Originally Posted by
Stitchbitch
VM, in your picture there are 4 catapults, two on the pointy bit and two on the port side bit of the boat. (Awaits WAFU & fish-head incoming).
It was impressive to see how the ships and flight deck crew reacted to Hux's ejection, and hats off to Martin-Baker for the ejection seat system iirc 5 for 5?
My point was that whichever catapult is used the aircraft still goes off the front of the ship (not in the direction of the angled flight deck) and in the event of an ejection the crew would be at a similar risk of being run over. As you say, full marks to MB and the ship's crew for preventing a tragedy. Still a very unfortunate incident - I wonder what revised pre-flight system has been introduced to make sure it doesn't happen again.
I read somewhere that one of the purposes of the cancelled HMS Prince of Wales cruise was further SRVL trials, so hopefully we'll now see that happen later this year.