The Science Behind Ejection Seats: How They Save Lives
The pilot may find himself in a situation that puts his life in danger, then he can pull a handle between his knees to launch his seat out of the plane. After the transparent cover over the pilot's head separates, the seat and the pilot above him are launched into the air and a parachute is opened, and in this case about 90% of pilots who are forced to throw themselves out of a plane traveling at a speed greater than the speed of sound survive, which is an extremely dangerous matter. The most important information related to (the ejection seat):-
1- The force of the ejection in the ejection seat in this case may exceed (20 G times the gravity of the earth, meaning that the pilot's body is exposed to a force equal to 20 times his body weight, which may lead to severe injuries or even to death.
2- Most military aircraft and some commercial aircraft are equipped with an ejection seat to allow the pilot to
escape from an injured aircraft or an aircraft that has malfunctioned and is not working.
3- The ejection seats are considered one of the most complex aircraft equipment, and some of them consist of thousands of parts.
4- The function of this seat is simple, which is to eject the pilot directly out of the aircraft to a safe distance
Then a parachute opens, allowing the pilot to land safely on the ground
5- The seat parts work quickly and sequentially to save the pilot's life.
6- The seat is fixed in the cabin on rails through rotating parts on the edges of the seat and the rails direct the seat as it launches out of the aircraft at an appropriate angle.
7- The seat is equipped with a slingshot that launches it on the rails and a missile that launches from the seat To the top and brakes and
parachute. The ejection seat is part of the ejection system from the aircraft, which also includes a mechanism to
open the upper deck before ejecting the seat. Some aircraft are equipped with a hatch cover in the deck that is launched just before ejection.
8- The seats are operated in different ways, including by handles on the sides of the seat or in the middle, or by the pilot lowering a curtain over his face to cover and protect him.
9- In exceptional cases, it may be necessary to eject the pilot while the aircraft is on the ground and has not yet gained any speed.
10- The pilot's ejection time does not exceed four seconds from the moment the ejection handle is pulled. This time depends on the type of seat and the weight of the pilot.
11- A rocket under the seat provides sufficient force to lift the pilot to a safe height, and this force does not exceed the limits of the average person's tolerance.
0 (EJECTION SEAT)) :
This seat represents the lifeboat for the pilot that carries him away from his sinking ship, as he will be thrown in a few moments away from his plane that is exposed to a direct hit or a sudden malfunction, and within a few seconds the pilot descends with his parachute to the ground safely. There are famous types of these seats, including the American Ace - 11)) and the European (Martin Baker) and some other models MK - 16)) .
Some seats contain within their parts transmitters that automatically send a distress signal immediately after taking off from the plane, so that those searching for the pilot or the wreckage can quickly determine the location of the accident to begin search and rescue procedures.
The lives of the pilots after being thrown out of their planes depend on the opening of their parachutes, which ensures a safe landing to the ground. Modern parachutes for pilots are made of lightweight, high-tensile nylon fabric, and they open a few seconds after the pilot separates from his seat so that they do not get tangled in it, noting that the seat has its own parachute that provides it with balance.