PPRuNe Forums - View Single Post - Just how high do these things go
View Single Post
Old 9th Apr 2014, 23:35
  #41 (permalink)  
Brian Abraham
 
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: Sale, Australia
Age: 80
Posts: 3,832
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
The highest (and fastest) ejection was at an incredible M3.25 and 80K in an SR71 variant
Was not an ejection in the normal sense of the word. The aircraft was on a test flight to establish minimum cruise drag possibilities, and on this particular flight had an extreme rear centre of gravity. Too extreme as it turned out, the rear limit was then set somewhat further forward. The pilot was unable to control the pitch up when he had an unstart. Both crew were rendered unconscious from the pitch up G forces and the aircraft disintegrated. When regaining consciousness the pilot found himself in free fall. No actual ejection took place.
Brian Abraham is offline