[HN Gopher] French fighter jet joy ride goes tres, tres wrong (2...
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       French fighter jet joy ride goes tres, tres wrong (2020)
        
       Author : curmudgeon22
       Score  : 291 points
       Date   : 2022-04-24 15:56 UTC (7 hours ago)
        
 (HTM) web link (www.caranddriver.com)
 (TXT) w3m dump (www.caranddriver.com)
        
       | scarier wrote:
       | It's wild that the ejection sequence failed. Some two-seat
       | aircraft have a "forward both, aft self" ejection mode for these
       | types of events where you don't trust the guy in the back to make
       | good ejection decisions, and I originally assumed that was what
       | happened here. Oops.
        
         | smileysteve wrote:
         | It's also practical; as the plane is moving forward, the aft
         | seat needs a head start to reduce chances of mid air collision,
         | or even burns.
        
         | everybodyknows wrote:
         | > the first ejection damaged the front seat, such that it
         | didn't eject
         | 
         | This as well -- fairly damning evidence of failures in design
         | and/or manufacturing. Fortunate that the extemporaneous round
         | of belated testing happened over friendly territory!
        
           | TheFlash wrote:
           | The post-incident report found a design flaw in the box that
           | transmits the ejection signal from the back seat to the front
           | seat, allowing it to get damaged. That and one loose screw.
        
       | bombcar wrote:
       | It's kind of surprising how often people get a good idea for a
       | gift and totally ignore the recipient's cries of protest.
        
         | teh_klev wrote:
         | When I crossed into my forties a couple of friends were
         | insistent that I do "a big thing" of clay pigeon shooting, go
         | karting, overnighting in a rented a cottage, get all the guys
         | together etc etc.
         | 
         | I point blank refused, I was going through a serious bout of
         | panic/anxiety attacks at the time, and this was the last thing
         | I needed. All I wanted was a few quiet drinks and a sit-in
         | curry with some local pals. The amount of sulking that went on
         | for weeks afterwards was quite something to behold.
        
           | listenallyall wrote:
        
             | progman32 wrote:
             | False dichotomy.
        
               | listenallyall wrote:
               | How?
        
             | schwammy wrote:
             | What a rude and unhelpful comment. If "stop feeling sorry
             | for yourself, just go outside and do things" was actually
             | good advice no one would have mental health problems.
        
               | listenallyall wrote:
               | Your comment is the equivalent of "if eat healthy and
               | exercise was actually good advice, nobody would be fat".
               | But it _is_ good advice (doesn 't mean it will cure 100%
               | of weight-related issues). It is certainly better than
               | "don't exercise and pig out."
               | 
               | "Stop feeling sorry for yourself, just go outside and do
               | things" may not be a universal cure for panic and
               | anxiety, but it is certainly preferable to "isolate from
               | friends, stay indoors, drink, and don't try anything new"
               | which is what the OP described.
               | 
               | edit: since my original comment has been flagged and no
               | longer viewable, it was NOT "stop feeling sorry for
               | yourself, just go outside and do things"
        
           | zh3 wrote:
           | I know that feeling; people projecting what they like onto
           | you, assuming therefore you will like it too and then getting
           | upset when you don't. It's horrible because it feels like
           | it's your problem - but it's really not.
        
             | imtringued wrote:
             | It's their problem because there is absolutely nothing
             | wrong with just asking. People want to surprise other
             | people with nice gifts while simultaneously having no idea
             | whether the recipient will want it.
        
             | katbyte wrote:
             | It's weird too, because if they wanted to do all that why
             | not just make that a separate plan/trip at a later date?
             | There's no reason to force it on someone when your free to
             | just go do it as a group later
        
               | ILMostro7 wrote:
               | Easier to justify. Maybe even a little test or shooting
               | off steam for their own life.
        
       | Ecco wrote:
       | The copy of this article is so good. The entire piece made me
       | laugh so hard. Thanks for posting this!
        
         | system2 wrote:
         | Came here to say this. After reading SEO riddled garbage for
         | years, this was a pleasant surprise.
        
           | sydthrowaway wrote:
           | Want to know more? Scroll past 2 pages of ads
        
         | BrentOzar wrote:
         | The author, Ezra Dyer, does spectacular work. He's written
         | many, many other brilliant automotive pieces around the web.
        
         | bonestamp2 wrote:
         | Agreed. The phrase, "al fresco fighter jet" is enough to
         | consider reading this article if you haven't already.
        
           | bennysomething wrote:
           | Had me in stitches that line :)
        
         | kergonath wrote:
         | Indeed. And then I felt bad for that old guy. But then it was
         | really hard not to laugh again. Very glad nobody got seriously
         | hurt.
        
         | vinay427 wrote:
         | Most Car and Driver pieces, even the relatively objective car
         | reviews, tend to be better than average in this regard, with
         | more editorialized pieces especially entertaining. It's one of
         | the main reasons I subscribe to the physical magazine despite
         | its very large proportion of advertising, which is at least
         | somewhat offset by a low subscription price.
        
       | frontierkodiak wrote:
       | Ezra Dyer is such a great car writer. I loved the Car & Drivers
       | of yore, especially pre-2010ish. Ezra's pieces are the only ones
       | left that remind me of why I was so obsessed with hoarding and
       | re-reading these mags as a kid. Even so, I miss how clever &
       | irreverent the old C&D was.
        
         | kingcharles wrote:
         | Ezra's column was always the first thing I turned to when C&D
         | turned up.
        
       | [deleted]
        
       | jll29 wrote:
       | I'm so sorry for the retiree. I'm sure the colleagues meant well
       | with this unusual present, and it probably was an admin effort to
       | pull it off, but he was clearly uncomfortable to receive his
       | gift.
       | 
       | What hasn't been covered in the comments, to my surprise, is the
       | aspect of peer pressure that made him accept the present. This
       | wasn't a gift voucher for a flight in a hot air balloon, so
       | colleagues should have planned for a "plan b" in case he wasn't
       | going to have the flight for fear for his safety. Apparently,
       | social pressure was exercised to coerce him - bad, shame on them!
        
       | mcculley wrote:
       | This is a perfect example of how state militaries have more power
       | than they are mature enough to handle.
       | 
       | This is the likeliest explanation for The Great Filter, in my
       | opinion. Civilizations develop power well beyond their wisdom and
       | then snuff themselves out.
        
         | woodruffw wrote:
         | I don't understand the connection you're making. This was a
         | civilian who happened to work in the defense industry; we have
         | no indication that he was otherwise familiar with the
         | mechanical workings of the fighter jet he was put in. For all
         | we know, he was the night janitor at a warehouse.
        
           | mcculley wrote:
           | I don't blame the civilian. I am not optimistic that the
           | military organization that owns this fighter jet is capable
           | of making good decisions.
        
           | codr7 wrote:
           | I think the point was more about the entire chain of command
           | that allowed themselves to be talked into allowing the flight
           | to take place.
        
             | mcculley wrote:
             | Exactly. These organizations are entrusted with nuclear and
             | biological weapons.
        
       | mc4ndr3 wrote:
       | And these people conduct wars.
        
         | hef19898 wrote:
         | No, usually passengers on joy rides are not conducting combat
         | operations.
        
       | [deleted]
        
       | alduin32 wrote:
       | So wrong that the GoPro that the retiree was wearing was not even
       | turned on, which is a shame, even if I doubt that the footage
       | would have been released.
        
       | H8crilA wrote:
       | A former US fighter pilot comments on this incident:
       | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-zIxqKwoHsM
       | 
       | Intro ends at 1:25
        
         | sokoloff wrote:
         | The top comment on that video is great.
        
           | andrelaszlo wrote:
           | I don't get it?
        
             | kube-system wrote:
             | https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Yeet
        
           | ChuckNorris89 wrote:
           | Depending if I'm watching the video on the mobile Youtube
           | app, or in the desktop browser, I get completely different
           | top comments.
           | 
           | Mobile app: _" Pilot: you OK back there? Retiree:
           | Le'YEET!!!!"_
           | 
           | Desktop browser: _" He got everything in one trip. Ride in a
           | fighter jet, ejecting, and a sky dive."_
           | 
           | Another testament to Youtube's amazing UX consistency. /s
        
             | Jap2-0 wrote:
             | I see "I flew backseat Mig-29. Will always remember pilot
             | pointing at my ejection handle "please do not grab this, my
             | government will be unhappy with both of us" [emoji]"
        
               | [deleted]
        
               | sokoloff wrote:
               | In mobile incognito, I get that as well.
        
       | ChuckMcM wrote:
       | Ouch! I'm glad the guy is okay, that could not have been "fun"
       | given the description of the ejection.
       | 
       | In Sunnyvale they used to train Orion P3 crews at Moffett field.
       | Of course Sunnyvale and the surrounding towns had a few military
       | contractors doing RADAR development who did not have many
       | military targets to paint, so when a P3 flew over it made for a
       | good "real life" test.
       | 
       | On one such flight, the check pilot decided to "spice up" the
       | newbie pilot's life as they returned to Moffett field by casually
       | flicked on the RADAR threat detector. Sure enough, one of the
       | contractor's search RADARs was 'pinging' them, but unexpectedly
       | they were also testing a tracking RADAR which then subsequently
       | got a good lock on the plane. That made the RADAR LOCK alarm go
       | off in the cockpit and the trainee, as he was trained to do,
       | immediately hit countermeasures without thinking. (That will save
       | your life!)
       | 
       | The plane was on final approach to the field, and when it
       | activated countermeasures it consisted of both chaff and IR
       | flares (bits of magnesium, lit and cast to the side to distract
       | heat seekers) These mostly landed on the Sunnyvale golf course
       | which is in the approach path.
       | 
       | I used to play that course, and after this event there were a
       | number of burn spots where the flares had landed and then burned
       | out on the ground, and for probably two months there were bits of
       | foil chaff that could be found in various nooks and crannies
       | around the course!
        
         | oconnor663 wrote:
         | > immediately hit countermeasures without thinking
         | 
         | Out of curiosity, if this is the doctrine, why doesn't the
         | plane just fire countermeasures automatically?
        
           | tbihl wrote:
           | Ah, the balancing act of human in the loop.
        
           | samstave wrote:
           | This was super interesting regarding the ejection seat's
           | features and behavior depending on speed and altitude at
           | which the seat ejects.
           | 
           | https://martin-baker.com/products/mk16-ejection-seat-for-
           | raf...
        
           | 2OEH8eoCRo0 wrote:
           | Some systems do. I've worked on one.
        
           | ceejayoz wrote:
           | If you're low on countermeasures you may want to dole them
           | out more sparingly.
        
             | dasudasu wrote:
             | Pretty much. There's a recent video going around of a
             | Russian helicopter in Ukraine firing off all its flares in
             | panic after its sister helicopter is taken out by MANPADS.
             | Predictably, the Ukrainians wait until he runs out, and
             | then he gets taken out anyway. Not that hard to search for
             | it.
        
               | krisoft wrote:
               | Indeed. I was thinking about the same video in response
               | to this question.
               | 
               | Here is a link: https://twitter.com/Blue_Sauron/status/15
               | 17817773199699977
        
               | oconnor663 wrote:
               | It seems like the natural next step would be
               | "automatically deploy countermeasures while you still
               | have [some threshold] remaining, then revert to manual
               | below that," but I can also see how needing to train
               | pilots in two or more different modes starts to pile up
               | complexity costs and maybe leads to more mistakes
               | compared to a simpler system.
        
             | samstave wrote:
             | /Why, I _oughta_....
             | 
             | -- In Military Countermeasures
        
           | Diesel555 wrote:
           | https://extantaerospace.com/products/ALE-47_CDU.pdf [pdf]
           | 
           | In the picture above you will see a dial for modes. They
           | range from human tell the machine exactly what to do, to
           | human consent to what the machine wants to do, to machine do
           | what you want to do.
        
         | inamberclad wrote:
         | Love those old stories. I've climbed through the P-3 on static
         | display outside the ramp, and I wish they still flew more of
         | them around there. I used to be friends with a guy at the local
         | grocery store who was a P-3 mechanic.
        
       | marcodiego wrote:
       | Ejecting from a fighter plane is not only dangerous. It is
       | relatively common that people who eject develop spinal injuries
       | because of it.
        
         | vba616 wrote:
         | Meanwhile, in Soviet Russia:
         | 
         | "For improved pilot survivability the Ka-50 is fitted with a
         | NPP Zvezda K-37-800 ejection seat, which is a rare feature for
         | a helicopter."
         | 
         | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kamov_Ka-50
         | 
         | Yes, ok, it has explosives to blow away the rotors. But how
         | many different ways could that go wrong...
        
           | qaq wrote:
           | There was a single successful ejection in Ukraine so far
        
           | AnimalMuppet wrote:
           | Well, you'd (theoretically) only do it when not doing it
           | would be _worse_. So all those ways it could go wrong won 't
           | kill you, because you were already going to die. But if it
           | all works, you _might_ live.
        
             | vba616 wrote:
             | What if the rotor destruct system fired when you weren't
             | ejecting tho?
             | 
             | I can't find the specific incident easily by Googling, but
             | I read a long time ago about an incident, possibly with
             | F-16s, a training exercise where suddenly a sidewinder
             | fired uncommanded, and took out another plane.
             | 
             | You would _think_ that would surely be human error, but
             | investigation showed that apparently something just shorted
             | out.
        
               | AnimalMuppet wrote:
               | Well, if it takes off the rotor, hopefully it _also_
               | ejects you. If it doesn 't, well, you should probably
               | promptly initiate ejection. And the ejection should be
               | easier, since there's now no pesky rotor in the way...
        
           | ChuckNorris89 wrote:
           | _> Meanwhile, in Soviet Russia:_
           | 
           | There are videos on Youtube with captured Russian pilots who
           | ejected their aircrafts in the recent Ruso-Ukrainian war and
           | they all had pretty big gashes on their necks and their
           | overalls soaked in blood from all that bleeding like a stuck
           | pig.
           | 
           | Apparently the canopy and ejection system acts like a
           | guillotine on Russian aircrafts, but that's just what I've
           | heard, I'm no expert on soviet era ejection seats, so if
           | anyone has more info on this would love to learn more.
        
         | zabzonk wrote:
         | There are other problems. My Dad had an engine fire in his RAF
         | Vampire over East England, didn't have an ejector seat, and
         | decided it would be better to belly-land the thing, which he
         | did, succesfully, in a cabbage field.
         | 
         | He got out of the Vampire and trudged over to an old yokel who
         | had been sitting watching all this.
         | 
         | Dad: Is there a phone around here?
         | 
         | Yokel: You'm will be paying for all them cabbages?
        
           | rendall wrote:
           | Hmm. Was the farmer compensated?
        
             | zabzonk wrote:
             | No idea. I'm not sure he should have been, but he very
             | probably was - but my Dad was risking his life to protect
             | the farmer, so Dad would not have paid for it. And as far
             | as I know people were compensated for RAF crashes on their
             | property - they certainly are now today, though RAF pilots
             | do everything they can (up to their own deaths) to avoid
             | militraliry accidents.
        
               | [deleted]
        
               | sealeck wrote:
               | How was he risking his life to protect the farmer?
        
               | zabzonk wrote:
               | If you knew anything of the history of the RAF you would
               | not ask this.
        
               | mechanical_bear wrote:
               | You could just answer the question. Obviously there are
               | many readers here not intimately aware of RAF history.
        
               | SirYandi wrote:
               | I assume they were referring to the blitz in WW2, where
               | the RAF defended Britain from Nazi bombing runs.
        
               | wtallis wrote:
               | The plane in question doesn't seem to have entered
               | service until shortly after the end of WW2:
               | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/De_Havilland_Vampire
        
               | zabzonk wrote:
               | The question is really not about a particular fighter,
               | but about the RAF.
        
               | zabzonk wrote:
               | Are you expecting me to write an article for you here on
               | the RAF, rather than you doing a search?
        
               | MerelyMortal wrote:
               | One person spending 1 minute to write a reply versus a
               | dozen people spending 15 minutes trying to find the right
               | answer.
        
               | Dayshine wrote:
               | How was a post war RAF fighter crashing during training
               | exercise protecting our country?
               | 
               | Has the RAF been anything other than a deterrent in
               | Europe since then?
        
               | wolverine876 wrote:
               | For most of its history, RAF pilots haven't been fighting
               | wars or risking their lives.
        
               | wolverine876 wrote:
               | > my Dad was risking his life to protect the farmer
               | 
               | The farmer is an equal citizen with equal rights,
               | regardless - that is what the pilot was protecting.
        
               | ChuckNorris89 wrote:
               | _> I 'm not sure he should have been, but he very
               | probably was - but my Dad was risking his life to protect
               | the farmer_
               | 
               | Why not? It's not your father who should compensate the
               | farmer but the government. And if government property
               | causes damages to a citizen's livelihood, then the
               | government should compensate them. At least, in a
               | civilized democracy.
        
               | zabzonk wrote:
               | And that's happens in the UK. Of course, the farmer has
               | to put in a claim, and I mean't that I do not know if he
               | did so.
               | 
               | Hence:
               | 
               | > but he very probably was
        
             | scarier wrote:
             | This is supposedly where the idiom "bought the farm" comes
             | from.
        
               | ILMostro7 wrote:
               | Closer to "not in my backyard", until and unless it
               | absolutely and directly benefits ME
        
               | AnimalMuppet wrote:
               | I don't think so. It came from the life insurance paying
               | off the family farm (if I understand correctly).
        
           | InCityDreams wrote:
           | A lot of people sure don't get British humour, with a 'u'.
        
           | upofadown wrote:
           | A reaction like that implies that the farmer was screwed over
           | in a previous incident or has heard of someone that was.
        
             | [deleted]
        
       | huhtenberg wrote:
       | Lol... somebody sure had a lot of fun writing this up :)
        
       | jug wrote:
       | Now that's an article author that enjoys his job.
        
       | nickt wrote:
       | It's a Martin Baker seat. At least he'll get a tie.
       | 
       | https://martin-baker.com/ejection-tie-club/
        
         | lastofthemojito wrote:
         | Irritatingly imprecise wording on that page:
         | 
         | > Here at Martin-Baker, we run an exclusive club that unifies
         | all pilots whose lives we've helped save: life membership of
         | the Ejection Tie Club is confined solely to those who have
         | emergency ejected from an aircraft using a Martin-Baker
         | ejection seat, which has thereby saved their life.
         | 
         | Does that mean you need to be a pilot to be a member of the
         | club? Or does being a co-pilot or passenger qualify? And if
         | you're testing the ejection seat (wittingly or unwittingly as
         | in the case of this article) in a healthy airplane, such that
         | it isn't a life-saving technique, do you still qualify?
        
           | nraynaud wrote:
           | no, but you have bail out volontarily and in a dangerous
           | situation, the question has already been put to the
           | manufacturer: no tie for the unluky retired.
        
             | dylan604 wrote:
             | Voluntarily leaving your healthy plane will get your
             | license revoked by the FAA as we've recently seen happen.
        
               | kube-system wrote:
               | Only if you're the pilot.
        
               | ILMostro7 wrote:
               | Where?
        
               | ghostly_s wrote:
               | That odd story a couple months ago where some guy
               | seemingly crashed his plane deliberately for tiktok
               | clout?
        
               | userbinator wrote:
               | https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=31104691
               | 
               | And before,
               | 
               | https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=29729307
        
               | LittlePeter wrote:
               | A YouTuber purposely crashed his plane in California, FAA
               | says: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=31104691
        
             | kergonath wrote:
             | That is terrible PR. In any case, who knows what would have
             | happened if he'd stayed on board, considering that nobody
             | seemed to care about the limits the doctor set?
             | 
             | On the other hand, he probably does not want a reminder of
             | his "adventure".
        
               | tbihl wrote:
               | >In any case, who knows what would have happened if he'd
               | stayed on board, considering that nobody seemed to care
               | about the limits the doctor set?
               | 
               | He would've been much safer, though maybe he would've
               | passed out (which I fully recognize as an unpleasant
               | experience.) Ejecting from a jet would be a very
               | hazardous day for _any_ job.
        
               | [deleted]
        
           | ChuckMcM wrote:
           | Given the spirit of the club I bet he got a tie.
        
           | adwww wrote:
           | A co-pilot is still a pilot, and nobody willingly ejects from
           | a healthy aircraft.
           | 
           | Ejecting can still go wrong, and subjects your body to huge
           | compressive forces - it's not uncommon to fracture your
           | spine.
           | 
           | Interesting point about non pilot crew though - although
           | there must be a fairly limited number of fast jets that have
           | mission crew with ejector seats. Perhaps a couple of US
           | bombers?
        
             | chrisseaton wrote:
             | > Interesting point about non pilot crew though - although
             | there must be a fairly limited number of fast jets that
             | have mission crew with ejector seats.
             | 
             | I mean you're reading an article about one, aren't you?
             | Also the Panavia Tornado. F-15E, etc.
        
             | dylan604 wrote:
             | Wasn't there a plane (thinking bomber with you) that
             | ejected down from the aircraft so that the minimum altitude
             | was super important?
        
               | rjsw wrote:
               | Early F-104 Starfighters had a downward-firing ejection
               | seat [1].
               | 
               | [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lockheed_F-104_Starfigh
               | ter#Eje...
        
               | [deleted]
        
               | robonerd wrote:
               | The Soviet Tu-22 (a bomber) also did this. (Though not
               | the Tu-22M, which is basically a different plane.)
        
               | lstodd wrote:
               | http://www.airforce.ru/aircraft/miscellaneous/ejectionsea
               | ts/...
               | 
               | Super convenient - climb a ladder, strap in and then tech
               | guys winch you up with a hand crank (on first models).
               | 
               | Altitude less than 1500 ft and you're dead. G-load above
               | a threshold and its rails jam, so you're not going
               | anywhere. 1950s tech that flew into 1990s.
        
               | adwww wrote:
               | B52 ejects in all directions, some up, some down ha.
        
               | rwmj wrote:
               | The Avro Vulcan had two ejection seats, for the pilot and
               | co-pilot, and nothing for the three other crew members.
               | They had a door and were expected to bail out, which
               | after they switched to flying low level under enemy radar
               | wasn't really possible. Predictably this lead to several
               | tragedies. https://hackaday.com/2021/01/11/the-v-bomber-
               | ejector-seat-co...
               | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avro_Vulcan
        
             | robonerd wrote:
             | > _subjects your body to huge compressive forces - it 's
             | not uncommon to fracture your spine._
             | 
             | I've heard that military pilots are retired from flying
             | after the second ejection (regardless of the reason for it)
             | due to this spinal injury concern. It must be one hell of a
             | kick in the ass.
        
               | darrenf wrote:
               | Back in the 1950s and 60s my dad was a parachute training
               | instructor for the RAF. As well as teach others how to
               | safely jump out of planes, he also basically did QA for
               | ejector seats.
               | 
               | His service ended when one such seat really wasn't ready
               | for humans. It totally fucked his back up -- he didn't
               | become wheelchair bound, but was told to never lift
               | anything heavier than a cup of tea for the rest of his
               | life. Registered disabled from his mid-30s. Ejector seats
               | were, and I assume still are, no joke.
        
               | rich_sasha wrote:
               | Ejection seats also got a lot more powerful over time.
               | The gold standard now are 0/0 seats, so called because
               | they can be used at 0 altitude and 0 speed. Earlier seats
               | had speed and/or altitude requirements.
               | 
               | Presumably this means that they kick you harder too, with
               | all such subsequent effects.
        
               | robonerd wrote:
               | Many early ejection seats used explosive charges instead
               | of rocket motors. These were less powerful overall
               | (didn't throw pilots as far from the plane) but I suspect
               | they might have kicked a lot harder in the instant of
               | ignition.
        
               | kayodelycaon wrote:
               | Modern ejection seats have a smoother acceleration curve
               | than the early ones.
        
             | jimmaswell wrote:
             | > nobody willingly ejects from a healthy aircraft.
             | 
             | You'd think so, but sadly:
             | https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=29729307
        
               | kayodelycaon wrote:
               | Technically, that's a bail-out. Has somewhat fewer
               | rockets and high-g forces than an ejection seat.
        
       | sydthrowaway wrote:
       | I dont get it. Is the parachute deployed of the ejection too? How
       | did the man survive
        
         | imglorp wrote:
         | The sequence is fully automatic: as soon as you pull the
         | handle, the canopy pyros blow a hole, the straps pull the
         | occupant's limbs in, the seat launches, separates from person,
         | finally chute deploys. Your next inputs after pulling the
         | handle are steering and landing the chute if you are conscious.
         | 
         | By the way, the gentleman should be receiving a necktie from
         | Martin Baker.
         | 
         | https://ejectionsite.com/
        
         | orbital-decay wrote:
         | Yes, the parachute is in the ejection seat, it's deployed
         | automatically later by necessity, as the pilot could be injured
         | and/or unconscious.
        
       | ledauphin wrote:
       | read this far superior retelling:
       | 
       | https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a32131240/french-dassault-...
        
         | [deleted]
        
         | dang wrote:
         | Ok, we've changed to that from
         | https://www.mercurynews.com/2020/04/13/man-who-never-
         | wanted-.... Thanks!
        
           | Jenz wrote:
           | do you read everything on the front page? o_O
        
             | bombcar wrote:
             | It doesn't take a ton of effort, but dang may have advanced
             | searches setup.
        
             | dang wrote:
             | Not anymore. I used to keep more on top of it but now I
             | just feel guilty about not.
        
           | jt2190 wrote:
           | The Mercury News article is a syndicated CNN piece:
           | 
           | Text-only version: https://lite.cnn.com/en/article/h_2ab74240
           | 9be210c718777d3fb8...
        
         | curmudgeon22 wrote:
         | Agreed, this version is better
        
       | [deleted]
        
       | daniel-cussen wrote:
       | There's the story of the guy, he was in GQ I think, who was
       | answering questions like "What is't like to:" "Get ejected from a
       | fighter jet?"
       | 
       | Scary shit, his flying machine was starting to do its real job
       | which is of being a suicide machine, so he had to bail. The guy
       | think he was an airman, became an inch shorter.
       | 
       | EDIT: I would say instead of "real job" I would say "original
       | job." Early aviation was full of deaths. First the guys jumping
       | off the Eiffel tower with wings, splat. Then the famous German
       | glider Otto Lilienthal, splat. Then more experiments, then
       | eventually the Wright Brothers, who said "how do we fly without
       | going splat?" Their invention was how to control the machine,
       | wing warping. Others already could power it, just not control it.
       | And they both lived in fear of splat, that's why they refused to
       | fly on the same flying machine.
        
       | altgans wrote:
       | I think this is the official french military report on this: [1].
       | 
       | 1: https://omnirole-rafale.com/wp-
       | content/uploads/2020/04/Rappo...
        
       | zepearl wrote:
       | Interesting & funny article, but but... my brain keeps focusing
       | on the fact that the pilot's ejection seat did not work => is
       | that usually supposed to happen? In this case the Rafale wasn't
       | even doing anything fancy... .
        
         | poof131 wrote:
         | In the F/A-18 we had a selector that you could set to "both" or
         | "rear only" exactly for this type of scenario. Qualified NFO in
         | the backseat, you want both, and I know people who's lives were
         | saved crashing off the carrier. But for a ride along, "rear
         | only" is definitely the correct setting. And I'm pretty sure
         | this has happened before, remember stories from years ago.
        
       | jaxomlotus wrote:
       | I mean it sucks that this happened, but kudos to the writer,
       | because this article is hilarious.
        
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       (page generated 2022-04-24 23:00 UTC)