Aren't you supposed to pull the cord BEFORE the plane hits the ground?
If you're airborne yes. But most pilots will try to save the plane if possible. Looks like a V/stall Harrier (trickier than the average bear to fly, and a likely mishap in the hover-to-fly mode). The seat is designed to blow you high enough even from the ground to deploy the chute before you come back down. Quicker to depart a giant burning avgas tank this way, than try and unstrap/unplug and climb out (not to mention those warheads on the wings). No doubt a real pants pooping event.
When I got my F16B backseat ride, the yellow ejection handle was right there in your crotch. It was advised you get your arms inboard if you wanted to keep them. My pilot told me the only reason I should pull it was if he ordered me to or he passed out. That sounded like real good advice (but I wished he had not talked about passing out).
Seven to nine G's in a fighter plane is some of the finest excitement you can find anywhere.
