There’s plenty we know isn’t truly possible in movies vs real life. Action movies heroes take hits that would more than likely kill them. Or at least mortally wound them. But when some action films have a firmer base in reality, it’s a bit harder not to give them a skeptical squint. Notable astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson took to Twitter with a firm thought on “Top Gun: Maverick.”
For some perspective, Mach 2 is two times faster than the speed of sound, Mach 5 is roughly 3,837 miles an hour. Mach 9 was achieved by the unmanned NASAX-43; unmanned due to its speed. And Mach 10 hasn’t actually been reached yet. A pilot’s body goes through hell just to fly survivable speeds.
Movie cockpits don’t adhere to the laws of physics. Real pilots spend most maneuvers mashed to their seats trying not to pass out. They consistently rupture blood vessels at 9Gs and break down the structural integrity of their spines and necks. That doesn’t even cover the injuries that occur upon ejection at Mach speeds.
Broken shoulders and collarbones, severe spinal injuries, and any number of flailing injuries is what they get for ejecting. Not nearly as easy as video games or movies make it look. Ejection is a last resort that lands pilots in the hospital. At that speed, it’s safe to say that Lt. Pete “Maverick” Mitchell would have emerged from the Darkstar jet as a red mist of chunky vapor. So we’re with Neil on this: Even for a movie, that’s a stretch.
You can catch “Top Gun: Maverick” on Amazon Prime now.
