Lead Extrusions Lift Pilots Out of Harm's Way
Posted by
Tom Trisco on Mon, Oct 31, 2011 @ 07:00 AM
Last week I wrote about emergencies that force jet-fighter pilots to bail out. As mentioned, lead products, typically lead extrusions that contain the explosive charge, is a common way to blast the canopy out of the way so the pilot can safely escape. But that’s only half the story.
As the canopy is sailing out of the way, another, more powerful explosive charge is needed to eject the seat—and the pilot sitting in it—out of harm’s way. In this instance as well, the material lead is typically selected for extruding the tube-like structures that contains the explosive charge designed to eject the seat and pilot.
Because lead has mechanical properties that facilitate a well-controlled explosion and precise blast direction, it is the material of choice for these applications. Lead products work best due to a combination of in-use performance characteristics, manufacturability and affordability. Lead helps meet the basic objective of giving a pilot the best chance to survive the ejection process.
In fact, since first being proposed in the 1920s by a Romanian inventor, and perfected in the 1940s by a British firm, seat-ejection systems have saved more than 7,300 lives. The success of this technology is one reason the systems are installed in the aircraft of more than 90 air forces around the world.
In addition to saving lives, the systems undoubtedly also contribute to saving aircraft or crashing them without collateral damage. Many emergencies can be brought under control by skilled pilots—if they have enough time. Often they do because some of these systems can still be safely activated at altitudes as low as 150 feet.
If the situation cannot be corrected by the time the aircraft starts nearing that altitude, there is still time to eject.
So we can add this story to our growing list of applications where lead plays a role in protecting people and saving lives.
Until my next posting, feel free to visit our website and learn more about Vulcan’s lead products and lead processes: www.vulcangms.com
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