Martin Baker Aircraft to be prosecuted
Discussion
It appears a known fault on their ejector seats caused the death of a Red Arrows pilot.
Daily Mail said:
Flt Lt Cunningham died on November 8, 2011, when the ejection seat suddenly engaged while his Hawk T1 aircraft was still on the runway.
The Iraq veteran was hurled up to 300ft into the air before plunging to the ground at the RAF aerobatics team's base at RAF Scampton, near Lincoln.
The main parachute on the Mk 10 Martin Baker seat, which should have saved his life, failed to deploy and he suffered multiple injuries.
His inquest in 2014 heard that to trigger the 1960s ejection seat pilots must pull the firing handle - fitted between their legs - sharply upwards.
But tests since the tragedy revealed that if the handle was 'locked' in a certain position, a slight downward pressure could unexpectedly launch the ejection seat, the inquest was told.
It was claimed that dangers with the ejection seat were known by manufacturers but never passed on to the Ministry of Defence.
How on earth could they be aware yet do nothing about it and how tragic The Iraq veteran was hurled up to 300ft into the air before plunging to the ground at the RAF aerobatics team's base at RAF Scampton, near Lincoln.
The main parachute on the Mk 10 Martin Baker seat, which should have saved his life, failed to deploy and he suffered multiple injuries.
His inquest in 2014 heard that to trigger the 1960s ejection seat pilots must pull the firing handle - fitted between their legs - sharply upwards.
But tests since the tragedy revealed that if the handle was 'locked' in a certain position, a slight downward pressure could unexpectedly launch the ejection seat, the inquest was told.
It was claimed that dangers with the ejection seat were known by manufacturers but never passed on to the Ministry of Defence.
I suppose (maybe) you need to make an example to ensure other manufacturers redesign parts quickly rather than knowing and doing nothing.
It appears had they acted sooner perhaps he almost certainly wouldn't have lost his life that day.
Not sure personally it's just 's
t happens'. I would suggest we'd all be pretty upset if I knew a manufacturer hadn't bothered to sort out a known and clearly dangerous fault and a relative died as a result!
It appears had they acted sooner perhaps he almost certainly wouldn't have lost his life that day.
Not sure personally it's just 's
t happens'. I would suggest we'd all be pretty upset if I knew a manufacturer hadn't bothered to sort out a known and clearly dangerous fault and a relative died as a result!
Gassing Station | Boats, Planes & Trains | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff