Live to fly another day

December 7, 2012, Lethbridge, Canada. Pilot ejects from damaged FA-18. Rockets blow away canopy. This is about 2 seconds before crash, shown below. (If you don’t have fast reactions, don’t fly these babies.)

Canopy gone, now the solid fuel rockets blast pilot from cockpit with drogue chute opened.  Note left engine nozzle at rear is fully opened, showing engine #1 lost power. Severe G-force pins pilot’s head to his chest as his seat propels him from danger. Seat rockets burn for only 0.2 seconds.

Photo of the year captures FA-18 milliseconds before its demise. Pilot obviously held on until the last split-second hoping to recover the FA-18.

Pilot is safely above the crash. Notice his seat has departed to the right. The FA-18 crash is just before the explosion, shown below.