Is an Ejection at M2.0 Survivable?

[Treble one]

Quite a famous Lightning story, John Squier ejecting over the Irish Sea well in excess of M1

https://www.lep.co.uk/yorkshire-heri...sh-sea-3203124

[Tengah Type]

I was at RAF Headley Court, the Medical Rehabilitation Centre, in Jan/Feb of 1966 at the same time that Sqn Ldr Tony Svensson was there.
IIRC he told us that he was at Mach 1.6 when he ejected .

[Dr Jekyll]

Originally Posted by Fonsini

I vaguely recall a story from Red Eagles where a general rolled up at Tonopah and gifted himself a flight in one of their early model MiG-23s, an aircraft he was unfamiliar with. He attempted a high speed run at M2 but was not aware that a “safety” feature of the MiGs engine actually caused the engine to increase thrust slightly at high speeds when the pilot pulled the throttle back before subsequently reducing it, this led the General to believe the engine controls were frozen and he ejected. The seat functioned as designed with good separation and parachute deployment, but the high speed caused the chin strap on the pilot’s helmet to break his neck when his helmet caught the slipstream. On a side note I would imagine a M2 ejection at 40,000 feet to be very different from one at sea level, but I hope to never experience either.

It wasn't just the engine controls he was worried about. From what I've read (and I'm a mere civvie trespassing in the military forum), once it was clear the throttle wasn't responding he tried to raise the nose to prevent the speed increasing beyond safe limits and the elevators were so heavy they seemed stuck as well. If he'd listened to the briefing properly he'd have known the drill was to pull back as hard as he could and wait patiently for the engine to throttle back.

[Lomon]

It is probably one of those subjective things, some people might survive others might not. The conditions have to be right. How many people survive falls from 6 miles up without a parachute?

[B2N2]

I was under the impression that Russian hi-speed seats have a deflector plate to protect the pilots face and upper body.
No idea what their design limits speed is

[nonsense]

Originally Posted by Fonsini

I vaguely recall a story from Red Eagles where a general rolled up at Tonopah and gifted himself a flight in one of their early model MiG-23s, an aircraft he was unfamiliar with. He attempted a high speed run at M2 but was not aware that a “safety” feature of the MiGs engine actually caused the engine to increase thrust slightly at high speeds when the pilot pulled the throttle back before subsequently reducing it, this led the General to believe the engine controls were frozen and he ejected. The seat functioned as designed with good separation and parachute deployment, but the high speed caused the chin strap on the pilot’s helmet to break his neck when his helmet caught the slipstream. On a side note I would imagine a M2 ejection at 40,000 feet to be very different from one at sea level, but I hope to never experience either.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_M._Bond#Death
F-117A: The crash of General Robert M Bond