ESCAPES FROM SINKING JET AIRCRAFT COCKPITS

The report presents the findings derived from a large series of underwater escapes, performed both at New London and at Key West. The purpose of these tests was to determine, as a part of a NavDevCen Project, whether it would be possible for a pilot to make an unassisted escape from various jet cockpit assemblies, in simulated nose-sink and tail-sink attitudes, with canopy on and off, and increasing sink-rates up to a maximum of seven knots. The necessary simulated conditions were achieved by securing the cockpit assembly to be tested on the afterdeck of a submarine, which then submerged, with the test subject in the cockpit, and reached the designated underwater speeds, at which time the test subject attempted to make an egress. In all, about forty egresses were completed without serious casualty. As a result of this escape series, it would appear that the pilot, if trained in buoyant ascent, and not severely disables, should be able to escape from these types of jet aircraft at maximum sink-rates. (Author)