# Ejection seats that orient themselves "up" relative to Earth **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 1, 2016, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ejection-seats-that-orient-themselves-up-relative-to-earth/741902 "2016-01-01T15:17:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2016, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ejection-seats-that-orient-themselves-up-relative-to-earth/741902/21 "2016-01-02T18:42:27Z")
As I suspected there is some [joint testing](http://www.ejectionsite.com/k36seat.htm) of the Russian ejection system. Given that we use Russian rocket engines to lift satellites into orbit it’s not surprising we’re looking at some of their other technology. Check out the picture of the rocket sled with 20 degree yaw. ---
**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2016, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ejection-seats-that-orient-themselves-up-relative-to-earth/741902/22 "2016-01-02T19:25:29Z")
What is “stabilization” to avoid tumbling–which before post I thought was post eject (not that I knew it then either)? ---
**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2016, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ejection-seats-that-orient-themselves-up-relative-to-earth/741902/23 "2016-01-02T19:28:45Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > … > When the aircraft commander says “eject” that’s an order. When anybody else days it, its a suggestion. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2016, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ejection-seats-that-orient-themselves-up-relative-to-earth/741902/24 "2016-01-02T19:55:07Z")
> [@Leo\_Bloom](#): > > What is “stabilization” to avoid tumbling–which before post I thought was post eject (not that I knew it then either)? If you’re tumbling when the drogue chute deploys then you’ll get tangled up in the parachute. virtually any military airplane is operating at speeds that will make exiting them a violent event. It’s essential that the pilot remain oriented long enough for the drogue chute to deploy which then orients the pilot in stabilized trajectory so the main chute deploys smoothly. this all happens in a fraction of a second. ---
**Author:** ![smithsb](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smithsb/32/12107_2.png) [@smithsb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smithsb)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2016, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ejection-seats-that-orient-themselves-up-relative-to-earth/741902/25 "2016-01-02T21:42:42Z")
Google up: “ejection seat sled testing” for videos and images of ejection porn. A lot of these tests had actual humans aboard, not just dummies (inert dummies - don’t get carried away here). This site has a good history of US development: [A History of Military Aircraft Egress Systems (Part Two of Three) (article) by Kalikiano Kalei on AuthorsDen](http://www.authorsden.com/categories/article_top.asp?catid=73&id=36727) As an old ammo guy, it was fascinating how many explosive devices were involved in a aircrew ejection sequence. CADs and PADs (cartridge and propellant actuated devices). Canopy cutters and ejectors, reels for feet, cutters for air/commo gear, pre-tensioners, catapults, rocket motors, etc… All with near 100% reliability requirements. The CAD/PADs all have shelf life and installed life limits logged into the aircraft maintenance records. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ejection-seats-that-orient-themselves-up-relative-to-earth/741902.md?page=1)