COMPONENTS Figure 6-2 shows the front and rear views of the ESCAPAC 1E-1 ejection seat assembly and its various components. Ejection Seat The ejection seat is the basic structure that supports the equipment and mechanisms necessary for crew member comfort and safety while in flight or during the ejection sequence. The seat and associated components are constructed almost entirely of aluminum. The seat is equipped with fixed window/hatch breakers at each top forward corner to permit seat ejection through a 1/4-inch stretched acrylic window or hatch. At the upper center of the seat are headrest cushions that provide cushioning for the safety and comfort of the crew member. On each side of the seat are three seat rollers, which allow for vertical height adjustment during normal condi- tions and upward travel during ejection. Extended seat bucket sides protect the crew member’s knees and legs from flailing during seat ejection. The seat structure supports the parachute assembly and survival kit. PRIMARY EJECTION CONTROL HAN- DLE.— The primary ejection control handle (face curtain) gives each crew member the means to manually initiate automatic seat ejection. The primary handle, which is an integral part of the nylon screen assembly, is connected through cables to the firing control disconnect assembly. The pivoted firing control disconnect provides a mechanical interlock between the primary and secondary ejection control handles. SECONDARY EJECTION CONTROL HANDLE.— The secondary ejection control han- dle is located on the front frame of the seat structure. A cable connects the handle to a dis- connect pulley assembly under the seat bucket. A second cable connects the disconnect pulley assembly to the firing control disconnect assembly at the top of the seat. EJECTION CONTROL SAFETY HAN- DLE.— To prevent accidental seat ejection, a safety handle (head knocker), when placed in the down-and-locked position, prevents inadvertent actuation of all component parts of the firing control mechanism. The safety handle is identified by a yellow and black decal that reads PULL OUT TO SAFETY EJECTION CONTROLS. A safety lock, incorporated in the safety handle, automatically locks the handle in the full-out position; the lock must be manually depressed before the safety handle can be moved to the up (recessed) position. POWER INERTIA REEL INITIATOR.— The inertia reel initiator is located on the rear left side of the seat, below and to the left of the inertia reel. The inertia reel initiator powers the inertia reel for automatic power retraction of the shoulder harness during the seat ejection sequence. The initiator gases discharge into a tubing segment that is filled with high-vacuum grease, and then into the inertia reel. POWER INERTIA REEL.— The inertia reel is centrally located in the upper part of the seat behind the headrest cushions. In the seat ejection sequence, the inertia reel provides automatic power retraction of the shoulder harness in preparation for seat ejection. The inertia reel facilitates voluntary forward movement of the crew member, and functions as a self-com- pensating restraint against involuntary forward movement resulting from excessive g-forces or other aircraft stresses. An inertia reel control handle on the left arm of the seat can be manually unlocked or locked to allow or prevent extension of shoulder harness straps. Two prestretched Dacron straps are part of the inertia reel. A flexible inertia reel cable couples the inertia reel to the inertia reel control handle. GYRO SPIN-UP GAS GENERATOR CAR- TRIDGE.— The gas generator is attached to the pitch stabilization control (STAPAC), which is located under the seat bucket. The gas generator powers the gyro spin-up actuator, and sub- sequently powers the sear cam piston. The gas generator is a percussion-ignited device that is fired by ballistic gas pressure ported from the rocket catapult when the rocket portion fires. VERNIER ROCKET.— The vernier rocket is a mechanically fired rocket motor located across and under the seat bucket; the vernier rocket is part of the pitch stabilization control unit. The gas generator powers the sear cam piston to fire the vernier rocket, whose rotation is controlled by the pitch rate gyro. PITCH STABILIZATION CONTROL (STAPAC).— A unique but simple STAPAC stabilizes the seat during conditions of large center of gravity (cg) main rocket thrust misalignment, and high aerodynamically induced pitch torque. The STAPAC, located under the seat bucket, operates from the time the seat leaves the guide rails until after rocket sustainer burnout. The STAPAC consists of a mechanically fired vernier 6-4