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USAF take-off and landing ejections, 1973-85.

G W McCarthy1

  • 1USAF Hospital Misawa, Japan.

Aviation, Space, and Environmental Medicine
|April 1, 1988
PubMed
Summary

Ejecting from aircraft during takeoff or landing is as safe as ejecting above 500 feet. This review found no significant increase in injury or death risk for ground-level ejections, offering better survival than ground egress.

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Area of Science:

  • Aviation Safety
  • Aerospace Medicine
  • Accident Analysis

Background:

  • Ejection seat systems are critical for aircrew survival during emergencies.
  • Previous assumptions suggested lower altitude ejections, especially near the ground, increase injury risk.
  • Understanding risks associated with ground-level ejections is vital for improving safety protocols.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To analyze ejection data from 1973-1985 to determine if ground-level take-off and landing ejections pose an increased risk of injury or death.
  • To compare survival and injury rates for ground ejections versus ejections at higher altitudes.
  • To assess the performance of ejection systems during ground-level emergencies.

Main Methods:

  • Review of ejection data from 1973 to 1985, focusing on cases requiring a choice between ground egress and ejection.
  • Identification of 15 aircraft and 25 crewmembers involved in such ejections.
  • Analysis of survival rates, injury types (specifically spinal compression fractures), and ejection system performance.

Main Results:

  • Ejection systems performed as designed in 91% of cases.
  • A survival rate of 86% was observed, with 3 crewmembers killed.
  • Major injury rate was 21% (spinal compression fractures), with no significant difference compared to ejections above 500 ft (p < 0.05).

Conclusions:

  • Ejection during take-off and landing phases is as safe as ejection above 500 ft.
  • Ground-level ejection does not result in excess injury rates compared to higher altitude ejections.
  • In emergencies, ejection significantly increases survival chances compared to ground egress.

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