X-wing Ejection

So I did a search for this to prevent double-posting, but couldn't find another topic which discussed it so here goes:

During the Battle of Yavin, Biggs tells Porkins to eject from his X-wing.  Is that even possible?  Where would he go?  The X-wings are already such small units, I can't imagine just the cockpit shooting out into space with no form of propulsion. 

Then again, if the cockpit COULD eject, then maybe all it would need would be one big thrust since the lack of atmosphere in space would prevent any friction, and the cockpit could theoretically travel at the same speed until it hit something or encountered spacial turbulence.

I thought I saw in one of them technical schematic books that the cockpit itself separated from the rest of the ship. 

Although I've always wanted to write a bit of EU short story with Porkins ejecting and parachuting (somehow) to the Death Star surface.  He finds a hatch, gets inside and fights his way to an escape ship, only to be vaporized in the explosion.

Wouldn't he get shot in the back by a stormtrooper first?

Likely, but it doesn't have to be fatal.

True.  If it was fatal, he wouldn't have a chance to warn the others.

If the whole cockpit on an x-wing is ejected (it would have to be else they would die) then i guess the life support equipment allows them to survive for as long as it has power.

And I'm pretty sure that there are thousands of fat, unshaven SW fanboys.  Finding someone to take the part ought to be a breeze!

the F111 has a capsule escape system exactly like that-

I GIS'd "fat, unshaven star wars fanboy."  Google suggested "fat, shaven star wars fanboy."  I said "sure," and this was the first result.

almonkey said:

the F111 has a capsule escape system exactly like that

That's pretty cool.  I'm sure the physics is different for space vehicles, but that's neat to think about being able to bail out if things get bad.

Cleopatra said:

almonkey said:

the F111 has a capsule escape system exactly like that

That's pretty cool.  I'm sure the physics is different for space vehicles, but that's neat to think about being able to bail out if things get bad.

Well, it would seem to me all it would need is an oxygen supply and a small enough propulsion system to get them to safety. The premise of the those star-fighters is to have space combat, almost always, with a large mother-ship or battle-station nearby. Unless, of course, it's being piloted by Darth Vader or Luke Skywalker.

I googled

"In emergencies, the X-wing's Guidenhauser ejection seat can throw the pilot clear of the fighter. Separator charges blast the cockpit canopy free, and also launch the astromech unit from the socket"

http://www.starwars.com/databank/starship/xwing/

and what happens to a human in space

http://www.howstuffworks.com/question540.htm

miker71 said:

I googled

"In emergencies, the X-wing's Guidenhauser ejection seat can throw the pilot clear of the fighter. Separator charges blast the cockpit canopy free, and also launch the astromech unit from the socket"

 

But that wouldn't make any sense at all.  The X-wings are designed for space, not like the speeders on Hoth.  An ejection would then mean death... but the point of ejecting is to avoid death.  Someone in the EU obviously hasn't thought this through.

miker71 said:

I googled

"In emergencies, the X-wing's Guidenhauser ejection seat can throw the pilot clear of the fighter. Separator charges blast the cockpit canopy free, and also launch the astromech unit from the socket"

http://www.starwars.com/databank/starship/xwing/

and what happens to a human in space

http://www.howstuffworks.com/question540.htm

 

 aah......

today i gave this a bit more thought, and its perfectly understandable that porkins would try to stay with his ship, after all who would want to be wafting around above a giant battle station that may well explode like a supernova?there were no rescue ships as far as i could tell, in the rebel fleet and another comparison i thought of was pilots in the pacific in WW2. if they baled out of a stricken plane there was no real guarantee they would be picked up, and space is a lot bigger than the pacific!

p.s. although if you could reach a earth type planet in time you could then bale out

but thats taking a hell of a chance with your life!

Man, I loved that X-wing game.

the thing on the X-Wing pilot's chest, that is a life support after all? perhaps the orange jumpsuits are vacuum suits. dunno.

the EU not thinking stuff through?! who'da thought!!

xhonzi said:

You can pretend in your mind...

Who wants to do that anymore, what with the internet, 3D, advanced graphics engines, etc., etc., etc.

I suppose if there's a small breach in the cockpit you'd have time to put on the oxygen mask if it attaches to their regular helmet (in which case that's better than abandoning your fighter).  but if you have to quickly eject you'd be screwed.

so i think they have both. oxygen mask and the cockpit can eject.