What are these things that stick out from the top of the seat?
Posted by RecordEnvironmental4@reddit | aviation | View on Reddit | 98 comments
Posted by RecordEnvironmental4@reddit | aviation | View on Reddit | 98 comments
meesersloth@reddit
Something I was told to never grab onto when entering the cockpit of an F-15.
graves_09@reddit
On Naval aircraft, they are folded in normally and deployed during the ejection sequence because you know...Marines
theyoyomaster@reddit
The ACES-2 isn't used in any Navy or Marine aircraft. None of the seats used in any of their recent or current planes use them.
graves_09@reddit
Right but the NACES is used and it has folding pitots.
theyoyomaster@reddit
It's a completely different seat from a completely different manufacturer with a completely different design. They aren't anywhere near the same location or even close to the same design but "folded."
Do you have any reference saying they do fold at all? No material on Martin Baker's website mentions it, the NATOPS for the F-18 doesn't in any of the highly detailed portions on the ejection sequence and all pictures of the MK14 look just like any other MB seat with no visible places for something to pop out. It's also really not MB's style to have active systems like that vs passive ones, with the Russian seats that reach out and pull your legs in with arms vs MB's leg straps, an articulating pitot just sounds like an easy point of failure that doesn't match the design philosophy of their seats.
graves_09@reddit
Mk14 NACES
theyoyomaster@reddit
Cool, I did google that and nothing said there was a retracted pitot in that headbox. In fact, it looks pretty damn similar to the Martin Baker ejection seat in the plane I fly, which per our flight manuals, has no mention whatsoever of a retractable pitot, just like the F-18 NATOPS or any of the material you find in that google search. Looks like a normal headbox holding a normal parachute to me. So, as I already said, unless you have actual evidence saying it is a retractable pitot system I will stick with my assessment that navy aircraft use a completely different seat from a completely different manufacturer that doesn't have anything similar. If I had to guess I would say the system works just like the one I use since the phrasing in the NATOPS is virtually identical about the barostatic system delaying until 16000-14000 feet with a delay on full canopy based on G loading (likely inertial). No mention whatsoever of pitots.
graves_09@reddit
I'm done keyboard warrioring on reddit. Suggest you read your NATOPS closer. Specifically the foldouts.
theyoyomaster@reddit
The entire ejection sequence in the natops is almost identical to my -1. You’re the one making the claims and I’ve cited the source for mine. If it’s in there then show me where I’m wrong.
RedFox1942@reddit
that's so specific I wonder what led to that warning
TestyBoy13@reddit
The engineers realized “hey if you grab this, you might fuck up the ejection seat sequencing and die when you try to bail.”
falcopilot@reddit
An engineer would think "this is obviously not a handle" until they started coming back because people were using them as handles.
My_Monkey_Sphincter@reddit
Probably grabbing onto while entering the cockpit of an F-15.
RedFox1942@reddit
I meant are they gonna break off? If not how did they learn that grabbing onto them leads to malfunction? is it f around and find out? if that I wouldn't wana be the person who find out that.
NikkoJT@reddit
They're sensors, not handles, and aren't designed to support a person's weight. They'd break.
LegSpinner@reddit
If they're pitot tubes as has been answered, they can break easily. This means that if you have to eject, the seat will not deploy your chute at the right time and altitude... which wouldn't be fun. Especially in a zero-zero ejection.
NotCook59@reddit
Zackly
mtbmattlab@reddit
My guess is a death sadly.
sensor69@reddit
They're pretty thin, I wouldn't grab onto one
Katana_DV20@reddit
Those are environmental sensor pitots.
bmpenn@reddit
I did not know ejection seats had air data computers. That’s amazing.
komark-@reddit
It makes sense though. If altitude is too high you would want to wait til you’re a bit lower to deploy chute. No guarantee the pilot is conscious after an ejection. Automating this is the way to go
BENthe3rd@reddit
Yup! You want the chute deployed at a lower altitude cuz it’s really cold at 20k and the air is really thin. Imagine hanging out up there under canopy for so long and going hypoxic after an already traumatic experience of ejecting
blackteashirt@reddit
Oh this is a great time to share this story, the man that ejected into a thunderstorm:
https://youtu.be/ebgDbB8PdJU
SiouxPilot65@reddit
Even under canopy the likelihood of being at that altitude long enough to get hypoxic hypoxia is highly unlikely to say the least. Having done “flights” in an altitude chamber, you might feel the effects slightly but I’d imagine the intensity and trauma from the ejection event would likely overwhelm your senses for noticing you’re breathing a little heavier.
At 25k useful consciousness is 3-5 minutes. This doesn’t mean being out cold but you’re likely to be severely impaired (almost drunk like) by 5 minutes. That useful consciousness increases rapidly with even slight descents. 5-10 minutes at 22k, 20-30 minutes at 18k, 30 and up at 15k. Hypoxia due to altitude would be the least of your worries if you ever had to eject at high altitude.
Stagnant hypoxia, literal trauma injuries and the complex timing of not hitting the canopy at 9G’s are more likely why the system is automated. It’s hard to pull a ripcord or any levers if the force of wind on ejection breaks an arm.
mnic001@reddit
To be fair, hypoxia seems like the way to go...
Calm-Internet-8983@reddit
Freezing to death is supposedly not terrible either. Even before the really warm and fuzzy falling asleep stage.
Lost--Lieutenant@reddit
Hopefully you are not in mountainous terrain and unconscious.
Specialist_Reality96@reddit
Likely less of a computer and more of a pressure switch.
Acceptable_Tie_3927@reddit
After USSR fell apart USAF / USN got interested in the Zvezda K-36D seat but were shocked to learn it runs on a part clockwork / part analog electric sequencer. They paid for developing a "K-36D-3.5D" version with full digital electronic control and tested it extensively on the ground from rail sleds, with insane results for rescue envelope, but eventually decided the weight penalty is not worth it (K-36 is 225kg / 497 lbs).
Not_FinancialAdvice@reddit
Hey, at least it's EMP hardened off the bat.
Historical_Gur_3054@reddit
I remember reading about the A-12/SR-71 development and one of the big questions is what would happen to someone who ejected at Mach 3 at 80,000ft?
Because dynamic pressure is a function of airspeed and altitude, ejecting at high Mach at high altitude can have a lower dynamic pressure than a lower altitude and speed ejection.
So the solution was somewhat simple, have the seat pop a small pilot chute to keep the seat upright and stable and then let the crew member fall to a much lower altitude where they would disconnect from the seat and open their own parachute.
whoooocaaarreees@reddit
Something something Martin Baker fan club.
Radiant-Fuel7476@reddit
Well by looking at the trajectory of the air craft seeing that it is well alined with sky i would like to say those black strap looking things when you look closely at the lenght of each strand you would actually notice such
Few-Blackberry-4751@reddit
Thats the ejection handle.
Beardfooo@reddit
Any ejection over 10000 agl will require oxygen if the chute deploys above that altitude. Hence, the military inserting via HaHo (high altitude high opening) wears oxygen masks. HaLo (High altitude Low opening) still requires it for safety, though I suppose if you held your breath till below 10000 agl, you would be fine.
West-Ad7482@reddit
This is the pilot ...
Forward-Plastic-6213@reddit
I’m Jordanian airforce pilot and i love the F16!! F16 is the best aircraft ever created. F16 over mig 29 all day everyday!!!
Beginning_Ad_6616@reddit
Hi Reddit; are you guys dumb enough to tell us all about your aircraft so we can build similar things or find ways to defeat them in combat.
Reddit users…yes sure here you go!!
Firm_Objective_2661@reddit
Plot twist. It’s the pilot asking the question. He had to excuse himself for a moment that day during class.
Xizithei@reddit
If this fucking subreddit was an OPSEC watchlist, for the love of fuck.
Derek420HighBisCis@reddit
Canopy fenders for the ejection sequence. It’s been awhile since I did aircraft explosive hazards so I don’t remember if the viper has an explosive linear charge in the canopy skirt. Former EOD guy from a long time ago.
AdamContini@reddit
That's the pilot.
alzee76@reddit
They are sensor pitots. There are canopy breakers on some seats as the other poster mentioned, but those would be behind the pilots head and pointed straight up.
WIlf_Brim@reddit
The canopy breakers on an F-15 are made by a company named Acme. So, Wile E Coyote flies F-15s now?
alzee76@reddit
They don't just make the canopy breakers, they make the entire seat. ;)
chipoatley@reddit
Wile E. saw what happened to Goose and made a fix for it.
Crackstacker@reddit
I’ve seen the cartoons. If anyone could make a quality ejection seat, it’s ACME.
Vintheren90@reddit
But this an F-16
alzee76@reddit
So what?
Vintheren90@reddit
F-16 doesn't have canopy breakers
hellidad@reddit
Reading is hard, huh bud
Vintheren90@reddit
Not at all, but why do you link to an f-15 and not f-16 since they use the same seat?
juggerjew@reddit
Read the comment.
alzee76@reddit
Your point?
talktomiles@reddit
It’s my understanding that there are only a handful of ejection seat manufacturers worldwide, so there’s going to be some commonality among the seats in US airframes. I don’t know if the F-35 and F-15 share one though.
birwin353@reddit
F-15 and F-16 are the same seat. F-35 is different
s4ndbend3r@reddit
IIRC they both are equipped with the ACES II ejection seat, but the release mechanism is different.
danit0ba94@reddit
Ok. And?
Vintheren90@reddit
The link is for an F-15 seat
birwin353@reddit
Same seat.
gcotw@reddit
It's literally in the filename
F800ST@reddit
Canopy cutters.
HotRespect2331@reddit
“Things”?? How many things does a plane have. Good glad we’re all on the same page of the things you are talking about.
Try asking and use descriptive words since the internet has no idea what things you are referencing.
N314ER@reddit
I found the guy who uses it as a handle.
Aggressive-Lobster13@reddit
Strange that only you seem to have been confused about what OP was asking. Problem identified, and is between chair and keyboard.
baconhead@reddit
You might have noticed OP circled what they were talking about if you actually looked at their post instead of just being rude
HotRespect2331@reddit
No actually didn’t notice the black squiggly lines that would not consider a circle .
The reason we use tools that make perfect shapes is because our eyes and brains can pick those shapes out of a picture very easily and determine they don’t belong and therefore were added. Or maybe even reference that you drew a circle or attempted one “hey can anyone tell me what the things are I circled in the picture above.?” Reader then knows to look for a circle.
Looking at it briefly I believe the squiggle to be a loose cord or something in zero gs that was part of the pilot suit.
All I’m saying is consider the audience and communicate clearly.
baconhead@reddit
You seem to be the only person who struggled with this. All I'm saying is don't be rude.
Quiverjones@reddit
Uh...pilot?
BigJ1701@reddit
EJECTO SEATO CUZ!
Dry-Register9967@reddit
People
gwdope@reddit
Air speed sensors. They help determine when the shoot deploys when the seat ejects.
pattern_altitude@reddit
chute
Falcatta@reddit
When the chute shoots.
viperlemondemon@reddit
Pitot tubes for the seat
vanwinks@reddit
Lol... All of us crew chiefs on here finally got our chance to answer something 😂
Minute_Reflection_39@reddit
That's called a pilot
AdventurousClassroom@reddit
Spinal fluid release valve for high G maneuvers
Upsidedowngoofball@reddit
Pilots?
Negative-School@reddit
That’s the pilot
NotABot_00000@reddit
its a human
memeboiandy@reddit
that would be the pilot
gefahr@reddit
This is why everyone is so focused on UAVs. That thing sticking up is really ruining the sleek lines.
TetonExpress@reddit
Came to the comments to make sure this was posted, thanks for not disappointing.
VirtualComcrete@reddit
Pilots. Redundant in future scenarios but still relevant.
NotCook59@reddit
That’s a pilot.
Alveia@reddit
Looks like a black squiggly line someone drew in paint.
Slendernewt99@reddit
Most likely that they are canopy breakers. When the pilot uses an ejection seat the canopy either has to be jettisoned or broken for obvious reasons (see: Goose in Top Gun).
meesersloth@reddit
Those are pitot tubes. There is however, something in between the two pitot tubes called the crown. That is meant to break the canopy incase it doesn't jettison. I am not sure if the 16 has them but they use the same ejection seats as the 15 so it probably has it.
Vintheren90@reddit
F-16 has them, but I think on most seats these days they will pop out when ejecting.
Namor05@reddit
The canopy in top gun did jettison
memeboiandy@reddit
Based on the data, more Gooses have died from ejected canopies than unejected canopies 🥰
Vintheren90@reddit
That is a F-16 the whole canopy is jettisoned so no need for breakers. If the pilot eject the things circled in the picture measures the airspeed, when the speed is low enough it will separate the pilot from the seat and open the parachute.
CapableMarsupial9690@reddit
That’s called a pilot.
EWR-RampRat11-29@reddit
I thought that was a wire floating around, and someone missed that on the cockpit FOD inspection.
Aggressive-Lobster13@reddit
Environmental condition pitots to determine airspeed and altitude for proper ejection sequencing. https://www.ejectionsite.com/a10aces.htm
TheodoreK2@reddit
ACES II is the seat model of you want to do a deeper dive.