Can a two-seat fighter jet be landed if one of its occupants ejects? Say, an F-14.

Question

An episode of JAG appears to suggest so, but I'm doubtuful - turbulence, for instance, comes to mind as a factor. So, is it possible, and has it been done?

Answer 1

Yes it can, however;

1/ If the Pilot ejects, the rear seat is automatically ejected.

2/ Many fast jets have command eject, which means that the Nav or Rear Seat occupant can eject the Pilot as well as themselves.

Answer 2

It would depend on the airframe.  Navy F4s and F14s didn't have controls in the back. USAF F4s, F111s, F15Es did/do.  Forward vis in the F4 sucked eggs from the back.  I've flown in the pattern, and shot some approaches; also there were a few instances of WSO's landing Phantoms when pilots were incapacitated.  However, as lludwig states normally if the pilot's going-there's ZERO reason for me to hang around.  An ejection decision isn't made on spur of the moment, if at all possible.  I hear "eject..eject..eject" I ain't hangin' around for the third "eject".

Answer 3

think about it if the need to eject arises there is probably going to be issues to face before even thinking about trying to fly a plane in that kind of wind, the first thought that comes to mind "pull the eject lever"

Answer 4

IF there are controls in the back seat,  possibly...  if no controls... then it is a little tough to do.  In an F-14, no... because for one.. you both go out together and single canopy...  and two... no flight controls in the back seat of a Tomcat...and actually the RIO goes out about .2 seconds before the front seat for seperation.

Answer 5

Yes the aircraft can be landed if the aircraft has two sets of controls. However, dual seater,  dual control aircraft normally have sequential ejection enabling the rear pilot to eject first automatically, when the front pilot activates the ejection system. Having said that, it would still be possible for the remaining pilot to land the aircraft in case the other pilot has ejected. It will be initially turbulent and gusty but once the slipstream stabilises, the conditions will become a bit more bearable. I believe there is a case on record when the front pilot ejected from a T-33 and the rear pilot brought the aircraft safely back (without the canopy).  

Answer 6

The short answer is yes, and it has happened before.  As long as there are controls and the aircraft is not flying to fast.  It might be breezy and cold, but you basically make your aircraft into an open cockpit design.

Here is a story of a Navy F-14 that experienced it:

http://www.safetycenter.navy.mil/media/a...

Also in response to somoene eles who said they both eject.  Not true, there are switches which the pilot selects that determines who is ejected when the handels are pulled (i.e. only pilot, only RIO, or both).