F-14 transonic flyby and mishap,CVN-70 Carl Vinson

[flyjoe180]

Good video, read the synopsis below for details.

nz.youtube.com/watch?v=FEgwaURofP8


Doesn't get much creepier than this. Watch the upbeat Tomcat pilot and RIO helpfully describe ejection/survival gear and procedure to the documentary crew. Soon after, an engine blows up following a transonic flyby, they join the Martin-Baker club, and the rescue helo gets a workout.

I stayed in the same stateroom with this pilot (known as "Comet" after this mishap) on Tiger Cruise in '96, and he's a badass. Don't be fooled by the country boy stoner routine.

At the end, an A-6 pilot narrates the video of his ejection on a prior cruise, along with some stock mishap footage most naval aviation geeks have seen already. He also discusses the natural instinct to avoid ejecting until it's too late. This complex dilemma, usually computed at lightning speed, is often falsely characterized as bravery or altruism. Nope -- just good ol' self interest calculation under absolute deadlines

[corsair67]

I've seen that footage before, and I always wondered if that A-6 crew survivied.

Bloody lucky guys.

[flyjoe180]

You could call having to eject, unlucky? Lucky to survive though, granted.

[corsair67]

Well the A-6 pilot nearly proved that it is possbile to make a human skip across water!