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A

SEMINAR REPORT
ON

EJECTION SEATS
Submitted for the Partial Fulfilment of Award of
BACHELOR OF TECHNOLOGY
IN

MECHANICAL ENGINEERING

(2017)
BY

PURU VASHISHTHA
ROLL NO 1312240154
Under the guidance of

Prof. P.C. TRIPATHI

AND

Mr. AKHILESH KUMAR RATHORE

(SEMINAR COORDINATOR)

SHRI RAMSWAROOP MEMORIAL GROUP OF

PROFESSIONAL COLLEGES, LUCKNOW

Affiliated to

Dr. A.P.J. ABDUL KALAM TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY, LUCKNOW.

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DEPARTMENT OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERING
SRMGPC
CERTIFICATE

Certified that seminar report entitled EJECTION SEATS submitted by

PURU VASHISHTHA (1312240154) in the partial fulfilment of the


requirements for the award of Technology of DR. A.P.J. ABDUL KALAM

TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY, LUCKNOW, is a record of students own


work carried under our supervision and guidance. The project report embodies result
of referred work and studies carried out by student himself and the content of the
report do not form the basis for the award of any other degree to the candidate or to
anybody else.

Prof. P.C. TRIPATHI Prof. D.V. MAHENDRU


AND Head of Department
MR. A.K. RATHORE
( Asstt. PROFESSOR )
(Seminar Guide)

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DEPARTMENT OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERING
SRMGPC
DECLARATION

I thereby declare that the seminar report entitled EJECTION SEATS


submitted by me in the partial fulfilment of the requirements for the award of the
degree of Bachelor of Technology (Mechanical Engineering) of DR. A.P.J. Abdul
Kalam Technical University, is record of my own work carried under the supervision
of Prof. A.K. TRIPATHI and Mr. A.K. RATHORE.

To the best of my knowledge this report has not been submitted to Dr. A.P.J.
Abdul Kalam Technical University or any other university or institute for the award of
any degree.

PURU VASHISHTHA

1312240154

Mechanical engineering

SRMCEM, Lucknow.

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DEPARTMENT OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERING
SRMGPC

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
"It is not possible to prepare a report without the assistance & encouragement of other
people. This one is certainly no exception. "

On the very outset of this report, I would like to extend my sincere & heartfelt
obligation towards all the personages who have helped me in this endeavour. Without
their active guidance, help, cooperation & encouragement, I would not have made
headway in the project.

I am ineffably indebted to Prof. D.V. MAHENDRU, HOD, Mechanical Department


for taking pain-staking efforts & Prof. P.C. TRIPATHI and Mr. A.K. RATHORE for
conscientious guidance and encouragement to accomplish this assignment.

I extend my heartiest gratitude to SRMCEM for giving me this opportunity. I also


acknowledge with a deep sense of reverence, my gratitude towards my parents and
member of my family, who has always supported me morally as well as economically.

At last but not least gratitude goes to all of my friends who directly or indirectly
helped me to complete this report and for providing me with the journals & research
papers and thus providing the overall support to me.

Any omission in this brief acknowledgement does not mean lack of gratitude.

Thanking You

PURU VASHISHTHA

1312240154

Mechanical engineering

SRMCEM, Lucknow.

PREFACE
In this report everything about ejection seats is written. The idea of choosing this
topic is that ejection seat is totally a new concept in world of fighter jets and
automobiles.

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The ejection seats were first made in the year 1910. And with the change in the
technologies the ejection seats are becoming more safe for the pilots and are proving
to be a very good machine for saving a persons life. In this report all changes made in
ejection seats are written and how it become more safer for pilots. There are many
different types of ejection seats like ACES 2 ejection seats and zero - zero ejection
seats which are being used in aircrafts and fighter jets.

The whole report is divided into these chapters

Chapter 1 Introduction.

Chapter 2 History.

Chapter 3 Working of ejection seats.

Chapter 4 Ejection seats terms.

Chapter 5 Physics of ejecting.

Chapter 6 Zero - zero ejection seats.

Abstract
Ejection seats have been proved to be a life saving machine since the day it was
invented. The pilots always has a risk of life during the flight of a plane or a fighting

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jet as the plane can crash or any other fault in the machine could occur the can cause
the death of pilot.

For every country each and every soldier, army men, pilots, etc. are important
and also it is our moral duty to save human life and ejection seats have proved to be a
very useful and successful machine in performing this life saving task.

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Chapter 1 Page 09

1.0 Introduction. Page 09

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Chapter 2 Page 10 to 13

2.0 History. Page 10 to 12

2.1 Pilot safety. Page 13

Chapter 3 Page 14 to 18

3.0 Working of ejection seats. Page 14 to 16

3.1 Egress system. Page 17 to 18

Chapter 4 Page 19 to 21

4.0 Ejection seats terms. Page 19 to 20

4.1 Modes of ejection. Page 21

Chapter 5 Page 22 to 23

5.0 Physics of ejecting. Page 22 to 23

5.1 Timing of ejecting. Page 23

Chapter 6 Page 24 to 26

6.0 Zero-Zero seat ejection. Page 24

6.1 Aircrafts using ejection seats. Page 25

6.2 Future scope of ejection seats. Page 26

LIST OF FIGURES

FIGURE PAGE NO.

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Fig 1.0 Ejection seat 09

Fig 2.0 Heinkel HE 280 10

Fig 2.1 Helmut schenk 11

Fig 2.2 First ejection seat 11

Fig 2.3 Pilot safety 13

Fig 3.0 Pre ejection 14

Fig 3.1 Primary acceleration 15

Fig 3.2 Forces of windblast 16

Fig 3.3 Parachute 17

Fig 3.4 Egress system 18

Fig 4.0 Rockets used in ejection seats 19

Fig 4.1 Modes of ejection 21

Fig 5.0 Ejection modes 23

Fig 6.0 Zero-Zero ejection seat 24

Fig 6.1 Fighter jets using ejection seat 25

Fig 6.2 Ejection seats in cars 26

CHAPTER 1
INTRODUCTION
In aircraft, an ejection seat (or ejector seat) is a system designed to rescue the pilot or
other crew of an aircraft (usually military) in an emergency. In most designs, the seat is
propelled out of the aircraft by an explosive charge or rocket motor, carrying the pilot with

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it. The concept of an ejectable escape crew capsule has also been tried. Once clear of
the aircraft, the ejection seat deploys a parachute. Ejection seats are common on certain
types of military aircraft.

"Aviation in itself is not inherently dangerous.


But to an even greater degree than the sea,
it is terribly unforgiving of
any carelessness, incapacity, or neglect."

Emergency escape from aircraft has been of utmost importance to the United States
Air Force since its inception. Regulations and policies to insure the safety and
survival of crewmembers have been a major thrust of the entire safety program in the
Air Force. The current sophisticated and advanced ejection seats with their increased
performance capabilities attests to the goal of improving survivability of aircrews
during escape from aircraft under adverse conditions throughout the flight envelope.
Engineering sciences have made major contributions to individualizing the ejection
seat operating mode to the specific circumstances of the ejection. Test personnel have
rigorously demonstrated that these systems do work. Medical personnel have
contributed to this effort by historically defining the limits within which the human
can tolerate the forces of ejection.

Fig 1.0 Ejection seat

CHAPTER 2
HISTORY
A bungee-assisted escape from an aircraft took place in 1910. In 1916 Everard
Calthrop, an early inventor of parachutes, patented an ejector seat using compressed
air.

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The modern layout for an ejection seat was first proposed by Romanian
inventor Anastase Dragomir in the late 1920s. The design, featuring a parachuted
cell (a dischargeable chair from an aircraft or other vehicle), was successfully tested
on 25 August 1929 at the Paris-Orly Airport near Paris and in October 1929
at Bneasa, near Bucharest. Dragomir patented his "catapult-able cockpit" at the
French Patent Office.
The design was perfected during World War II. Prior to this, the only means of escape
from an incapacitated aircraft was to jump clear ("bail out"), and in many cases this
was difficult due to injury, the difficulty of egress from a confined space, g forces, the
airflow past the aircraft, and other factors.
The first ejection seats were developed independently during World War II
by Heinkel and SAAB. Early models were powered by compressed air and the first
aircraft to be fitted with such a system was the Heinkel He 280 prototype jet-
engined fighter in 1940. One of the He 280 test pilots, Helmut Schenk, became the
first person to escape from a stricken aircraft with an ejection seat on 13 January
1942 after his control surfaces iced up and became inoperative. The fighter, being
used in tests of the Argus As 014 impulse jets for Fieseler Fi 103 missile
development, had its usual HeS 8A turbojets removed, and was towed aloft
from the Erprobungsstelle Rechlin central test facility of the Luftwaffe in Germany by
a pair of Bf 110C tugs in a heavy snow-shower. At 2,400 m (7,875 ft), Schenk found
he had no control, jettisoned his towline, and ejected. The He 280 was never put into
production status and the first operational type built anywhere, to provide ejection
seats for the crew was the Heinkel He 219 Uhu night fighter in 1942.

Fig 2.0 Heinkel HE 280

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Fig 2.1 Helmut Schenk

In Sweden, a version using compressed air was tested in 1941. A gunpowder ejection
seat was developed by Bofors and tested in 1943 for the Saab 21. The first test in the
air was on a Saab 17 on 27 February 1944, and the first real use occurred by Lt. Bengt
Johansson on 29 July 1946 after a mid-air collision between a J 21 and a J 22.
As the first operational military jet in late 1944 to ever feature one, the
lightweight Heinkel He 162A Spatz featured a new type of ejection seat, this time
fired by an explosive cartridge. In this system, the seat rode on wheels set between
two pipes running up the back of the cockpit. When lowered into position, caps at the
top of the seat fitted over the pipes to close them. Cartridges, basically identical
to shotgun shells, were placed in the bottom of the pipes, facing upward. When fired,
the gases would fill the pipes, "popping" the caps off the end, and thereby forcing the
seat to ride up the pipes on its wheels and out of the aircraft. By the end of the war,
the Dornier Do 335 Pfeil primarily from it having a rear-mounted engine (of the
twin engines powering the design) powering a pusher propeller located at the aft end
of the fuselage presenting a hazard to a normal "bailout" escape and a few late-war
prototype aircraft were also fitted with ejection seats.
After World War II, the need for such systems became pressing, as aircraft speeds
were getting ever higher, and it was not long before the sound barrier was broken.
Manual escape at such speeds would be impossible. The United States Army Air
Forces experimented with downward-ejecting systems operated by a spring, but it was
the work of Sir James Martin and his company Martin-Baker that was to prove
crucial.

Fig 2.2 First ejection seat

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The first live flight test of the Martin-Baker system took place on 24 July 1946, when
fitter Bernard Lynch ejected from a Gloster Meteor Mk III jet. Shortly afterward, on
17 August 1946, 1st Sgt. Larry Lambert was the first live U.S. ejective. Lynch
demonstrated the ejection seat at the Daily Express Air Pageant in 1948, ejecting from
a Meteor. Martin-Baker ejector seats were fitted to prototype and production aircraft
from the late 1940s, and the first emergency use of such a seat occurred in 1949
during testing of the jet-powered Armstrong Whitworth A.W.52 experimental flying
wing.
Early seats used a solid propellant charge to eject the pilot and seat by igniting the
charge inside a telescoping tube attached to the seat. As aircraft speeds increased still
further, this method proved inadequate to get the pilot sufficiently clear of the
airframe. Increasing the amount of propellant risked damaging the occupant's spine,
so experiments with rocket propulsion began. In 1958, the Convair F-102 Delta
Dagger was the first aircraft to be fitted with a rocket-propelled seat. Martin-Baker
developed a similar design, using multiple rocket units feeding a single nozzle. The
greater thrust from this configuration had the advantage of being able to eject the pilot
to a safe height even if the aircraft was on or very near the ground.
In the early 1960s, deployment of rocket-powered ejection seats designed for use at
supersonic speeds began in such planes as the Convair F-106 Delta Dart. Six pilots
have ejected at speeds exceeding 700 knots (1,300 km/h; 810 mph). The highest
altitude at which a Martin-Baker seat was deployed was 57,000 ft (from
a Canberra bomber in 1958). Following an accident on 30 July 1966 in the attempted
launch of a D-21 drone, two Lockheed M-21 crew members ejected at Mach 3.25 at
an altitude of 80,000 ft (24,000 m) The pilot was recovered successfully, but the
launch control officer drowned after a water landing. Despite these records, most
ejections occur at fairly low speeds and altitudes, when the pilot can see that there is
no hope of regaining aircraft control before impact with the ground.
Late in the Vietnam War, the U.S. Air Force and U.S. Navy became concerned about
its pilots ejecting over hostile territory and those pilots either being captured or killed
and the losses in men and aircraft in attempts to rescue them. Both services began a
program titled Air Crew Escape/Rescue Capability or Aerial Escape and Rescue
Capability (AERCAB) ejection seats (both terms have been used by the US military
and defence industry), where after the pilot ejected, the ejection seat would fly him to
a location far enough away from where he ejected to where he could safely be picked
up. A Request for Proposals for concepts for AERCAB ejection seats were issued in
the late 1960s. Three companies submitted papers for further development: A Rogallo
wing design by Bell Systems; a gyrocopter design by Kaman Aircraft; and a mini-
conventional fixed wing aircraft employing a Princeton Wing (i.e. a wing made of
flexible material that rolls out and then becomes rigid by means of internal struts or
supports etc. deploying) by Fairchild Hiller. All three, after ejection, would be
propelled by small turbojet engine developed for target drones. With the exception of
the Kaman design, the pilot would still be required to parachute to the ground after
reaching a safety-point for rescue. The AERCAB project was terminated in the 1970s
with the end of the Vietnam War. The Kaman design, in early 1972, was the only one
which was to reach the hardware stage. It came close to being tested with a special
landing-gear platform attached to the AERCAB ejection seat for first-stage ground
take offs and landings with a test pilot.

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PILOT SAFETY
The purpose of an ejection seat is pilot survival. The pilot typically experiences an
acceleration of about 1214 g (117137 m/s2). Western seats usually impose lighter
loads on the pilots; 1960s-70s era Soviet technology often goes up to 2022 g (with
SM-1 and KM-1 gun barrel-type ejection seats). Compression fractures of vertebrae
are a recurrent side effect of ejection.
It was theorised early on that ejection at supersonic speeds would be unsurvivable;
extensive tests, including Project Whoosh with chimpanzee test subjects, were
undertaken to determine that it was feasible.
The capabilities of the NPP Zvezda K-36 were unintentionally demonstrated at
the Fairford Air Show on 24 July 1993 when the pilots of two MiG-29 fighters ejected
after a mid-air collision.
The minimal ejection altitude for ACES II seat in inverted flight is about 140 feet
(43 m) above ground level at 150 KIAS, while the Russian counterpart - K-36DM has
the minimal ejection altitude from inverted flight of 100 feet (30 m) AGL. When an
aircraft is equipped with the Zvezda K-36DM ejection seat and the pilot is wearing
the -15 protective gear, he is able to eject at airspeeds from 0 to 1,400 kilometres
per hour (870 mph) and altitudes of 0 to 25 km (16 mi or about 82,000 ft). The K-
36DM ejection seat features drag chutes and a small shield that rises between the
pilot's legs to deflect air around the pilot.
Pilots have successfully ejected from underwater in a handful of instances, after being
forced to ditch in water. Documented evidence exists that pilots of the US and Indian
navies have performed this feat.
As of 20 June 2011 when two Spanish Air Force pilots ejected over San Javier
airport the number of lives saved by Martin-Baker products was 7,402 from 93 air
forces. The company runs a club called the 'Ejection Tie Club' and gives survivors a
unique tie and lapel pin. The total figure for all types of ejection seats is unknown, but
may be considerably higher.
Early models of the ejection seat were equipped with only an overhead ejection
handle which doubled in function by forcing the pilot to assume the right posture and
by having him pull a screen down to protect both his face and oxygen mask from the
subsequent air blast. Martin Baker added a secondary handle in the front of the seat to
allow ejection even when pilots weren't able to reach upwards because of high g-
force. Later (e.g. in Martin Baker's MK9) the top handle was discarded because the
lower handle had proven easier to operate and the technology of helmets had
advanced to also protect from the air blast.

Fig 2.3 Pilot safety

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CHAPTER 3
WORKING OF EJECTION SEATS
Pre-ejection

The time interval from the initial need to leave the aircraft (e.g., aircraft damage, loss
of controlled flight) until ejection is initiated is known as pre-ejection. During certain
critical phases of flight, such as during takeoff and landing, this can be extremely
short and not allow any preparation prior to ejection. However, in other situations,
such as in- flight emergencies, this time may be sufficient for making changes to
increase the probability of successful ejection. Speed can be reduced to lessen the
effects of windblast and flailing. Harness straps can be tightened and body position
can be adjusted to reduce injury from the forces encountered during ejection.

The delay in making the decision to eject has been stressed in flying safety programs
since accident data has revealed that over one-third of the aircrew fatally injured
during ejection experienced the emergency at altitudes adequate for a successful
ejection. This delay has been related to human factors and educational attempts to
discourage fatal delays have been included in safety training.

Fig 3.0 Pre ejection

Primary Acceleration

Ejection forces are primarily in the upward direction. The object is to attain the
greatest possible velocity over a specified period of time. The force which causes the
seat to move upward ranges between l2 and 20 Gs. The incidence of spinal injury
appears to increase markedly if the peak acceleration exceeds 25 Gs and if the rate of
onset is greater than 300 Gs per second. Many factors will determine the actual value
that an ejection seat will produce. The propulsion device will be affected by
temperature, the total weight of the occupant-seat assembly, the aircraft velocity and
relative airspeed at the time of ejection, and the altitude of ejection. The accelerative
forces will also be influenced by the complex mechanical behavior of the pilot's body
in its relationship to the seat as well as how various body parts relate to each other.

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The human body may be viewed as a fluid-filled body as it behaves in a dynamic
fashion during the ejection sequence. Compression forces may be initially elastic but
will often exceed the elastic limits and thus become "dynamic overshoots." These
overshoots become important in addressing the injuries sustained during the ejection
sequence. The line of seat thrust does not correspond to the long axis of the spine
because the guide rails are tilted back at approximately l2 to 20 degrees. The net
effect is to produce a vector of forward acceleration necessitating adequate shoulder
restraint and protection of the head. The rocket propelled seats have extended the
duration of upward thrust and allowed a reduction in the rate of onset of the force to
the body as compared to ballistic seats. The result has been an associated reduction in
the incidence of spinal injury.

Fig 3.1 Primary acceleration

Forces of Windblast

After the initial +Gz acceleration of the seat going up the rails, and differential plus
and minus Gz acceleration of "gradual" entry into the airstream, the occupant-seat
combination is rapidly decelerated due to ram air force from windblast. This force is
termed the Q force and varies with the density of the air and is proportional to the
surface area of the occupant- seat combination. Q forces are related to indicated
airspeed rather than true airspeed. These forces increase with the square of the
velocity thus producing the recommendation that pilots should reduce airspeed and
increase altitude prior to ejection. Q forces have been divided into those produced
by windblast, resulting in injuries such as petechial and subconjunctival hemorrhage,
and those injuries produced by flailing of the head and extremities. Flail injuries are
the result of the differential deceleration of the extremities in relationship to the torso
and seat. Flail injury occurs as a consequence of the extremities leaving their initial
position, building up substantial acceleration, and then suddenly stopping. The sudden
stop may produce a bone fracture, joint dislocation, or total disarticulation. Review of
combat ejections in Southeast Asia revealed a strong correlation between high-speed
ejection and flail injuries. Tumbling of the ejection seat and its occupant has been
effectively reduced by use of stabilizer drogue chutes and gyro-controlled vernier
rockets for positive pitch stabilization.

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Fig 3.2 Forces of windblast

Parachute Descent and Landing

This phase of the ejection sequence is critical to the outcome of the entire process of
escape and yet 90 per cent of all non-fatal injuries associated with escape occur during
landing. Although the techniques of landing by parachute are easily taught and
simulated by jumps from training towers, the incidence of sprained or fractured ankles
is estimated to be 50 per thousand descents. The correct procedures for parachute
landing are taught aircrew during several phases of their training. Flight surgeons
should become familiar with the proper procedures and use of equipment. Parachute
opening shock can be severe if the drogue chute fails or the main parachute deploys
prematurely. High altitude escape is relatively rare, but if it occurs additional risk
factors are present. Opening shock is increased due to increased velocities that
increase terminal velocity to the point that damage to the parachute and injury to the
crewmember usually results. Additional hazards include hypoxia and low
temperatures. If the emergency oxygen supply in the emergency system malfunctions
or the oxygen mask is lost during escape then hypoxia becomes a significant hazard.
Protective flight clothing is usually adequate to prevent frostbite but the loss of gloves
can impair usage of fingers required for subsequent survival activities.High-speed
escape close to the ground presents the most difficult of ejection sequences. The
initial thrust must be adequate to clear the rapidly moving tail section. The windblast
will be high and time delays will be necessarily short to minimize loss of altitude
before the main parachute deploys. The rocket seat, at high-speed low altitude
ejection, has a lengthened initial impulse, allowing more time for the subsystems to
operate, and slowing the seat to a safer velocity.

Fig 3.3 - Parachute

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EGRESS SYSTEM
The "standard" ejection system operates in two stages. First, the entire canopy or
hatch above the aviator is opened or jettisoned, and the seat and occupant are
launched through the opening. In most earlier aircraft this required two separate
actions by the aviator, while later egress system designs, such as the Advanced
Concept Ejection Seat model 2 (ACES II), perform both functions as a single action.
The ACES II ejection seat is used in most American-built fighters. The A-10 uses
connected firing handles that activate both the canopy jettison systems, followed by
the seat ejection. The F-15 has the same connected system as the A-10 seat. Both
handles accomplish the same task, so pulling either one suffices. The F-16 has only
one handle located between the pilot's knees, since the cockpit is too narrow for side-
mounted handles.
Non-standard egress systems include Downward Track (used for some crew positions
in bomber aircraft, including the B-52 Stratofortress), Canopy Destruct (CD) and
Through-Canopy Penetration (TCP), Drag Extraction, Encapsulated Seat, and
even Crew Capsule.
Early models of the F-104 Starfighter were equipped with a Downward Track ejection
seat due to the hazard of the T-tail. In order to make this work, the pilot was equipped
with "spurs" which were attached to cables that would pull the legs inward so the pilot
could be ejected. Following this development, some other egress systems began using
leg retractors as a way to prevent injuries to flailing legs, and to provide a more
stable center of gravity. Some models of the F-104 were equipped with upward-
ejecting seats.
Similarly, two of the six ejection seats on the B-52 Stratofortress fire downward,
through hatch openings on the bottom of the aircraft; the downward hatches are
released from the aircraft by a thruster that unlocks the hatch, while gravity and wind
remove the hatch and arm the seat. The four seats on the forward upper deck (two of
them, EWO and Gunner, facing the rear of the airplane) fire upwards as usual. Any
such downward-firing system is of no use on or near the ground if aircraft is in level
flight at the time of the ejection.
Aircraft designed for low-level use sometimes have ejection seats which fire through
the canopy, as waiting for the canopy to be ejected is too slow. Many aircraft types
(e.g., the BAE Hawk and the Harrier line of aircraft) use Canopy Destruct systems,
which have an explosive cord (MDC - Miniature Detonation Cord or FLSC - Flexible
Linear Shaped Charge) embedded within the acrylic plastic of the canopy. The MDC
is initiated when the eject handle is pulled, and shatters the canopy over the seat a few
milliseconds before the seat is launched. This system was developed for the Hawker
Siddeley Harrier family of VTOL aircraft as ejection may be necessary while the
aircraft was in the hover, and jettisoning the canopy might result in the pilot and seat
striking it. This system is also used in the T-6 Texan II.

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Fig 3.4 Egress System

Through-Canopy Penetration is similar to Canopy Destruct, but a sharp spike on the


top of the seat, known as the "shell tooth," strikes the underside of the canopy and
shatters it. The A-10 Thunderbolt II is equipped with canopy breakers on either side of
its headrest in the event that the canopy fails to jettison. The T-6 is also equipped with
such breakers if the MDC fails to detonate. In ground emergencies, a ground crewman
or pilot can use a breaker knife attached to the inside of the canopy to shatter the
transparency. The A-6 Intruder and EA-6B Prowler seats are capable of ejecting
through the canopy, with canopy jettison a separate option if there is enough time.CD
and TCP systems cannot be used with canopies made of flexible materials, such as
the Lexan polycarbonate canopy used on the F-16.
Soviet VTOL naval fighter planes such as the Yakovlev Yak-38 were equipped with
ejection seats which were automatically activated during at least some part of the
flight envelope. Drag Extraction is the lightest and simplest egress system available,
and has been used on many experimental aircraft. Halfway between simply "bailing
out" and using explosive-eject systems, Drag Extraction uses the airflow past the
aircraft (or spacecraft) to move the aviator out of the cockpit and away from the
stricken craft on a guide rail. Some operate like a standard ejector seat, by jettisoning
the canopy, then deploying a drag chute into the airflow. That chute pulls the occupant
out of the aircraft, either with the seat or following release of the seat straps, who then
rides off the end of a rail extending far enough out to help clear the structure. In the
case of the Space Shuttle, the astronauts would have ridden a long, curved rail, blown
by the wind against their bodies, then deployed their chutes after free-falling to a safe
altitude.
Encapsulated Seat egress systems were developed for use in the B-58 Hustler and B-
70 Valkyrie supersonic bombers. These seats were enclosed in an air-operated
clamshell, which permitted the aircrew to escape at airspeeds and altitudes high
enough to otherwise cause bodily harm. These seats were designed to allow the pilot
to control the plane even with the clamshell closed, and the capsule would float in
case of water landings.
Some aircraft designs, such as the General Dynamics F-111, do not have individual
ejection seats, but instead, the entire section of the airframe containing the crew can
be ejected as a single capsule. In this system, very powerful rockets are used, and
multiple large parachutes are used to bring the capsule down, in a manner similar to
the Launch Escape System of the Apollo spacecraft. On landing, an airbag system is
used to cushion the landing, and this also acts as a flotation device if the Crew
Capsule lands in water.

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CHAPTER 4
EJECTION SEATS TERMS

Bucket
This is the lower part of the ejection seat that contains the survival equipment.

Canopy
This is the clear cover that encapsulates the cockpit of some planes; it is often seen on
military fighter jets.

Catapult
Most ejections are initiated with this ballistic cartridge.

Drogue parachute
This small parachute is deployed prior to the main parachute; it designed to slow the
ejection seat after exiting the aircraft. A drogue parachute in an ACES II ejection seat has
a 5-foot (1.5-m) diameter. Others may be less than 2 feet (0.6 m) in diameter.

Egress system
This refers to the entire ejection system, including seat ejection, canopy jettisoning and
emergency life-support equipment.

Environmental sensor
This is an electronic device that tracks the airspeed and altitude of the seat.

Face curtain
Attached to the top of some seats, pilots pull this curtain down to cover his or her face
from debris. This curtain also holds the pilot's head still during ejection.

Recovery sequencer
This is the electronic device that controls the sequence of events during ejection.

Rocket catapult
This is a combination of a ballistic catapult and an underseat rocket unit.

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Underseat rocket
Some seats have a rocket attached underneath to provide additional lift after the catapult
lifts the crewmember out of the cockpit.

Vernier rocket
Attached to a gyroscope, this rocket is mounted to the bottom of the seat and controls the
seat's pitch.

Zero-zero ejection
This is an ejection on the ground when the aircraft is at zero altitude and zero airspeed.

Fig 4.0 Rockets used in ejection seats

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MODES OF EJECTION
In the ACES II ejection seat produced by Goodrich Corporation, there are three
possible ejection modes. The one used is determined by the aircraft's altitude and
airspeed at the time of ejection. These two parameters are measured by
the environmental sensor and recovery sequencer in the back of the ejection seat.

The environmental sensor senses the airspeed and altitude of the seat and sends data
to the recovery sequencer. When the ejection sequence begins, the seat travels up the
guide rails and exposes pitot tubes. Pitot tubes, named for physicist Henri Pitot, are
designed to measure air-pressure differences to determine the velocity of the air. Data
about the air flow is sent to the sequencer, which then selects from the three modes of
ejections:

Mode 1: low altitude, low speed


Mode 1 is for ejections at speeds of less than 250 knots (288 mph / 463 kph) and
altitudes of less than 15,000 feet (4,572 meters). The drogue parachute doesn't deploy
in mode 1.
Mode 2: low altitude, high speed
Mode 2 is for ejections at speeds of more than 250 knots and altitudes of less than
15,000 feet.
Mode 3: high altitude, any speed -
Mode 3 is selected for any ejection at an altitude greater than 15,000 feet.

Fig 4.1 Modes of ejection

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CHAPTER 5
PHYSICS OF EJECTING
Ejecting from an airplane is a violent sequence of events that places the human body
under an extreme amount of force. The primary factors involved in an aircraft ejection
are the force and acceleration of the crewmember, according to Martin Herker, a
former physics teacher. To determine the force exerted on the person being ejected,
we have to look at Newton's second law of motion, which states that the acceleration
of an object depends on the force acting upon it and the mass of the object.

Newton's second law is represented as:

Force = Mass x Acceleration

(F=MA)

Regarding a crewmember ejecting from a plane, M equals his or her body mass plus
the mass of the seat. A is equal to the acceleration created by the catapult and the
underseat rocket.

Acceleration is measured in terms of G, or gravity forces. Ejecting from an aircraft is


in the 5-G to 20-G range, depending on the type of ejection seat. As mentioned in the
introduction, 1 G is equal to the force of Earth's gravity and determines how much we
weigh. One G of acceleration is equal to 32 feet/second 2 (9.8 m/s2). This means that if
you drop something off of a cliff, it will fall at a rate of 32 feet/second2.

It's simple to determine the mass of the seat and the equipment attached to the seat.
The pilot's mass is the largest variable. A 180-pound person normally feels 180
pounds of force being applied to him when standing still. In a 20-G impact, that same
180-pound person will feel 3,600 pounds of force being exerted. To learn more about
force, click here.

"To determine the speed of the [ejection] seat at any point in time, one solves the
Newton equation knowing the force applied and the mass of the seat/occupant system.
The only other factors that are needed are the time of the force to be applied and the
initial velocity present (if any)," writes Herker on his Web site describing the physics
for understanding ejections. Herker provides this equation for determining the speed
of the seat:

Speed = Acceleration x Time + Initial speed

V(f) = AT + V(i)

Initial speed refers to either the climb or the sink rate of the aircraft. It may also be
determined by the initial step of the ejection process in a seat that combines an

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explosive catapult and an underseat rocket. The seat speed must be high enough to
allow separation of the seat and person from the aircraft as quickly as possible in
order to clear the entire aircraft.

The use of an ejection seat is always a last resort when an aircraft is damaged and the
pilot has lost control. However, saving the lives of pilots is a higher priority than
saving planes, and sometimes an ejection is required in order to save a life.

Fig 5.0 Ejection modes

TIMING OF EJECTING
0 seconds
Pilot pulls cord; canopy is jettisoned or shattered; catapult initiates, sending seat up rails.
0.15 seconds
Seat clears ejection rails at 50 feet (15 m) per second and is clear of surrounding cockpit;
rocket catapult ignites; vernier motor fires to counteract any pitch changes; yaw motor
fires, inducing slight yaw to assure man-seat separation. (Burn time of all motors equals
0.10 seconds.)
0.50 seconds
Seat has lifted to about 100 to 200 feet (30.5 to 61 m) from ejection altitude.
0.52 seconds

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Seat-man-separator motor fires; cartridge fires to release crewmember and his equipment
from seat; drogue gun fires parachute.
2.5 to 4 seconds
Main parachute is fully deployed.

CHAPTER 6
ZERO-ZERO SEAT EJECTION
A zero-zero ejection seat is designed to safely extract upward and land its occupant
from a grounded stationary position (i.e., zero altitude and zero airspeed), specifically
from aircraft cockpits. The zero-zero capability was developed to help aircrews
escape upward from unrecoverable emergencies during low-altitude and/or low-speed
flight, as well as ground mishaps. Before this capability, ejections could only be
performed above minimum altitudes and airspeeds.
Zero-zero technology uses small rockets to propel the seat upward to an adequate
altitude and a small explosive charge to open the parachute canopy quickly for a
successful parachute descent, so that proper deployment of the parachute no longer
relies on airspeed and altitude.

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Fig 6.0 Zero-Zero ejection seat

AIRCRAFTS USING EJECTION SEATS


The Kamov Ka-50, which entered limited service with Russian forces in 1995, was
the first production helicopter with an ejection seat. The system is similar to that of a
conventional fixed-wing aircraft however the main rotors are equipped with explosive
bolts to jettison the blades moments before the seat is fired.
The Lunar Lander Research Vehicle (LLRV)/Training Vehicle (LLTV) used ejection
seats. Neil Armstrong ejected on 6 May 1968; Joe Algranti & Stuart M. Present, later.
Early flights of NASA's Space Shuttle, which used Columbia, were with a crew of
two, both provided with ejector seats, (STS-1 to STS-4), but the seats were disabled
and then removed as the crew size was increased. Columbia and Enterprise were the
only two shuttle orbiters fitted with ejection seats.
The Soviet shuttle "Buran" was planned to be fitted with K-36RB (K-36M-11F35)
seats, but it was unmanned on its single flight; the seats were never installed.
The only spacecraft ever flown with installed ejection seats were the Space Shuttle,
the Soviet Vostok and American Gemini series.

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Fig 6.1 Fighter jets using ejection seats

FUTURE SCOPE OF EJECTION SEATS


The ejection seat has evolved into a complicated system with subsystems. Seat
improvement has improved the odds of survival, and expanded boundary limits for
successful ejection. The ability of the seat to monitor environmental factors has
allowed better control inputs, improving seat stability. The incidence of ejection
injuries is reduced by employing a complex acceleration profile. The profile is
impulsive and of high amplitude at the beginning and end of the acceleration period,
while relatively smooth and of low amplitude during the interposed major time
segment.

The next generation of escape systems will use controllable propulsion systems to
provide safe ejection over the expanded aircraft flight performance envelopes of
advanced aircraft. Continued research will only enhance the capability of future
ejection systems. Current research efforts are being directed toward solving the
problems associated with high speed and high altitude ejections.

Also these ejection seats are now used in sports cars and that will help in saving the
life of the driver. Their first application on cars will be in Formula-1 racing cars,
helping the driver to safely eject out from car whenever the car gets out of control.

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Fig 6.2 Ejection seats in cars

CONCLUSION
Human life is most important in our planet Earth. Each and every country understand
the importance of its people and all the solider who are protecting the country from its
enemies. Thus in war each and every life is important to win it. And in case of air
planes or fighting jets their is always a chance that it can crash and cause death to the
pilot. Thus for saving the life of pilot in such circumstances EJECTION SEATS plays
an important role.

Ejection seats are life saving machines which helps the pilot to escape from a
crashing plane or a jet or a helicopter. Thus ejection seats plays a very important role
in saving life which is good for that person, his country, the enviournment and also
for the Humanity.

The concept of ejection seats in automobile will also save many lives in case of
accidents or car crashes in sports games, etc.

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REFERENCES
1. "1910s". Ejection-history.org.uk. Retrieved 2012-10-30.

2. "Moved". Canit.se. Retrieved 2012-10-30.

3. Popular Mechanics - Google Books. Books.google.co.uk. Retrieved 2012-10-


30.

4. "Military Aviation". Sirviper.com. Retrieved 2012-10-30.

5. "RD&PE Zvezda JSC - Emergency Escape Systems". Zvezda-npp.ru.


Retrieved 2012-10-30.

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6. "Aircraft Underwater". Bharat-rakshak.com. 1976-03-04. Retrieved 2012-10-
30.

7. "Underwater Ejection". The Ejection Site. Retrieved 2012-10-30.

8. "The history and developments of Martin-Baker escape systems: The


challanges and the success of Martin-Baker ejection
seats" (PDF). www.martin-baker.com. Martin-Baker. pp. 4, 17, 19,3637.
Retrieved 15 October 2014.

9. "Watch Neil Armstrong Narrowly". Retrieved 2013-05-15.

10. "The Ejection Site". Retrieved 2013-05-15.

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