资源描述：
《第7篇英语美文》由会员上传分享，免费在线阅读，更多相关内容在工程资料-天天文库。
1、22SecondsTheF-16Cpilotwasheadedstraightforthecrowd・Inaninstanthehadtomakealife-or-deathdecision.BadMiscalculationPointednose-downandhurtlingtowardthegroundat8400feetperminute,F-16CfighterjetpilotChrisStricklincametoaterriblerealization:Tmnotgoingtomakeit.Thenextdecisionh
2、emadewouldsendhimontherideofhislife—atallorderforanAirForceThunderbirdpilotwhosetypicaldayincludedheart-stoppingmaneuversandhigh-speeddiveswithlittleroomforeiro匚Nowoneofthosemoveshadgoneterriblywrong.AndStricklinhadtochoose一instantly一betweentwolousyoptions:riskhislifebys
3、tayingwiththeplaneorriskhislifebyejecting.Thoughejectionseatshavesavedhundredsofpilots,theyfrenotexactlytheeasywayoutofacrashingplane.Pullingthathandlestartsareactionsoviolentanddangerousthatpilotsdoitonlywhentheyarecertainthealternativeismuchworse.ForStricklin,themoment
4、hadarrived.Thatdayata2003airshowatMountainHomeAirForceBaseinIdaho,the31-year-oldAirForcecaptainfromShelby,Alabama,wasThunderbird6,theshowopener.Heplannedastunningsolomaneuver:takingoffathighspeed,hewouldinitiateasharpclimb,rolltheplaneupsidedown,andcompletetheloopbydivin
5、gandpullingupatthelastmoment.ThentherestoftheThunderbirdjetsweresupposedtoscreaminformorestunts・ButnowStricklinrealizedhehadbadlymiscalculated.Hewasroaringtowardtheearthataspeedthatheknewwassohighhecouldneverpullupintime.Histrainingandinstinctskickedin.Therewasnotimetost
6、udythesituation.Thingsjusthappened・"Iwasthinking,I'mgoingtohavetoeject,butthroughoutmyentiretimeflyinginairshows,thesafetyofthecrowdwasalwaysonmymind.Isaidtomyself,Ican'tejectyet：Secondspassed.NowStricklinreachedfortheejecthandle."No,notyet.Gottosteerawaymore/9Therewasar
7、unwayjustbelow,Stricklinknew・Hereachedagain.“No,notyet.Thissinkratewillkillme.Fvegottogetthesinkrateundercontrolfirst?"Thesinkrateis,inessence,howfasttheplaneandthegroundarerushingtowardeachother.Despitetherocketsthatshootthepilotsbuttoutoftheplane,noejectionseatcanoverc
8、omeasinkrateashighasStricklinwasexperiencing.Again,hedidn'tneedinstrumentstoknowthis.Hejustfeltit.SoStr
