Quote:
Q2. Does pushing the handle back into the housing reset the mechanism
Q3. Did this individual report this incident
Unquote.
I find it strange that these questions, particularly #3 are even asked. A firing handle NOT in the correct position makes the whole aircraft U/S, potentially dangerous, until the experts, armourers and E/O have solved the problem and made and declared the seat and aircraft safe so obviously an immediate report would be essential. It's along time since the 12 years when I sat on an MB seat daily but in my day we treated ejections seats with the very greatest care and respect, and I never saw any of my crew or students do otherwise, is that not still so ?
So far as the deletion of the face blind handle, I seem to recall that the primary reason for its deletion was the possibility of being unable to reach it in high G situations, which happened on more than a few occasions, thus making the seat pan handle the primary one when two were fitted and, obviously, your only option on seats such as the Mk10. The advantage of the face blind was that it DID give a good spinal posture, particularly important with an 80 FPS gun as on the Mk4, (it was a hell of a kick, at the limit of what the human spine can tolerate, when not just acceleration but rate of rise of acceleration is so critical) ) and offered restraint and some protection (we did not have automatic clear visors in 60s and early 70s.) for the face and head.
..and still no one has said (or expressed a plausible suggestion) what the SI and coroner's enquiry has stated to be the primary cause of the seat firing ?
Last edited by RetiredBA/BY; 1st Feb 2014 at 20:22.