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Aviation History
1956
1956 - 0011.PDF
116 January 1956 FOLLAND EJECTOR SEAT "Dumbo" Willans Makes First Live Test A SUCCESSFUL live ejection has now been made with the**• Folland lightweight automatic ejector seat. The test took place over Netheravon airfield on December 21st, when Maj.T. W. ("Dumbo") Willans ejected from the rear cockpit of a modified Meteor 7 flown by Folland test pilot Dick Whittington.The ejection was made at an airspeed of 150 kt at 5,000ft, with a wind of 15 kt. The sky over the dropping zone was almostobscured by broken cloud and few, if any observers on the ground saw the actual ejection. All around were dark, heavy cloud-banks. The bang was heard and watchers caught sight of the open parachute at intervals before Willans finally emerged fromthe clouds. He landed well and truly on the airfield, and the seat fell some distance away. The Folland seat has a combined seat and parachute harnessspecially developed by G.Q. Parachute Co., Ltd., and the pilot wears the latest G.Q. 24ft lightweight canopy. About one secondafter ejection, the man is released from the seat; and, though both then have approximately the same drag, the seat is lighterand falls away behind him. Immediately after this, a small stabilizing parachute emerges from the main pack to steady theman in free fall and an emergency oxygen bottle in the pack is turned on. As soon as 10,000ft is reached in stabilized fall, abarometric device releases the main canopy. In the Netheravon test, of course, when the ejection was made below 10,000ft, theparachute was deployed straight away. A Folland leg-restraint has j. VV/7/ons. been designed but was not fitted onthis occasion. Firing is by pulling a handle above the head rest anddrawing a protective blind over the face. An alternative firing handleis located on the front of the seat pan. During the test the seatseparated after one second and the parachute was set to open threeseconds later in order to allow clear observation of the working of thevarious elements. The Folland seat has been developed under a M.o.S. contractand follows the general engineering principles of the Swedish Saab seat which has been in use by the Swedish Air Force sinceJuly 1943—and which, the company states, is believed to be the first of all modern ejector seats fired by an explosive charge. Withan 8-lb supporting structure attached to the aircraft, the new seat weighs only 47 lb. It is specified as standard equipmentfor the Folland Gnat. Major Willans is a well known parachutist and is Britishrepresentative on the parachuting committee of the Federation Aeronautique Internationale, technical sales executive of theG.Q. Parachute Co., Ltd., and chief instructor of the civilian parachute school at Denham, Bucks. The light, clean design of the Folland seat is apparent in these three photographs, one of which shows the face blind being grasped for firing. CANADIAN BRISTOL REORGANIZATION CINCE January 1st, in accordance with the preliminary^ announcement made some four months ago, the business of the Bristol Aeroplane Co., Ltd., has been known under itsthree new titles—Bristol Aircraft, Ltd., Bristol Aero-Engines, Ltd., and Bristol Cars, Ltd. On New Year's day it was announced that the Bristol Canadianinterests are undergoing a comparable reorganization. Hitherto, the company's affairs in Canada have been handledby two subsidiaries of the parent company—one controlling the original engine repair bases in Montreal and Vancouver andacting as the general sales organization, the other being respon- sible for the MacDonald Brothers' plant at Winnipeg. Under the re-arrangement now taking effect, the Montreal,Vancouver and Winnipeg centres will be controlled by one com- pany, the Bristol Aeroplane Company of Canada (1956) Ltd.,which will be a subsidiary of the parent company at Bristol. The offices of the new company will be at Montreal, and the directorswill be Sir Reginald Verdon Smith (chairman), R. J. Reynolds (president), A. Cdre. F. R. Banks, A.V-M. A. L. James, Col.P. P. Hutchinson, R. G. B. Dickson, W. R. C. Patrick and J. N. Baird. The Boards of the three operating companies will be as follows:Bristol Aero-Engines, Ltd. (Montreal).—Sir Reginald Verdon Smith (chairman), R. J. Reynolds (president), A.V-M. A. L. James (generalmanager), J. A. Limoges, D. R. McMaster. Bristol Aero Engines (Western), Ltd. (Vancouver).—Sir ReginaldVerdon Smith (chairman), R. J. Reynolds (president), J. H. Holt (general manager), W. R. C. Patrick, W. H. K. Edmonds.Bristol Aircraft (Western), Ltd. (Winnipeg).—Sir Reginald Verdon Smith (chairman), R. J. Reynolds (president), W. S. Haggett (generalmanager), R. G. B. Dickson, G. Lawson. The story of Bristol activities in Canada began over 25 yearsago, when the British company licensed Canadian Wright to overhaul and service Bristol engines in North America. In 1950an office was opened in Montreal (the Bristol Aeroplane Co. of Canada, Ltd.) and the Wright operations were supplemented bya new Bristol engine overhaul plant in Vancouver. In 1951 the company purchased Canadian Wright and, the following year,constructed a large, modern engine overhaul and test plant in Montreal North. The acquisition of the business of MacDonald Brothers Air-craft, Ltd., in 1954 expanded the Company's facilities to include manufacture of aero engine parts, and other aircraft components.
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