Proposal for improving ejection seats with respect to sitting comfort and ejection posture.

Abstract

It is generally accepted that in the case of ejection, the flexion posture is often the reason for vertebral body fracture, but to maintain the right egress posture (this means an erect or even hyperextended position) throughtout the entire duration of flight would increase pilot complaints about validly criticized misalignment of the seat profile. X-ray controlled seat studies led to the conclusion that an acceptable egress position does not allow relaxed sitting posture during normal cockpit activities over long periods. Therefore, an attempt at solution is being made by a seat device whose comfort is guaranteed by a back-rest construction variable at will. For emergency case, the posture will be optimized automatically and synchronically with the action of the power retraction unit. A schematic design outlines the construction.