Can a pilot eject underwater?

Pilots have successfully ejected from underwater in a handful of instances, after being forced to ditch in water. Documented evidence exists that pilots of the US and Indian navies have performed this feat.

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Do pilots get hurt when they eject?

In TV and movies, a fighter pilot ejecting from their jet comes across as a cut-and-dry procedure. In reality, the process is complicated, violent, and leaves most pilots with severe injuries. About 20% to 30% of fighter pilots experience some sort of spinal fracture as a result.

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Do fighter pilots get punished for ejecting?

No. In point of fact, there is a tendency among fighter pilots to try to save their aircraft way past the point when they should have abandoned them. Because of this, the Air Force (at least when I was flying) was very encouraging of ejecting while it is still safe to do so.

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How low can a pilot eject?

'Ejection seats are optimized to operate at minimum speed and altitude. This is called 0/0 ejection, meaning a seat designed to perform safe ejection and man-seat separation at 0 feet and 0 Knots.

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Are pilots allowed to fly after ejection?

There's no fixed number – each individual is unique, as is the ejection that they endure. After ejection, a pilot will be given a full medical evaluation and it is down to that medical professional to advise whether it is recommended that the pilot continues to fly or not.

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Safe underwater ejection from a downed fighter jet. HD Stock Footage

19 related questions found

Can a pilot fall asleep while flying?

The simple answer is yes, pilots do, and are allowed to sleep during flight but there are strict rules controlling this practice. Pilots would only normally sleep on long haul flights, although sleep on short haul flights is permitted to avoid the effects of fatigue.

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Is it true pilots can only eject twice?

Is it true pilots can only eject twice? 'While the two-ejection limit was true for the Air Force, it was not true for the US Navy. I once knew and flew with a Navy RIO who had five ejections. Only the first four were successful.

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What is the 1500 rule for pilots?

Normally, 1,500 hours of flight time are required before a new pilot can fly commercially, though there is an exception for certain military experience that cuts the requirement in half. The so-called 1,500-hour rule was passed after the fatal Colgan Air crash in February 2009 near Buffalo, New York.

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How fast do pilots get ejected?

Ejecting from a plane takes no more than four seconds from the time the ejection handle is pulled. The exact amount of time depends on the seat model and the crewmember's body weight. Pulling the ejection handle on a seat sets off an explosive cartridge in the catapult gun, launching the ejection seat into the air.

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Can a pilot abort takeoff?

There can be a number of reasons why such a decision is made... A rejected takeoff or an RTO is a flight maneuver where the pilots stop the aircraft and discontinue the takeoff. There can be several reasons why such a decision is made. This includes engine failure, engine fire, major system failures, etc.

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Can a pilot hit the canopy when ejecting?

So when the RIO ejects, there is a strong chance he will impact the canopy hovering above. This has actually happened in real life. 'To solve this problem, aircrews were advised to jettison the canopy early, and not wait for it in the ejection sequence.

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How violent is an ejection seat?

Ejection seat - Wikipedia

puts pilots at serious risk of injury. Once those rockets fire under the seat, they blow a person up and out of the cockpit with enough force to seriously bruise both shoulders on the harness straps and possibly break collarbones.

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Why can pilots only eject twice?

Yup! You see, ejection from an F-4 permanently compresses your spine. Two times & you're done!

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What do pilots do if they have to pee?

Piddle packs contain absorbent material that soaks up liquid in the same way a nappy does. The urine becomes a gel-like substance and can be sealed in the piddle pack and hidden somewhere safe for the rest of the flight.

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Do pilots ever get scared?

Pilots are trained to handle all sorts of nerve-racking situations, but that doesn't mean that they don't get scared—especially in these real instances, told by the pilots who experienced them, of serious in-flight fear.

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What happens when female pilots get pregnant?

Female pilots can begin to lose wages months before a baby is born. Most contracts at major airlines force pregnant pilots to stop flying eight to 14 weeks before a baby's due date.

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Do pilots hear clapping?

Given all of the above, we can answer that pilots can generally passengers clapping. Of course, there are also situations and factors that can prevent pilots from hearing you as you clap, in which case pilots will find out that you clapped only if they are notified by cabin crew.

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What is the fastest a pilot has gone?

Number 1: North American X-15 This aircraft has the current world record for the fastest manned aircraft. Its maximum speed was Mach 6.70 (about 7,200 km/h) which it attained on the 3rd of October 1967 thanks to its pilot William J.

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What is the 123 rule in aviation?

You need to name an alternate airport on your IFR flight plan if, for the period of time one hour before and one hour after your estimated time of arrival, the weather is forecast to include a ceiling of 2,000 feet agl and/or visibilities less than three statute miles (the 1-2-3 rule).

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What's the maximum height limit for a pilot?

There are in fact no specific limits for what is considered to be too tall or short to be a commercial pilot. We suspect that the misconception has evolved due to the strict restrictions applied in the air force.

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Do pilots get paid before takeoff?

Instead, pilots are paid per flight hour. Meaning a pilot is only paid while their airplane is running. As of May 2021, the median annual earnings for airline pilots was $202,180. But if you're researching this as a possible career there is a lot more to consider than just the national average.

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What's the most G's ever pulled?

A witness said it was "absolutely inconceivable anybody could go that fast, then just stop, and survive." But Stapp did—in fact, he went on to live another 45 years, dying quietly at home in 1999 at the age of 89—and he experienced a record-breaking 46.2 G's.

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Can a pilot take a break?

(A provision in the rules allows a pilot's break to be shrunk by an hour one day—from a standard nine hours to eight—if he's given an extra hour the following day.) Pilots must also get at least one full day off every week.

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Do pilots know what every button does?

Answer: Yes, pilots know what every button and switch does. The school to learn the specifics of an airplane is very intense, requiring great concentration for several weeks. Following the ground school, simulator sessions train pilots in the procedures necessary to fly the airplane.

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