Summary: <h3 id="what-is-ejection-seat">What is ejection seat?</h3> <p>The ejection seat is a safety mechanism primarily used in aircraft to save a pilot or a passenger by propelling the seat out of the disabled aircraft.</p> <ul> <li>An explosive charge or rocket is used to propel the seat to a safe distance and a parachute takes care of the rest of the journey down to the ground.</li> <li> <strong>Everald Calthorp</strong> who earlier had invented parachutes devised an ejection seat that used compressed air.</li> <li>Romanian inventor <strong>Ananstase Dragomir</strong> proposed the modern layout for ejection seats in the late 1920s. The <em>parachuted cell</em> design was tested on 25 August 1929 in Paris and got the design patented.</li> <li>The technique used before ejection seat was to simply jump out of the aircraft which in most cases was difficult as it would cause injury and was dangerous.</li> <li>As with most of the things, World War II led to the development and perfection of parachutes.</li> <li> <strong>Heinkel</strong> and <strong>SAAB</strong> developed the ejection seat independently. These early models were compressed air powered seats. <strong>Heinkel HE 280</strong>, the prototype jet fighter, had an ejection system built into it.</li> </ul> <h3 id="the-process">The Process</h3> <p>If there arises a scenario where ejection is imminent, the command “eject” is used as an early warning that a possible ejection is coming up in next 30 or so seconds. At the critical moment, the command “bailout” is used and the crew ejects.</p> <p>The sequence:</p> <ul> <li>When the pilot activates the ejection system, first the canopy is blown off or opened.</li> <li>The pilot and the seat are launched through the opening.</li> <li>During ejection, a catapult propels the seat up the rails and then the rocket engine takes over.</li> <li>The canopy forms another part of the ejection system. Most of the aircraft are designed in a way where the canopy is blown off the aircraft. In some cases to avoid delay or seat hitting the canopy, a specially designed canopy filled with explosive charges embedded within the acrylic canopy which when initiated, shatters the canopy above and the seat is ejected a few seconds later.</li> <li>In some other aircraft without canopy, the seats are ejected through hatches. B-52 bombers had ejection seats that were ejected through the hatches, four in the roof and two on the floor.</li> </ul> <p><a style="" href="https://unsplash.com/@vishu_gowda?utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=photographer-credit&utm_content=creditBadge" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" title="Download free do whatever you want high-resolution photos from Vishu Gowda"><span style="display: inline-block; padding: 2px 3px;"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" style="" viewbox="0 0 32 32"><title>unsplash-logo</title> <path d="M10 9V0h12v9H10zm12 5h10v18H0V14h10v9h12v-9z"></path></svg></span><span style="display: inline-block; padding: 2px 3px;">Vishu Gowda</span></a></p>
