Originally Posted by Garak
Originally Posted by Astro14
People have survived supersonic ejection.
Just a general question on that, Astro: Some of the Soviet fighters claimed an "any speed" ejection capability, like the Mig-31. Would this "any speed" specifically exclude supersonic, or simply just recommend against it?
I don't know anything about the MiG-31 ejection seat. I think it's conventional.
Some supersonic bombers had a ejection capsule for each pilot, or the whole cockpit would be ejected.
Many fighters have both leg restraints (like the F-14 and F/A-18) and arm restraints (Tornado) to reduce flail injuries.
The F-14 envelope was 0/0 up the 350 (injury likely above that). Above 350 wasn't recommended. Above 450 (KTS) was outside the envelope. Seat performance wasn't guaranteed, and the person is unlikely to survive.
Unless you encapsulate the entire person, hitting the wind at 600 MPH is like being hit by a bus.
Put your hand out a car window at 60 MPH. That's 50 knots.
Feel the push?
Force goes by the square of velocity. So, 350 knots, seven times faster, is 49 times the force that you feel on the highway. It hits your whole body. And it hits unpredictably and instantly.
By 450 knots, it's up to 81 times that highway force...
The guys who survive ejection above that are always terribly beat up.
Restraints that pull in your limbs help, but the force is considerable.
Originally Posted by Astro14
People have survived supersonic ejection.
Just a general question on that, Astro: Some of the Soviet fighters claimed an "any speed" ejection capability, like the Mig-31. Would this "any speed" specifically exclude supersonic, or simply just recommend against it?
I don't know anything about the MiG-31 ejection seat. I think it's conventional.
Some supersonic bombers had a ejection capsule for each pilot, or the whole cockpit would be ejected.
Many fighters have both leg restraints (like the F-14 and F/A-18) and arm restraints (Tornado) to reduce flail injuries.
The F-14 envelope was 0/0 up the 350 (injury likely above that). Above 350 wasn't recommended. Above 450 (KTS) was outside the envelope. Seat performance wasn't guaranteed, and the person is unlikely to survive.
Unless you encapsulate the entire person, hitting the wind at 600 MPH is like being hit by a bus.
Put your hand out a car window at 60 MPH. That's 50 knots.
Feel the push?
Force goes by the square of velocity. So, 350 knots, seven times faster, is 49 times the force that you feel on the highway. It hits your whole body. And it hits unpredictably and instantly.
By 450 knots, it's up to 81 times that highway force...
The guys who survive ejection above that are always terribly beat up.
Restraints that pull in your limbs help, but the force is considerable.