@Reluctant_Weeb @PinochetsCommieCopter Outside my purview, they hardly let me touch anything more than $3M still. Looked like he was pretty low-energy, though. One of the downsides of jets & warplanes like that is that they don’t handle very well w/out the power, the hydraulics, (or in american cases, corrective computer servos constantly maintaining the line in a dynamically unstable aircraft)
Probably protocol for the guy- IDK about the dynamics of the Mig 23, but if he’s got no engine power, it may be understood that it’s more dangerous to dead stick it in and ride it to the ground, and he chose to pop the seat and live instead of going down with the ship.
I’m usually pretty judgemental about guys ejecting or pulling those gay airframe chutes….IMO it’s better to maintain positive control over your crash landing than casting your fate to the breeze. For russkie warbirds though…..I’d probably eject too. Even in modern AF’s worldwide, they have a pretty nasty fatality rate compared to goyships