A siege specialist in the French Air Force for over 25 years, I have had the opportunity to work on different types of “Martin-Baker” seats. A few years ago, working within DGA EV, an event reminded me of the danger of this equipment and the importance of knowing precisely how it works.
On departing for the flight, the plane turned around due to a problem with the seat handle. It was out of its accommodation and the crew could not put it back.
After identifying the problem, I intervened in the “out of safety” seat so that I could unlock the handle, reposition it and secure the seat to allow the occupant to exit.
An intervention that marked me greatly and that I will remember for a long time.
