Sycamore, the figures come directly from the chap at MartinBakers. I can assure you he was not happy about them one little bit.
MB count the seat as one part of an ejection system and a successful ejection can still lead to a fatality from an unrelated problem it is not just a case of the seat firing.
For example, the JP accident at Bradwell in '98 was an example of this. The seat fired and the chute opened, but the pilot was not wearing a life jacket and there was no dinghy. The pilot subsequently drowned. Was this a failure of the ejection system, not really, but as part was missing the end result was dreadful. (especially as it was on Christmas eve)
Zlin,
I have no experience with the Harvard apart from reading and talkong about it. I understand that it has some pretty nasty characteristics. The extra is a lovely machine to fly, but it needs to be handled with respect, especially on T/O and Landing.
If these procedures are so red hot, why are we still having the accidents?
I fly Helis as well as fixed wing and the accident rate on R22's is also pretty scary, but the problems are being addressed and Frank Robinson is making concerted efforts to try and reduce the accident rate.