

Incredible