Friday, September 28, 2012

an F18's fiery demise

The smoke is from the canopy motors.
The left engine has the nozzle fully open, showing that #1 engine was developing no power.
The white thing is the seat-stabilazing drogue chute. The pilot’s head is pinned to his chest from the severe “G” forces produced by the solid rocket motors in the ACES II seat. They burn for about 2/10ths of a second ... enough time to propel him at least 60 feet (20 metres) clear of the aircraft.
Impressive photos of an accident in Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada. The sequence shows the canopy leaving the scene, the pilot in his rocket-powered seat exiting, the parachute opening sequence, and the separated seat falling away. All of this happened in about two seconds from canopy off to the fireball. The pilot survived ok.  (Thanks to Cliff for sending this in)

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