Science: Bail-Out Capsule

Pilots of World War II fighters usually bailed out by climbing on the wing and just letting go. But in this day of Mach 2 jets, not even a quick-acting ejection seat can dependably shoot the pilot out of a disabled plane and get him down safely. The wind blast at high speed tears at a pilot's face, smashes cruelly at his chest, twists his limbs into grotesque positions. If he is not battered to death, he is likely to freeze or die from lack of oxygen on the way down.

Last week the Air Force...

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