My understanding is that modern Russian ejector seats are now automatic. Similiar to your car's airbags, albiet more complex, various sensors are installed and when things seem extremely unusual the pilot(s) are auto-ejected. In this case with the Sukhoi scraping along the ground just after losing power , it is plausible that it was after `impact'.. On 31 Jul 02, at 12:59, Mike Gammon wrote: > I some ejection seats can, however, safely eject the pilot when the aircraft is still on the ground provided it has enough forward speed. But I doubt it works AFTER impact, I think it's mostly intended for things like engine failure after V1. > > Mike Gammon > > > > > From: Addison Schonland <addison@schonland.com> > > Date: 2002/07/31 Wed AM 11:57:31 EDT > > To: AIRLINE@LISTSERV.CUNY.EDU > > Subject: How stupid is the media exactly? > > > > This gem from Dow Jones - "Marchuk said they ejected two seconds after the > > plane hit the ground." > > > > In reference to the Su27 crash in Lviv. That must be some ejector > > seat.....could I get one for my Volvo do you think? > > > -- Niels