The F22 Raptor, the world’s most advanced fighter jet in service has more technological advancements than you can shake a stick at as showgoers will see on Thursday..
But, Oregon Aero has engineered its APECS (Advanced Performance Escape Cushion System) I Ejection Seat Cushion that has cured the age-old dilemma of the fighter pilot, a pain in the backside.
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“I was convinced ejection seats must have been made to hurt,” says the USAF’s Major Paul ‘Max’ Moga, F22 Raptor demo pilot. “I’ve been piloting high performance military jet aircraft for more than 11 years and I always accepted the unfortunate truth that flying wasn’t comfortable!
“Then I flew the Raptor. Whether it is under 9+Gs flying a demo or on a five-hour cross-country flight, the Oregon Aero cushion is so comfortable I don’t even notice it. I’m not concentrating on saving my back; I’m concentrating on flying the jet. It’s that good.”
Lieutenant Colonel Mike ‘Dozer’ Shower says: “The implications of this little seat – of all the things you can think of in an F22 – are tremendous.
The cushion’s design shifts the pilot’s hips and pelvis into the ideal sitting position, eliminating pain and ‘hot spots’ usually associated with long hours in the cockpit.
In testing the APECS I has kept spinal lumbar loads to less than 1,500lbs at up to 18.6Gs
Source: Flight International
