CHAPTER 5 NAVY AIRCREW COMMON EJECTION SEAT (NACES)

CHAPTER 5 NAVY AIRCREW COMMON EJECTION SEAT (NACES) Chapter Objective: Upon completion of this chapter, you will have a working knowledge of the Navy Aircrew Common Ejection Seat (NACES), including functional description, physical description, component identification, and maintenance concepts. The incorporation of the Navy Aircrew Com- mon Ejection Seat (NACES) in Navy aircraft re- presents a significant improvement in ejection-seat design that takes advantage of the latest escape system technology. The NACES system gives the aircrew improved chances for escape in all ejection situations, reduced potential for injury, extended preventive maintenance intervals, and a significant reduction in life-cycle costs. This Martin-Baker ejection seat will be fitted to the new Grumman F-14D Tomcat, the McDonnel Douglas/British Aerospace T-45A Goshawk two-seat trainer, and the McDonnel Douglas F/A-18C and D aircraft. The purpose of the common ejection seat is to ease the logistics and maintenance problems on the Navy’s inventory of aircraft. The new seat will increase the standardization and reliability of aircraft emergency escape and aircrew and ground crew training. The electronically controlled NACES represents the state-of-the-art in escape system technology, and it has been selected as the future standard of the U.S. Navy. The NACES series was engineered from the outset for future growth potential. The ejection seat is designed for simple reprogramming or modification to ensure that it maintains current technology. As a senior AME, you already have the prere- quisite knowledge and experience to understand ejection seat theory. New ideas have been incorporated into the NACES. Now all that is required is your willingness to learn these new ideas so that NACES characteristics become as familiar as previous Martin-Baker ejection seats. SYSTEM DESCRIPTION AND COMPONENTS Learning Objective: Recognize the func- tional and physical description of the NA- CES and the components within the system. The NACES system uses a flexible configuration to meet the exact requirements of the crew station designer. Although this is a common ejection seat, the designator number for the seat versus aircraft types are different, as shown below. SEAT TYPE AIRCRAFT-LOCATION 1. SJU-17(V)1/A F/A-18C, F/A-18D, rear cockpit 2. SJU-17(V)2/A F/A-18D, front cockpit 3. SJU-17(V)3/A F-14D, rear cockpit 4. SJU-17(V)4/A F-14D, front cockpit 5. SJU-17(V)5/A T-45, rear cockpit 6. SJU-17(V)6/A T-45, front cockpit Although the physical description may differ between the seats used in the F-14D as compared to the F/A-18 and T-45 (fig. 5-1), the functions of all the seats are the same. In this chapter we will use the F/A-18 ejection seat to discuss system description, operation, function, and component identification. FUNCTIONAL DESCRIPTION WARNING The emergency escape system incorporates several explosive cartridges and rockets containing propellant charges. Inadvertent firing of any of these may result in serious or fatal injury to personnel on, or in the vicinity of, the aircraft. 5-1