Rocket ejection seat is an important device for pilots to escape when the airplane is in imminent danger, which is also called the " life savior " for pilots. The ejection force stability adjustment technology determines the stability of seat system after it is being ejected out of cockpit and directly affects the safety of pilot. The Aviation Medical Research Institute of the PLA Air Force has, in light of the requirements of the new armaments and new situation, successfully developed a new type of ejection seat, which has provided technological support for safe bailout of pilots under emergent situations.
After the new version of aircraft entered service, officers and men in aviation unit complained that the currently used rocket ejection seat has many problems, such as data used in the design was obsolete and the acceptance rate of power stability adjustment was relatively low. They also complained that the current rocket ejection seat could not meet the requirements of safe bailout of pilots. Therefore, they all requested to develop a new type of rocket ejection seat for the new version of aircraft. Wang Xingwei, a postdoctoral researcher, and deputy director of the 6th Research Office of the Aviation Medical Research Institute took up the challenge and volunteered to carry out the research on "power stability adjustment technology of rocket ejection seat for new version of aircraft."
Wang Xingwei and his fellow researchers, giving full play to their technological strength, designed and developed gravity center measuring equipment for the pilot-seat assembly on the basis of extensive research and study. In order to achieve this, the research personnel went to many air force units to collect human figure data from more than 100 pilots as well as data on gravity center of pilot-seat assembly. All these had provided objective, accurate and reliable data for the design.
Through repeated analysis and verification over hundreds of groups of data, the research group found that the rectangular distribution model for gravity center of pilot-seat assembly, which had been used for scores of years was inaccurate, and they put forward a new gravity center distribution model and developed new power stability adjustment technology based on this model. This research finding also enables ejection seat to accommodate more pilots. Some excellent pilots who had to stop flying due to the increase of their body weight can fly again now, thus it has also helped our air force to preserve more effective combat strength.
Flight practices has proven that the ejection seat with new adjustment technology could maintain proper posture during ejection, and could realize safe separation between the pilot and the seat. Thus the chances for pilots to open parachutes and successfully escape from aircraft have been greatly increased. This achievement has won a second-class Military Scientific and Technological Progress Award and has been widely adopted by various main battle aircraft of our air force.
By Ye Jiabo
(Mar.3, PLA Daily)
