Escape crew capsule 5748939 217775916 2008-06-07T16:51:06Z Unregistered.coward 4107785 /* Design and development */ <!-- Unsourced image removed: [[Image:Escape Capsule.jpg|thumb|right|300px|Crew escape module for the F-111A]] --> An '''escape crew capsule''' allows a [[Aviator|pilot]] (or [[astronaut]]) to escape from their craft while it is subjected to extreme conditions such as high speed or altitude. The crewman remains encapsulated and protected until such time as the external environment is suitable for direct exposure or the capsule reaches the ground. == Escape types == There are two ways to do this: # ejecting individual crew capsules (one for each pilot/crew member) or "capsule ejection", and # ejecting the entire crew cabin, or "cabin ejection". Some examples of U.S. Military aircraft that have escape crew capsules comprise:<ref name="Goodrich"> [http://showcase.netins.net/web/herker/ejection/eject_paper.html B.F.Goodrich - ''HISTORY OF AIRCRAFT ESCAPE SYSTEM PROPULSION'']</ref> * The [[B-58 Hustler]] and [[XB-70 Valkyrie]] had individual encapsulated seats. A cabin ejection for the XB-70 Valkyrie was also tested. * The [[F-111]] used cabin ejection where both side-by-side seats were in a single 3000 [[pound (mass)|lb]] (1360 kg) capsule.<ref>[http://www.ejectionsite.com/f111restore.htm Ejection Site - ''F-111 Aardvark'']</ref> * Three of the four [[B-1 Lancer#B-1A_program|B-1A]] prototypes also used cabin ejection. They had a single capsule "roughly the size of a mini-van" <ref name="Weber"> [http://www.ejectionsite.com/b1seat.htm Ejection Site - ''B-1A Lancer'']</ref> for all four crew members. == Design and development == The first escape capsule designed was for the U.S. Navy [[F4D Skyray]].<ref name="Goodrich"/> It was tested in 1951-52 but was never installed in the aircraft. The [[Bell X-2]], designed for flight in excess of Mach 3, could jettison the cockpit, though the pilot would still have to jump out and descend under his own parachute.<ref>[http://www.nasa.gov/centers/dryden/news/FactSheets/FS-079-DFRC.html NASA Dryden Research Fact Sheet - ''Bell X-2 Starbuster'']</ref> The first production aircraft with an escape crew capsule was the [[Mach number|Mach]] 2 B-58 bomber. The capsule was pressurized, sheltered the pilot from the airstream, and contained food and survival supplies. <ref> [http://www.aeromuseum.org/aircraft_b58.html Octave Chanute Aerospace Museum]</ref> <ref>[http://www.ejectionsite.com/eb58caps.htm Ejection Site - ''EB-58 Hustler'']</ref> The Mach 3 XB-70's two crew escape capsules did not work well the only time they were needed. On [[June 8]], [[1966]], XB-70 airframe AV/2 was involved in a mid-air crash with an [[F-104 Starfighter]]. Maj. Carl Cross's seat was unable to retract backwards into the escape capsule due to high-[[g-force|''g''-forces]] as the plane spiraled downwards. He died in the crash. Maj. [[Al White]]'s seat did retract but his elbow protruded from the capsule and blocked the closing clamshell doors. He struggled to free his trapped elbow. As soon as he freed the doors, he was ejected from the plane and descended by parachute as planned. However, due to pain and confusion, White failed to trigger the manually-activated airbag which would normally cushion the capsule upon landing. When the capsule hit the ground, White was subjected to an estimated 33 to 44 [[g-force|''g'']] (320 to 430 m/s²). He received serious injuries, but nevertheless survived. <ref> [http://area51specialprojects.com/xb70_crash.html Area 51 Special Projects -'' XB-70 Valkyrie Crash'']</ref> <ref>[http://www.nasa.gov/centers/dryden/news/FactSheets/FS-084-DFRC.html NASA Dryden Research Fact Sheet - ''XB-70'']</ref> <ref>[http://www.labiker.org/xb70.html Labiker XB-70]</ref> In the 1960s and 1970s, the F-111 and B-1A introduced the method of jettisoning the entire front fuselage as a means of crew escape. The crew remains strapped in the cabin, unencumbered by a parachute harness, while 27,000 [[pound-force|lbf]] (120 [[kilonewton|kN]]) of thrust from rockets pushes the module out into the air. Multiple large parachutes bring the capsule down, in a manner very similar to the [[Apollo spacecraft#Launch Escape System .28LES.29|Launch Escape System of the Apollo spacecraft]]. On landing, an [[airbag]] system cushions the landing. In the event of a water landing the airbag acts as a flotation device; on land, the airbag is also usable as a shelter. Only the F-111 retains this feature in service. Three of the four B-1A prototypes featured a single crew escape capsule for the crew members. For the fourth prototype and for the B-1B, this was changed to use conventional ejection seats. One source gives the reason "due to concerns about servicing the pyrotechnical components of the system,"<ref name = "Weber"/> while another says this was done "to save cost and weight."<ref>[http://www.globalsecurity.org/wmd/systems/b-1a.htm Global Security's B-1A Lancer]</ref> On August 29 1984, B-1A prototype #2 crashed and the capsule was ejected at low altitude. The parachute deployed improperly and one of the three crewmembers aboard died. <ref>[http://www.vectorsite.net/avb1.html Vector Site B-1B]</ref> <ref>[http://www.ejectionsite.com/b1amodule.htm Ejection Seat Site B-1A]</ref> For more information on the advantages and disadvantages of B-58/XB-70 style capsule ejection vs. F-111/B-1 style cabin ejection, see [[Space_Shuttle_abort_modes#Ejection_escape_systems|Space Shuttle abort modes]]. ==Ejection seats vs. escape crew capsules== [[Clarence Johnson|Kelly Johnson]], founder of [[Lockheed Corporation|Lockheed]] [[Skunk Works]], and developer of the [[Lockheed U-2|U-2]] and [[SR-71 Blackbird]] family of spy planes, commented on escape crew capsules when discussing development of the [[Lockheed YF-12|YF-12A]] (Blackbird) ejection seat: "We set ourselves a very high goal in providing crew escape systems. We were determined to develop a system good for zero escape velocity on the ground and through the complete flight spectrum, having speeds above Mach 3 at 100,000 feet. We did achieve our design goals.... I have never been convinced that a capsule ejection is required for anything other than high velocity re-entry from outer space. Our escape system in a very important sense really provides a capsule, which is the pressure suit, which is surely capable of meeting the speeds and temperatures likely to be encountered in the near future of manned aircraft."<ref> "Some Development Aspects of the YF-12A Interceptor Aircraft", Clarence "Kelly" Johnson, Vice President, Lockheed Aircraft Corporation, Burbank, California, July 1969. As quoted in Miller, Jay, "Lockheed Martin's Skunk Works", Midland Publishing Ltd., page 212, middle of column 2. </ref> ==See also== *[[Escape pod]] *[[Ejection seat]] *[[Launch escape system]] *[[Octave Chanute Aerospace Museum]] ==References== <references/> ==External links== *[http://www.thexhunters.com/xpeditions/b-1a_accident.html B-1 malfunction kills one, saves 2] *[http://www.f-111.net/F-111A/Combat-Lancer-F-111As-Introduction-to-War.htm F-111: Major Sandy Marquardt and Captain Joe Hodges rode the escape capsule down and landed safely] *[http://www.f-111.net/ejection.htm F-111.net ejection system overview] ==Popular culture== An escape crew capsule was also incorporated into some of Gerry Anderson's complex vehicles on the [[Thunderbirds (TV series)|''Thunderbirds'']] TV series. Also, in the TV series [[Babylon 5]] the [[Starfury]] space fighter appeared to demonstrate this capability. [[Category:Aircraft components]] [[Category:Safety equipment]] [[ja:モジュール式脱出装置]]