It’s terrible that they ejected on time, but one pilot still didn’t make it. Must of hit a canopy or something on the way out.
Also terrible that people on the ground were in the line of fire.
Why are we still flying the U-2 ?
Did you get that idea from Top Gun?
I miss Goose.
Years ago I toured the NASA facility at Moffett Field. They had a U-2 (plus one they were cannibalizing), and we were allowed to see inside the cockpit. It was VERY rudimentary. The seat was made out of wood. I did not know it had any ejection capacity at all.
Ejecting is pretty dangerous. A large percentage of pilots who eject are killed or injured. I knew a pilot who broke his back from the stress of an ejection.
We had a student pilot in the F-15 schoolhouse who ejected at close to Mach. He was in the hospital for a year due to "flail injuries". When he ejected we was thrust into a 500 kt wind that whipped his arms and legs around like a rag doll. It broke his arms and legs and dislocated all the joints in his extremities. His helmet was ripped off his head even though it was strapped on.
The ejection rocket is so powerful that it damages the plane. Early tests on two seated fighters found that the second guy to eject frequently couldn't get out because the airframe was damaged to the point where his seat wouldn't work.
It's a scary business. Especially when you're dealing with extreme speeds and altitudes.