How Fast Is Ejector Seat?

Modern ejector seats fire pilots out at 120 m/s — 430 km/h, accelerating at 30g. Enough force to break teeth and compress vertebrae, but the only alternative is dying with the aircraft. Most pilots return to flying within months.

The first successful ejector seat saved a test pilot in 1946. Before that, escaping a stricken jet at speed was almost always fatal.

• Same as a crossbow bolt
• 30g of acceleration — breaks teeth