Im a nav in a B52, chances are if we need to eject, it will be somewhere low (Transition, Low Level) and the navs eject downwards...needless to say, unless were (reg says 2000) at least that I highly doubt I am going to survive. Last I heard the survivabilty rate in the H model Buff was like 53% if your able to eject...

EDIT: Before I get too slammed by other Buff navs...let me clarify. 200' is the bare min for downward ejection. 2000' is recommended for any chance of survival.

[ 20. May 2006, 21:27: Message edited by: a nav ]

Originally posted by Hydro130:

Asd a Herk dude, we didn't have the luxury or necessity for ejection.

We did have chutes for all primary crewmembers on board though.

That was a relatively recent change though (last 6-7 years).

I used to get crap during JRTCs when I refused to fit a chute as the AC for my crew. If the airplane is somehow flyable enough to allow the rest of the crew to bail out, then I'll be at the controls making that happen. In that circumstance, I guess I take one for the team, but that's why I get that extra "A-Code" pay....

Hydro

Same reason I never wore a gun.... If I need a gun as an AC, something's horribly wrong....

I drive the plane, my Es kill bad dudes attemting a sabotage... Period. Dot.

That's how it works.....

Surviving an ejection is all about your aircraft parameters prior to ejection. The -1 has a chart that shows where the best chances for survival are. Generally speaking the slower you are the better. There are also minimum recommended altitudes for controlled vs. uncontrolled ejection. Lastly, body position has a lot to do with how many injuries you get as well. If you're in the proper body position you are less likely to sustain injuries than if you're not. I know a few guys that have punched and none of them had serious injuries. Of course successfully ejecting coming down to one more thing...luck.

Actually ejecting out of a fighter (ACES II) ejection seat the survivability rate is extremely high (around 95%). That's if you don't wait to late to make the decision. The ACES II is tested to have a mode envelope of 0/0, which is 0 altitude, 0 airspeed. If you ejected above 250kts/15000ft, you are stuck to the seat until the environmental sensor on the back of the seat senses outside parameters and tells the recovery sequencer to release the chute,lap belts, etc. If you do decide to eject you will be pulling anywhere from 11 to 22 G's depending on the type of aircraft. Sorry, I am a prior Egress systems specialist. As far as heavy aircraft, I am currently on C-130's I not sure if I would even attempt to bailout. Just ride it in and take one for the home team. I think the survivability rate for bailout is alot lower than ejecting.

Mox

I hope these question don't appear callous or offensive, because I genuinely don't know the answers and would appreciate some insight. When the results of the various Class A mishap safety / investigation boards are determined following an ejection, and the pilot retains their flying clearance, is there much social stigma from other people in the flying community? Is it viewed as a dodged bullet and the rare experience of a small minority? Can it haunt a pilots' career and advancement despite later creating a record of high performance/competence?

Lastly, I suspect around half of all pilots who've survived election keep flying in the AF. Between the possible permanent injuries and a stat that historically 67% of all class A's are "attributed to human factors," is that estimate about right?

I've known several people who have ejected and for the most part there's stigma. It's easy to second guess someone's actions and decisions made during the heat of the moment, but I'm hesitant to be too critical as that could be me one day. As long as there's no gross ineptitude we all try to learn from it and move on. I like getting to chat with the ejectors since I get to ask questions and replay the decision making process, neither of which is easy to do with the investigation report.

I know of at least 2 ejectees that went on to be squadron commanders.

For better or worse.

More common in the viper world. Generally no stigma and move on unless you were a complete dumbass

A complete tangent that has nothing to do with rated aviators ejecting; but apparently when Bagram was taken for the first time way back right after Sep 11th, the forces securing the base saw one of the local Afghan workers climb into an old mig cockpit and start messing around. A few moments later the guy ejected up (completely unharnessed etc), and fell to the ground dead!

Had a guy involved in a mid air while on the road flying check rides. Both got out in good shape. We took him out battered and bruised and all got very drunk. I've known numerous guys that jettisoned the aircraft, one guy rode the ACES II twice. All great guys that made the right decision. much better than trying to discus with the widow, mom, father, etc. what might have been the reasons for no ejection.

What Hoss said, my SQ/CC has been out twice.

I think it depends entirely on the circumstances. Look at Fingers Goldfein and Scott O'Grady. Same jet, same squadron, same AOR. One's a 3-Star, and the other peaked out at Captain and is an infamous case study for what NOT to do.

i dont have any words...... lol

I think it depends entirely on the circumstances. Look at Fingers Goldfein and Scott O'Grady. Same jet, same squadron, same AOR. One's a 3-Star, and the other peaked out at Captain and is an infamous case study for what NOT to do.

There is far more to O'Gradys act of buffoonery than just punching out.

There is far more to O'Gradys act of buffoonery than just punching out.

Punching out is probably one of the few things he did right

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Punching out is probably one of the few things he did right

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always hear that, but no one wants to talk about the things wrong; OPSEC stuff i suppose :/

edited because i cant spell worth a damn

Edited October 9, 201411 yr by dvlax40

go to SERE.

go to SERE.

They hate that guy there.

They hate that guy there.

I know that...which is why he will learn what wrong there.

I know that...which is why he will learn what wrong there.

Oh I know; it's just that there was absolutely a vibe of them taking his mistakes personally. Which is somewhat wierd because most of the cadre there when I went through were probably in elementary school at the time O'Grady was shot down.

always hear that, but no one wants to talk about the things wrong; OPSEC stuff i suppose :/

edited because i cant spell worth a damn

His requirement to abandon his jet was a screw up of his own making. Stroll into the Intel shop for more answers. From that point he successfully ejected, landed, survived during E&E, and effected his rescue. He made errors but was ultimately successful despite his best efforts to screw his situation up further.

His requirement to abandon his jet was a screw up of his own making. Stroll into the Intel shop for more answers. From that point he successfully ejected, landed, survived during E&E, and effected his rescue. He made errors but was ultimately successful despite his best efforts to screw his situation up further.

ill have to check it out, i was more curious about the events leading up to the shoot down ie why/how. etc

Oh I know; it's just that there was absolutely a vibe of them taking his mistakes personally. Which is somewhat wierd because most of the cadre there when I went through were probably in elementary school at the time O'Grady was shot down.

Yeah, weird how guys who don't know shit about shit will bad mouth someone.

better lucky than good as they say....

Scott Ogrady made it out of a hostile environment, could he have done better? Sure......but he made it out alive.

That's the lesson I try to take from his story. No matter how badly I screw up, America will bring me home, no questions asked.