[vikingd00d]

Not that I'm not glad the pilot is safe, but I thought pilots were expected to ride the bird all the way to the ground when over civilian airspace.

[OldFriend]

Not that I think you're an idiot.......

[Doogle]

Not that I'm not glad the pilot is safe, but I thought pilots were expected to ride the bird all the way to the ground when over civilian airspace....

...????...just the expendable ones and ones without chutes

Doogle

[ko_kyi]

"Not that I'm not glad the pilot is safe, but I thought pilots were expected to ride the bird all the way to the ground when over civilian airspace."

I heard that is a myth. If they can land the bird somewhere they do, if they can control the aircraft they will return to base. If the aircraft is uncontrollable it will crash whether they are in it or not, so they get out.

[Pukin Dog]

Not that I'm not glad the pilot is safe, but I thought pilots were expected to ride the bird all the way to the ground when over civilian airspace....

You thought wrong. Most ejections from fighters allow the pilot about 2 seconds of decision making time at best. The reason that there are few incidents of fighters contacting neighborhoods is that the approach patterns to most bases are undeveloped.

If a pilot has time and control of his aircraft, he/she will try to LAND it, not just steer it away from homes. When a fighter decides that it aint flyin anymore, it rarely allows you to steer.

[Yo-Yo]

Not that I'm not glad the pilot is safe, but I thought pilots were expected to ride the bird all the way to the ground when over civilian airspace.

And soldiers are expected to fall on a grenade when one is tossed among his buddies.

You can't mandate heroism.