Safety tag.

[Dave Haggas]

Not too sure about the response, but here goes.
I own a red safety tag which has printed in white, the words, "Remove before installation into seat". It has a small pin as in a sear pin for an ejection seat.
Can anyone shed any light as to what this was used for please?

I was informed by the last keeper that is was from a Harrier seat, but I have my doubts.

Please help!

[Dave Wilson]

I used to play with Harriers and can't remember anything like that, but I wasn't a plumber. It was obviously something with a pyro or bottle attached but I honestly can't think what it would have been. I don't know if there are any ex Harrier plumbers on here.

Edit: I was on the Mk3 and T4 so if there was an update on the later aircraft then obviously I wouldn't know about it.

[clicker]

If it was the usual "Remove before flight" I would have said it was the tag on the crew jackets. :E

(Scuttles off to underground bunker to avoid incoming)

[NutLoose]

It almost reads like a transit pin for something like a rocket pack etc before the seat is assembled

[Mortmeister]

Ex-RAF Armourer here, I think it could be one of two things:
Most likely is a Personal Survival Pack (PSP) Automatic Deployment Unit (ADU) Safety Pin. A small Pip Pin with a push button in the head to remove/fit from PSP, with said red warning flag attached by a D Ring. This is used to isolate the ADU when the pack is handled or in transit, but needs to be removed prior to fitting the PSP into the Seat Pan. Purpose of the ADU is to lower the PSP from the ejectee's backside during seat separation. Used on the MB Mk10A (Tornado), 10B (Hawk) and 12 (Harrier GR7/GR9/T10) ejection seats.
I did consider the Emergency Oxygen Bottle Safety Pin, but that is a split pin on a wire with red plastic tag attached- unlikely I think.

I hope this helps!

[Fox3WheresMyBanana]

This link is to a maintenance manual for the MB Mk5J seat. Not fitted in the Harrier but it may help as it's of the same era.

http://www.liberatedmanuals.com/TM-55-1680-308-24.pdf

[Tashengurt]

I'd say Mortmeister has it.


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[Dave Haggas]

Thank you for your tremendous response.
I feel Mort may have the answer. Regarding the bottle, my ejection seat has the pin, and wire plus the red plastic square so you are correct in thinking this is not the answer.
I have a yellow PSP for a mk9 seat installed but it doesn't have the ADU. But I also have another PSP which is a green unit that is an ADU PSP. I have it on some authority that the GR3 and T4 Harrier late on had ADU PSP fitted. I have a doubt about it and think the PSP was only on Jag. I have never seen a GR3/T4 cockpit picture with a green PSP install. Can anyone confirm please?
Thank you for all your help.
Does anyone have a picture of the contents, layout of the PSP for the mk9?

[Mortmeister]

Dave,
I do not think the ADU was ever fitted to the Jag and am not sure if it was on the early Harrier.
I seem to recall I first fitted one on Hawk in the early nineties and was already on Tornado when I started on them in 1994. It may have been as a result of lessons learned in GW1?
Only fitted yellow PSPs to Hawk and F3, can't remember on Harrier II.

You've tested a few of my brain cells this weekend!

[Dave Haggas]

Mort, consider it a service if you will!
It's odd that the green, manufactured green and not painted, PSP I have is new with "ADU fitted" decal on it with the clear plastic moulding internally fitted, is exactly the same as the stock mk9 PSP.

I cannot get to the bottom of this as yet! But the unit is brand new, in the packet with the original frightening cost on it too.

Thanks for your help so far mind.

I would also love to see a fully kitted out PSP internally, well a mk9 one to be honest...either for real or in pictures.

[Stitchbitch]

Dave, the GR.7/T.10 PSPs went green in about 1997 or at least they did at Laarbruch. I don't think there were any Gr.3s still flying at that stage so perhaps your PSP was from a FAA T.8?
RAF RN Harrier Jump Jet GR3 T4 T8 Martin Baker Mk 9 Ejection seat PSP Type 9D /A | eBay (http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/RAF-RN-Harrier-Jump-Jet-GR3-T4-T8-Martin-Baker-Mk-9-Ejection-seat-PSP-Type-9D-A-/131059303854)

[Dave Haggas]

Hi Stitch.
I was/am very sure no GR3s ever had green PSPs fitted.
I've also never seen a T8 with one either, hence my question regarding Jag fitment as they were flying later...
Thanks for the link!