Using the GPS To Collect Trajectory Data for Ejection Seat Design, Validation, and Testing

Reece Tredway, Mikel Miller and John Raquet

Abstract:	The dynamic characteristics of an aircraft ejection seat are of crucial concern when evaluating aircraft ejection systems and their ability to safely separate aircrew members from disabled aircraft. Every ejection seat model undergoes real-time dynamic tests to determine potential injury to aircrew members during ejection. Ejection seat tests are conducted at the High-Speed Test Track near Holloman AFB, New Mexico. The test facility consists of a 50,000-foot long track and provides the required telemetry and high-speed photography to monitor and validate the aircraft escape system performance. Test and evaluation of the ejection seat requires very accurate determination of the position and velocity profiles during each test run to determine the relative positions between the aircraft, ejection seat, manikin, and the ground. Current test and evaluation systems rely on expensive camera systems to determine the position and velocity profiles [2]. This paper presents design and initial test results from a new GPS-based system capable of monitoring all major ejection-test components. Small, low-power, lightweight GPS receivers, capable of handling high accelerations, are mounted on the manikin and/or ejection seat to obtain the position and velocity during the ejection sequence. The goal of the research is to augment the current video systems with a differential GPS-based measurement system. The differential GPS-based system should meet or exceed the accuracy of the high-speed film and video systems.
Published in:	Proceedings of the 14th International Technical Meeting of the Satellite Division of The Institute of Navigation (ION GPS 2001) September 11 - 14, 2001 Salt Palace Convention Center Salt Lake City, UT
Pages:	610 - 616
Cite this article:	Tredway, Reece, Miller, Mikel, Raquet, John, "Using the GPS To Collect Trajectory Data for Ejection Seat Design, Validation, and Testing," Proceedings of the 14th International Technical Meeting of the Satellite Division of The Institute of Navigation (ION GPS 2001), Salt Lake City, UT, September 2001, pp. 610-616.
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