EJECTION SEAT (STANDARD AND IMPROVED)
The F-5E is equipped with either the Standard or improved rocket catapult ejection seat. The F-5F (each cockpit), is equipped with the improved rocket catapult ejection seat. Both type seats include: a seat adjusting unit and control switch, an automatic-opening safety belt, shoulder harness, inertia reel locking lever, headrest, canopy piercer, calf guard, two leg braces, two catapult firing triggers, a jettison initiator, a survival kit container, a man-seat separator system, and a sequenced seat ejection system (F only). The Improved seat additionally includes a drogue chute, which stabilizes the seat (and pilot) during ejection. Either seat will eject thru the canopy if canopy jettison fails. See section III for ejection envelopes and escape parameters.
Leg braces
Leg braces with handgrips incorporating firing triggers are interconnected and attached to the seat. Raising the leg braces to the fully up and locked position with the handgrips kicks the shoulder harness (E only) and exposes the firing triggers. After the leg braces have been raised to the locked position, they cannot be lowered to the stowed position.
NOTE
With the seat fully down and the leg braces raised, space between the firing triggers and consoles is severely reduced.
Inertia Reel Lock
An inertia reel lock consisting of a reel (F gas-driven power reel) and cable attachment provides mechanical locking and unlocking of the shoulder harness controlled by an inertia reel lock lever. With the harness locked, (LOCK position) any slack remaining in the harness can be reduced by sitting back in the seat. The slack will then be reeled in to assume a new locked position. When unlocked, (AUTO position) the harness is free to reel in and out. A rapid acceleration of 3g or more will automatically lock the reel and keep it locked until the lock lever is cycled. In the E, when the handgrips are raised, the shoulder harness is locked. In the F, when the firing triggers are squeezed, the power-reel is actuated causing the shoulder harness to be forcibly retracted and restrained by gas pressure, regardless of the position of the lock lever.
Automatic-Opening Safety Belt
The ejection seat is equipped with an HBU safety belt. The belt incorporates a 1-second (.65 second in the Improved seat) delay initiator to provide automatic opening of the best during ejection. Use of the automatic-opening feature of the belt decreases seat separation and parachute deployment time, which reduces the altitude required for safe ejection. The buckle on the left half of the belt incorporates a rotary latch mechanism consisting of a belt latch, lanyard latch, interlock device, and a serrated manual release handle spring-loaded to the locked position. The interlock device prevents fastening the belt without first attaching the automatic parachute arming lanyard into the lanyard latch. Actuation of the handle is not necessary when manually attaching the lanyard anchor and connecting the right half of the belt. Full counterclockwise rotation of the manual release handle releases the lanyard anchor and the belt link. See figure 1-69 for proper connection and operation.
Man-Seat Separator
The man-seat separator is an inverted Y-shaped Web strap assembly routed along the back of the ejection seat. The upper end of the strap is attached to a gas-operated ballistic reel behind the headrest and the lower end of the straps are routed under the survival kit and attached to the forward edge of the seat bucket. During ejection, high pressure gas from the safety belt initiator activates the ballistic reel, which draws the Web straps taut, forcing the survival kit and pilot to separate from the seat.
Anti-G Suit Hose
The anti-G hose on the left side of the seat next to the headrest (figures 1-67 and 1-68) is held in the stowed position by a flexible spring. A spring-loaded dust cover on the end of the hose must be opened to insert the anti-G suit hose connector.
Parachute
The ejection seat may be equipped with either the BA-22 or BA-25 personnel parachute. The ejection seat is compatible with either parachute; however, the BA-22 parachute equipped with a zero-delay lanyard must have the lanyard attached to provide a similar minimum altitude ejection (below 2000 feet AGL) capability (see section III).
BA-22
The BA-22 automatic-opening parachute can be equipped with either an aneroid device incorporating a 1-second delay timer or a .25-second delay timer connected to the parachute arming lanyard. The BA-22 parachute with 1-second delay timer is also equipped with a zero-delay lanyard to the automatic-opening safety belt connects the parachute arming lanyard and timer. The zero-delay lanyard, connects the safety belt and the parachute ripcord to bypass timer operation. Major differences of the BA-22 parachute which affect ejection performance are:
- Zero-delay lanyard (if installed) must be attached for optimum low-altitude ejection, but disconnected for ejection above 2000 feet above ground level (AGL).
- BA-22 does not permit use of the automatic deployment feature of the survival kit unless the parachute has been modified with a survival kit auto-release cable. With an unmodified parachute, the AUTO/MANUAL selector on the survival kit must be at MANUAL for ejection, and the survival kit must be deployed manually after ejection.
BA-25
The BA-25 automatic-opening parachute is equipped with an aneroid device incorporating a .25-second delay timer connected to a parachute arming lanyard. Connecting the parachute arming lanyard to the automatic-opening safety belt connects the parachute arming lanyard and timer.
High altitude ejection
Above a preset altitude, the aneroid will delay automatic opening of the parachute until the occupant free-falls to the preset altitude. At or below the preset altitude, only the timer function is required to deploy the parachute.
Ejection Sequence E
Standard seat
Canopy jettison followed by seat ejection is initiated by raising handgrips. This action exposes the catapult firing triggers and automatically locks the shoulder harness inertial reel. Squeezing either or both triggers jettisons the canopy, and seat ejection occurs .3 second later. Accompanying this action, the seat adjuster power cable and personal leads are disconnected, the calf guard is lowered into position, and the automatic safety belt 1-second delay initiator is activated. Following the 1-second delay the initiator fires; subsequent pressure buildup opens the safety belt and also actuates the man-seat separator, forcing the crewmember from the ejection seat. The open safety belt releases the shoulder harness straps but retains the parachute arming lanyard. With the zero delay lanyard hook stowed, the parachute arming lanyard arms the parachute aneroid and timer device as the crewmember separates from the seat. Above a preset altitude, the aneroid will delay automatic opening of the parachute until the crewmember free falls to the preset altitude. At or below the preset altitude, only the timer function is required to deploy the parachute. With the zero delay lanyard hook attached to the parachute ripcord handle, the parachute arming lanyard and zero-delay lanyard pull the parachute ripcord. See section II for proper connection of the zero-delay lanyard and to section III for the proper use of ejection equipment.
WARNING
The zero-delay lanyard must be disconnected and stowed when operating at high altitudes to permit the automatic parachute aneroid and timer to function.
Improved seat
The Improved seat ejection sequence functions in basically the same manner as the Standard seat, except that the automatic safety belt .65-second delay initiator is activated during seat/aircraft separation. After the seat has left the cockpit, the drogue chute deploys to stabilize the seat, and the safety belt initiator fires, opening the safety belt and actuating the man-seat separator. As the crewmember separates from the seat, the parachute arming lanyard arms the parachute aneroid and timer device. Above a preset altitude, the aneroid will delay automatic opening of the parachute until the crewmember free-falls to the preset altitude. At or below the preset altitude, only the timer function is required to deploy the parachute. When the BA-22 parachute is used and with the zero delay lanyard hook attached to the parachute ripcord handle, the parachute arming lanyard and zero-delay lanyard pull the parachute ripcord. See section II for proper connection of the zero-delay lanyard and to section III for the proper use of ejection equipment.
WARNING
The zero-delay lanyard must be disconnected and stowed when operating at high altitudes to permit the automatic parachute aneroid and timer to function.
Ejection Sequence F
The F is equipped with a sequenced seat ejection system for automatic or manual ejection of either the front or rear ejection seat, independently or to sequence. Seat ejection sequence is determined by the positioning of an ejection sequence selector on the rear cockpit pedestal (figure 1-68) and whether the ejection is initial in the front or rear cockpit. A forcible pull of the selector is required to select either of three positions: SOLO, NORMAL, or DUAL.
Selector at SOLO
With the sequence selector at SOLO, no automatic ejections sequencing is provided. The ejection must be initiated separately for each seat. Squeezing the firing trigger(s) jettisons the canopy and retracts the shoulder harness. The seat will eject .3 second after firing trigger squeeze. With SOSO selected, the two crewmembers in the aircraft, the rear seat should eject first. The front seat should initiate ejection 1 second after rear seal ejection.
WARNING
With the ejection sequence selector in SOLO position and both cockpits occupied, intercockpit coordination is required to avoid seat collision after ejection.
Selector at NORMAL
With the selector at NORMAL, ejection sequence is determined by the crewmember initiating the ejection when the firing trigger(s) are squeezed. If rear seat ejects first, both seats must eject independently. If the ejection is initiated in the front cockpit, the rear cockpit canopy will be jettisoned and the shoulder harness will retract, .3 seconds later, the rear sweat will eject. The front cockpit canopy will be jettisoned and the shoulder harness of the front seat will retract .45 second after the rear seat ejects. The front seat will eject .3 second after the shoulder harness retracts. If the ejection is initiated in the rear cockpit, only the rear seat will eject. The front cockpit crewmember must eject independently.
Selector at DUAL
With the selector at DUAL, when ejection is initiated in either cockpit by raising the handgrips and squeezing the firing trigger(s), the rear cockpit canopy will be jettisoned and the shoulder harness will retract, .3 second later, the rear seat will eject. The front cockpit canopy will be jettisoned and the shoulder harness of the front ejection seat will retract .45 second after rear seat ejects. The front cockpit seat ejects .3 second after shoulder harness retracts.
NOTE
To ensure positive selection of SOLO or DUAL positions, pull selector full aft and rotate beyond detent positions (override marking provided) and push selector full forward. Selector will automatically detent in selected position.
Seat ejection
When ejection occurs, the seat adjuster power cable, the personal leads, and the sequenced ejection dual gas-coupling are disconnected, the calf guard is lowered into position, and the automatic safety belt .65-second delay initiator is activated. After the seat leaves the cockpit, the drogue chute deploys to stabilize the seat, and the safety belt initiator fires, opening the safety belt and actuating the man-seat separator. The open safety belt releases the shoulder harness straps but retains the parachute arming lanyard. The man-seat separator strap assembly is drawn ??, separating the crewmember from the seat. As the crewmember separates from the seat, the parachute arming lanyard arms the parachute aneroid and timer device. Above a preset altitude, the aneroid will delay automatic opening of the parachute until the crewmember free-falls to the preset altitude. At or below the preset altitude, only the timer function is required to deploy the parachute. With the zero delay lanyard hook attached to the parachute ripcord handle, the parachute arming lanyard and zero-delay lanyard pull the parachute ripcord. See section II for proper connection of the zero-delay lanyard and to section III for the proper use of ejection equipment.
WARNING
The zero-delay lanyard must be disconnected and stowed when operating at high altitudes to permit the automatic parachute aneroid and timer to function.
