Seat, ejection

ejection seat

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From The Collection Of: Ingenium
Accession Number: 2021.0066
Discipline: Humanities
Classification: Aviation, Aircraft parts
Artist / Manufacturer: Martin-Baker Aircraft Co. Ltd., Martin Baker (manufacturer)
Date / Period: 1958 (creation date); 2021 (collection date); Ejection seats 5 and 6 were installed in the third Arrow built, RL-203, which came off the production line in September 1958 and reached supersonic speeds on its maiden flight. (period)
Place: Denham, United Kingdom (creation); Canada (use)
Brand / Model: 5 (model)
Description: Metal, synthetic and fabric

Metal sheets, riveted together to form a seat, which is painted black; synthetic and fabric components. Red, yellow and black striped synthetic handle located on top of headrest.

Mfr's plate near headrest "THIS EJECTION SEAT IS DESIGNED/ AND MADE BY THE/ MARTIN-BAKER AIRCRAFT Co. Ltd./ HIGHER DENHAN, BUCKS ENGLAND./ AND IS FULLY PATENTED IN ALL/ THE PRINCIPLE COUNTRIES OF THE/ WORLD. ALSO PATENTS PENDING. Mfr's plate "ASSY SERIAL 5/ AM. REF. [blank]/ MK. C5 ISSUE 9/ DRG. No. MBEU-8278/ INSPEC. [illegible]/ DATE 17-6-58". Mfr's plate "COMPnt No. 5/ AM. REF. [blank]/ MK. C5 ISSUE 7/ DRG. No. MBEU-8279/ INSPEC. [illegible]/ DATE 17-6-58". Mfr's plate "SERIAL No. 5/ MODIFICATIONS/ 620/ 685/ 650/ 653/ 658/ 656/ 652". Plate above reads "THE SEAT RAISING LEVER MUST/ NOT BE OPERATED WITHOUT AN OCCUPANT IN THE SEAT/ DUE TO TENSION OF THE/ COUNTERBALANCING SPRINGS". Incised on metal near headrest "MODS. 623 554".

Harness

none
History of Use: Developed during the Second World War, ejection seats are a critical aspect of pilot safety in military jets and test aircraft. In the event of emergency, pilots (and navigators in the past), can safely escape the aircraft.
Narrative: Taken from acquisition proposal "These seats were installed in one of most famous Canadian aircraft ever designed and developed. The cancellation of the Arrow and the eventual dissolution of A.V. Roe Canada continue to linger in the public memory and, one could argue, represent a formative aspect of Canadian aviation history. As A.V. Roe was the high-tech aviation firm in the country, its demise repre-sented a significant loss in this area of the aviation industry. Canada has not designed and built another military jet or supersonic aircraft since the Arrow was cancelled. These seats are part of the company’s and the aircraft’s legacy. Martin-Baker is still the world’s leading manufacturer of ejection seats and the company made ejection seats for the AVRO CF-100 Canuck, as well as for the Arrow. The company had a Canadian subsidiary located in Collingwood, Ont. in the 1950s.".

Taken from acquisition proposal " Ejection seats are a complex and critical element of safety in many types of aircraft. The purpose of an ejection seat is to lift a crewmember (in this case, the pilot or navigator) straight up and out of the cockpit, at a safe distance from the aircraft, and then deploy a parachute so that the crewmember can land safely on the ground. The entire process is meant to happen in seconds. The Avro Arrow had two separate cockpits for the pilot and the navigator. Each had a two-piece clam shell canopy that would be opened in the event of an emergency and the ejection process would be initiated by pulling an overhead firing handle or alternatively, the handle on the seat pan.".
See Elsewhere: ingenium.ca

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