News from the Aviation Medical Research Institute of the PLA Air Force has it that a new type of rocket ejection seat has been successfully developed and adapted to new fighters to fit for the weight and figure changes of pilots. From now on, pilots encountering dangers have a more reliable "life savior" when fleeing for life in danger.

After the new fighter planes were equipped, officers and soldiers in the aviation unit found that the currently used rocket ejection seats had certain problems as such that their design relied on antiquated data and the acceptance rate of power stability adjustment was relatively low. They were unable to satisfy the bailout need of pilots in the new type of jet fighters.

It was learned that the technical parameters of the rocket ejection seat currently used in various Chinese planes were established according to the bodies of pilots in the 1970s. As living standards improved the body weight, figure and the gravity center of pilots changed accordingly. If rocket ejection seats were not adjusted to these changes it might happen that the seat system would spin violently once the pilot was ejected out of the cockpit in case of emergency, causing an instant coma of the pilot, who would then be unable to control the escaping system. It might also cause the winding up of the pilot, seat and parachute, incurring the destruction of both the seat and the life of the pilot.

The development of new rocket ejection seats therefore became imperative under the situation. Wang Xingwei, a postdoctoral researcher, and deputy director of the 6th Research Office of the Aviation Medical Research Institute, together with his fellow researchers designed and developed an equipment of gravity center measurement for pilot to fit in the seat, thereby solving properly the accurate measurement of pilot-seat gravity center. According to the requirement of actual ejection situation they collected human figure data from more than 100 pilots as well as data on gravity center of pilot-seat assembly. All these provided objective, accurate and reliable data for designing new rocket ejection seat featuring Chinese characteristics.

Through repeated analysis and verification they found that the rectangular distribution model for gravity center of pilot-seat assembly, which had been used for scores of years, was inaccurate. They put forward a new gravity center distribution model and developed new power stability adjustment technology based on this model.

It has proved in flight practices 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. The chances for pilots to open parachutes and realize a successful escapement from aircraft have therefore been greatly increased. This research finding has also enabled the ejection seat to accommodate more weight of the pilot. Some excellent pilots who had to stop flying in the past due to the increase of their body weight can fly again now, which has helped the air force to preserve more effective combat strength.

It was learned that the new rocket ejection seat has been widely adopted by various main fighters of the PLA air force.

(People's Daily April 15, 2004)