Japan Airlines DC-8 First class cabin (1970s)

Wright Flyer and Tuckey Chromolithographic Postcard, c.1910.

Argentine aircraft attacking the British task force in San Carlos Bay (1982, Falklands War).

Brody wrote: ↑Fri Nov 27, 2020 10:03 am

No ejector? The pilot held on valiantly.

Brody wrote: ↑Sat Nov 28, 2020 10:29 am

Could that pilot have survived? The nose section that got severed seemed to included the cockpit intact.

Doc67 wrote: ↑Sat Nov 28, 2020 12:19 pm Could that pilot have survived? The nose section that got severed seemed to included the cockpit intact.

As a matter of fact he did survive. And lived to the ripe old age of 77.

Doc67 wrote: ↑Sat Nov 28, 2020 12:16 pm No ejector? The pilot held on valiantly.

Yes he had an ejection seat. But in the past an ejection could only have a reasonable chance of saving your life if it were attempted in the correct ejection 'envelope'. Meaning that there had to be sufficient altitude and airspeed.

Nowadays we have what are called 'zero-zero' ejection seats.

Meaning you could successfully eject from your aircraft even if it were sitting on the deck and not moving. Zero altitude and zero airspeed. Hence zero-zero.

On Friday, 24 June 1994, a B-52 crashed at Fairchild Air Force Base after its pilot maneuvered the bomber beyond its operational limits and lost control. The B-52 stalled, fell to the ground and exploded.