DCI Gene Hunt

They're all ex or seconded military types...

Holy Ghost

**

it's just to separate my comment from the one i'm commenting on. just a foible.

Leslie

It is true that the aircraft was around 5000 feet. It occurred to me that the Tornado has an extremely strong cockpit canopy to withstand birdstrikes and that unlike earlier aircraft, it is not possible to to eject through the canopy. It is essential that the miniature detonaitng cord in the canopy is fired off first during ejection.

If the seat went off accidentally without the MDC firing the seat would go through the canopy but with non survivable injuries to the occupant. This may explain damage to the tailfin. If the seat had just unlocked and slid up the rails, the canopy would not allow him to fall out.

Les

Kuro

These aircraft go through a tough test programme, and its obviously important to ensure that whatever changes to the aircraft have been made (updates, additions etc) it causes no issue in flight. Fairly simplistic but you get the point.

It's a dangerous line of work, and although all possible precautions are taken, several thousand parts flying in loose formation means that accidents will occur.

Statistically speaking two Tornados fall out of the sky each year...