One fighter plane Brazilian Air Force (FAB) fell on the afternoon of this Tuesday (22) in the metropolitan region of Natal, in Rio Grande do Norte, during a training flight. The pilot used the aircraft’s ejection system and was rescued alive . Understand below how the ejection system works.
The ejector tool can be used in emergency cases with military aircraft and is considered safe to save the person controlling the vehicle in critical moments.
According to Annibal Hetem, professor of Propulsion at the Aerospace Engineering course at the Federal University of ABC (UFABC), this device installed on the seat of supersonic fighters resembles rocket engines and provides momentum to send the crew member as far away from the aircraft as possible.
“In addition to activating the ejection seat, the ‘roof’ (or windows) above the pilot are also ejected with explosive devices. The use of rockets and explosive devices is imperative for the operation to occur at the appropriate speed,” Hetem tells CNN .
“It is important that the pilot has specific training to support this maneuver”, he ponders.
Even though it is considered safe to save the life of a crew member at risk of collision or failure, this It’s an extreme measure . “It is not without risks, as ejection can cause injuries, especially if it occurs at very high speeds”, explains the professor.
“Among the most common problems are bone fractures, spinal compression and injuries to the neck or spine due to accelerated ejection.”
The pilot ejection system only exists in fighters not applicable to aircraft for commercial flights — used by civilians for daily travel.
Commercial vehicles have other strategies and tools to save passengers and riders in accidents.
“In case of emergency [em voos comerciais]passengers leave [da aeronave] through the emergency exits using inflatable slides, which allow quick and safe evacuation after landing”, comments Hetem.
According to the professor, ejector devices are not used in vehicles that make commercial flights because “they would be impractical for passenger planes due to the size of the aircraft, the number of passengers and the need for collective safety in emergency situations.”
This content was originally published in FAB plane accident: find out how the aircraft’s ejector system works on the CNN Brasil website.
Source: CNN Brasil
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