Help with ejection seat!

looksee

Sorry about the enormous photos, but can anyone tell me anything about this object (ejector seat) found in a garage? Is it dangerous to handle, it could be anything from around 15 to 40 years old.

An elderly relative found this when she finally got round to sorting the garage after her husband passed away. She had not been into the garage in decades - 40 or 50 years - and in the process of sorting out the mountains of junk, tools etc, found this. She has contacted (this is in the UK) the police, the fire-brigade and the army, none of them are interested. Does anyone have any suggestions about what kind of agenct would take it, would it be dodgy to move, what is in it that would create the 'explosion' that would eject a seat? Would it be safe to put it in the car and take it to the tip?

Thanks for any help.

con747

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058379954/help-with-ejection-seat

Would aviation breakers be interested?

https://planereclaimers.aero/

looksee

Good idea, thanks, have contacted them.

mickdw

Would be a shame to dump it.

Plenty aviation people would love that.

banie01

That looks like a roller case rather than an ejector seat. I appreciate the custodian might be concerned re: risk but, are there any other photos?

An ejector seat is a fairly substantial piece of equipment. At the very least the seat and the rear are full length and included a headrest and substantial behind rear framing. The photos in the OP done seem to show any of that.

Regarding what cause the ejection/danger, 2 main types of ejection system are rocket and explosive. Rocket being more common. Most seats are designed to propel the seat and pilot to a safe parachute deployment altitude from 0 speed & 0 altitude they are quite powerful pyrotechnic devices.

Now I'm basing my idea of scale on the 2 visible handles on the case. It appears to be consistent in size with a cabin sized suitcase rather than an actual ejector seat.

The stickers, are just that stickers IMO. They are quite common and can actually be bought on Amazon, and many car enthusiast sites too.

Now, that said? If the previous owner was in the RAF or FAA? He may have taken home a couple of seat motors/pyrotechnics as a souvenir and stickered up the case (sensibly) but based on just the 2 photos shown?

It's not an ejector seat but there's a possibility, a slight one that it may contain pyrotechnics.

looksee

I was wondering myself how that smallish box was a seat, but know nothing about it. The husband had nothing to do with aviation, we have not the least idea where it came from. It is currently a bit inaccessible in the garage as there is still so much other stuff, and she does not want to wrestle it out because she does not know how much abuse it would take. There is a bit of a yak shaving situation with the other stuff, you can't move this till that has been moved (including a totally immobile mobility scooter that will have to be lifted out by loads of muscle, which is not currently available to her).

It does look a bit like a cabin bag, but it looks far too heavyn and substantial to just be an ordinary bag.

That particular case does not appear to relate directly to any of the photos of seats, it is possible, as banie has said, that it is not an ejector seat at all, but that does not solve her problem.

Any further thoughts gratefully received.

banie01

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122817367#Comment_122817367

That type & style of case is known as a flight case and was commonly used for transporting electronic equipment and camera equipment and lenses in the days those type of things were far more temperamental and fragile than they are these days. Anything fragile that needed transportation would find itself in a flight case with foam inserts cut to fit. Flight cases are common but less and less used these days due to everything bar lenses becoming lighter and more insensitive to bumps.

That could also account for the weight of the case too, old electronics are heavy.

looksee

That's a good point. I have no idea how heavy the contents might be, its always possible that it could be empty of course. I will pass on your information and wait and see what the aviation breakers come back with.

banie01

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122817459#Comment_122817459

An example of the stickers on the case being available for sale.

https://www.ebay.ie/itm/320271159915

&

https://sierrahotel.net/products/danger-arrow-red-left

Hope that helps allay any worries for your relative.

looksee

Thanks, that's an angle that neither of us had considered, and it does seem quite likely given that it really does not look like any of the ejector seats shown. I will pass the information on.

looksee

I have passed the messages on, many thanks! I suggested she contact someone like Age Concern or Citizens Advice or her local Councillor and see if any of them can come up with suggestions. It may well be nothing to worry about, she says it is heavy - I didn't realise she had tested the weight - but I don't think I would be too happy about interfering with it.

sbs2010

I saw the thread title and thought even a very quick reply isn't gonna help this guy!

looksee

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122818221#Comment_122818221

I read this post out to the family and everyone is in a heap laughing!

Psychlops

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058379954/help-with-ejection-seat

Clearly that is a suitcase.

Hotblack Desiato

Reminds me of the time in the late 1970s when some small plastic containers with radioactive material symbols on them were found in a garden in the UK. Massive hullaballoo, authorities called out etc etc before the area was eventually declared safe. Was a news item on John Craven's Newsround.

The little plastic containers were from a Space:1999 toy set, and of course entirely harmless. They stopped putting radioactive material stickers on them after that.

This case has some (badly) faked stickers on it, one way of making your case look distinctive on the luggage carousel I suppose.

looksee

Yes, I think you are right, though the fake stickers would have been out of character for the deceased husband, and the relative is a bit overwhelmed by the sheer quantity of clearing and sorting she has been left with. It is still there, her son will be coming at some stage - he lives a long distance away - and he will have a look at it. I will let you know the outcome. Thanks for all your help.