Ejection -v- Forced Landing

I would never try to land a jet anywhere but on a runway or a highway that
looked like a runway...with at least one engine running. Deadstick
landings in a jet are the things of myth and lore and altho they may have
happened, the chance of killing yerself is much higher than just punching
out. Samo for ditching, experience in the Dilbert dunker aside. It just
doesn't happen with the pilot surviving.

Agreed. Interestingly we had a fairly recent incident where the crew rode a
flamed out T-45A into a farmer's field. Walked away and the jet had "C"
damage. The tale of how they got there is long and privileged.

I've never flown a jet whose performance made a flame out approach a viable
option ... well, maybe the A-4. But the T-45 glides so well and has such a
nice precautionary approach profile, doing it flamed out (to a runway of
course) is no big deal. I've done a couple dozen in the simulator and do a
talk-through demo for the IUT's. Piece of cake.

Of course, this violates OpNav instructions and you're certainly going to
lose your wings if you attempt one given the opportunity. So the choice
(unless the seat doesn't work) is to join the pedestrians and thumb a ride
home.

R / John