Military Aviators -- may you bail out over a densely populated area?

Question

What are your instructions regarding bailout from a damaged airplane or helicopter? Are there differences among US military branches in this regard? Are there differences depending on the location of the populated areas -- US cities, friendly nation cities, other nations' cities? I also would like to hear from military pilots from other civilized nations. Could an RAF pilot bail out over London during the battle of Britain? Sources please.

Answer 1

I haven't been involved in military aviation for almost a decade now- so I don't know what the current procedures are, but I wouldn't imagine they have changed a lot and will tell you what I do know. First, if an aircraft develops problems it is directed to an area of low popluation density, and preferably to the nearest airstrip. If there is a body of water nearby, the pilot will opt to fly low level over water. If it is a catastrophic failure, and in the worst case scenario, the pilot is trained to locate an area where he thinks the impact will be the least devastating before he ejects (that is the proper term for bailing out- as you put it). That is providing that he can have any influence on the situation. Nobody expects the pilot to fly into the ground with his aircraft, though. There have been instances where pilots have done that, though, to insure they can avoid places like schools and hospitals, or residential areas. Obviously, in a wartime scenario, and under fire, the pilot isn't really concerned with where the aircraft will eventually crash. Whatever damage is caused in the crash is rather a moot point if it is going down in enemy territory or in an area already under fire.
I suspect most pilots, being human, would choose to remain with their aircraft as long as they thought they could have any influence on the final impact- even if that meant dying in the crash. It really wouldn't matter what the official policy was at that point. Pilots do not decide to eject casually. First, ejecting from a plane is risky business. You are literally blown out, strapped to the seat, by rockets. If the canopy doesn't clearly blow, or you don't clear it yourself - you end up mush in the plastic. If you get caught in the exhaust, you are a crispy critter. You still can end up with serious injuries, even if all goes well. There is a policy that restricts pilots to three ejections in a career, and they are usually permanently grounded after the second ejection by transfer to a desk job that does not involve flying. Pilots do not like flying desks, so they will not "get out and walk" unless there is no other viable choice.
Additional crew members are ordered to bail by the pilot. They will exit the aircraft regardless of the aircrafts' position. This is done to preserve their lives, as it is considered less risky to parachute out than to fly in with the aircraft. The pilot is the last person to exit the aircraft, at the time and place of his choosing.
I hope you hear from an active duty pilot- but I wouldn't be surprised if you didn't. Pilots like to talk about a lot of things, but not this particular subject. It's considered bad mojo, and bad taste to even bring up.

Answer 2

As a combat aviator, I can tell you this, as long as we have some control over the distressed aircraft, we will never eject over populated areas.

Having a jet crash into the ground is one thing. Having a jet loaded with aviation fuel and unexpended ordnance like bombs and missiles crashing into a populated area is worse than crashing itself. The policy is to minimize collateral damage, not to cause maximum damage to innocent lives and properties

In the unfortunate event that we do need to eject from the stricken aircraft, we try to locate an appropriate crash site, one that is away from built-up areas and preferably flat open terrain.

Ejecting out over water is also something we avoid if we can, to avoid getting tangled up in the chute lines.

Its no joke. Typically, a pilot is only to bail out a maximum of three times in his/her entire flying career. The force and impact of ejection is so severe on the human body that we could easily lose 3 centimeters of our height. If a pilot were to bail out more often than that, chances are his/her flying career is over. Permanently.

I personally did not have to experience that, and I intend to keep it that way.

Answer 3

In the event that it becomes necessary to bail out over a built up area, the best course of action is to try to steer the aircraft away from any obvious densley populated areas and try to aim for parks, lakes etc for the obvious reason of trying to minimise civilian casualties.

It should be noted however that if you have to bail out, its because you cannot keep your aircraft in the air. Therefore there is no reason to not eject once you've done everything possible to reduce the damage caused by your aircraft impacting the ground.
Hope I never have to......

Answer 4

i'm especially sorry for the Palestinians. i can't comprehend why the Egyptians or Jordanians cant get the Palestinians extra clever weaponry. The Qassam rockets are a shaggy dog tale. meanwhile, the Jews have the 2d greatest fleet of F16 fiter jets in the international. Israel says that it has the ceremony to guard it electorate, yet then it keeps to occupy annex and settle E. Jerusalem n' West economic corporation. i think of that the Palestinians would desire to deliver some human beings on "Martyr Operations" in Israel ideal, to retaliate for the Jews use of absurdly intense rigidity/violence. Does each and every physique else ever choose there became some style of huge tidal wave, which might hit the Levant and wipe it clean?

Answer 5

uh.. im no pilot... but they dont bail out for the fun of it.... they dont really have a choice.