eli5: the F14 tomcat ejection- does it matter if the pilot or RIO initiates ejection

Question

In the original Top Gun, Maverick says that he cannot reach the ejection handles because he is pinned forward, which forces Goose to eject them out of the plane. Would the outcome have been different if Maverick was able to punch them out instead of Goose having to? Or would Goose still have crashed into the canopy?

In: 1

Answer 1

It doesn’t apply to the movie scene, but since we’re talking about the F-14 ejection sequence.

There’s a switch that determines what happens when someone pulls the ejection handle. In one position the RIO ejects both crewmembers. In another, the RIO only ejects himself. The pilot always ejects both.

AFAIK this is pretty common in two seat aircraft.