may retain an explosive residue capable of
presenting a hazardous condition. The ejection
seat, parachutes, and survival equipment with
installed CADs must be stored and handled by
authorized personnel only. They must be stored
and handled only in an area designated and
approved by the maintenance officer.
Safety devices and pins must be kept in good
condition and used only with the individual CAD
for which they were designed. When a loaded
cartridge-actuated device is not in use, the safety
device or pin must be installed. Substitute
materials must not be used to replace safety pins
installed in CADs. If inlet and outlet ports are
present in a CAD, they must be covered with a
protective cap. If a protective cap is not available,
you should use the shipping cap when the device
is not installed.
Except in an emergency and by proper
authority, CADs must not be installed in or
removed from aircraft during fueling or defuel-
ing operations.
CADs installed on or in ejection seats,
parachutes, or survival equipment that remain
installed during maintenance evolutions do not
require removal prior to storage in the
maintenance space. CADs removed from ejection
seats, parachutes, or survival equipment must be
properly safetied and protective caps and plugs
must be installed as required. Removed CADs
must be stored in a ready-service magazine
approved for Class C ammunition storage unless
they are required for reinstallation on the same
day; in which case, they must be stored in the area
approved by the maintenance officer.
Markings
When the sealed inner container of a CAD is
opened, all CADs in the container must be
stenciled with indelible ink to show the computed
container open date and expiration date. Before
inserting a cartridge in a cartridge-actuated device,
the cartridge expiration date must be checked to
ensure the cartridge will not become overage
before the next periodic maintenance of the air-
craft in which it is to be installed.
Problem Areas
The Naval Safety Center receives messages of
interest to AMEs. The following paragraphs
contain a few examples of some of the problems
that have been received by the safety center related
to ejection seats.
Several instances have been reported con-
cerning cartridges stuck in ejection seat systems.
This problem is not new, but it still warrants
concern as the problem still exists. Some of the
causes of stuck CADs are overtorquing during
installation, incorrect tools used for removal and
installation, and the use of incorrect seals or
lubricants. To avoid stuck CADs, you should
ensure that correct procedures and parts are
used during installation. If correct procedures are
followed, the CADs should not stick and removal
with the prescribed tool should be possible.
Another message described two ejection seats
that required 150 man-hours each to treat for
corrosion. This is a tremendous amount of time
to spend for corrosion control on ejection
seats. If a unit waits until a major inspection
cycle to treat a system for corrosion, it will
require extensive man-hours to remove corrosive
properties that have formed. Most metals will
corrode, but the corrosion can be controlled.
Remember, the 7-, 14-, and 28-day inspections
provide the opportunity to discover corrosive
areas and to treat them before they become
major problems.
Ejection seats and ejection system components
that have been used in an ejection or fired are
prohibited from being used to locally construct
squadron or unit training services. The policy of
the Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) is that
ejection seat maintenance and aircrew training will
be provided in a formally structured course of
instruction.
An aircraft’s ejection system is an aviator’s
last resort to save his/her life when disaster is
imminent. The system must be maintained with
the highest standards of workmanship possible.
ORDNANCE CERTIFICATION
PROGRAM
Learning Objective: Identify the reason for
the ordnance certification program.
All personnel involved in the handling,
preparation, inspection, or adjustment of live
ammunition must be qualified and certified for
the task involved in accordance with OPNAV-
INST 8023.2, as augmented by the fleet
commander, type commander, and NAVSEA
Instructions. Only reliable, mentally sound, and
physically fit personnel will be permitted to work
with or use explosives and ammunition. The
procedures and circumstances for revocation of
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