101. Mr. Lucasasked the Minister of Supply on what basis it was decided that live testing of pilot ejection seats from aircraft should not be called for by his Department; and to what extent he had 168W consultations with the Air Ministry in this matter.
§ Mr. G. R. StraussPlanned live testing of an ejection seat does not fully reproduce the conditions of an emergency and consequently its value is limited in relation to the risks involved. It has not, therefore, been the practice of my Department to expose men to these risks by calling for such a test. On the second part of the Question, live ejections were, in fact, carried out by the makers of the type of seat which has been fitted into aircraft delivered to the Royal Air Force.
102. Mr. Lucasasked the Minister of Supply how many ejection seats manufactured by M. L. Aviation Ltd. have been supplied to the Royal Air Force; and whether it is intended to increase this number in the near future.
§ Mr. G. R. StraussNone. Improved types of ejection seats are at present being developed and we do not propose to supply the present type of seat made by M.L. Aviation Ltd. to the Royal Air Force.
Mr. Lucasasked the Minister of Supply on what recent date an ejection seat, manufactured by M.L. Aviation Ltd., was removed from a Westland Wyvern aircraft at the Royal Aircraft Establishment; how this seat compared with that used in the Hawker P. 1081 aircraft in which Squadron-Leader Trevor Wade lost his life; by what make of seat was it replaced; and what was the reason for this replacement.
§ Mr. G. R. StraussAn ejection seat, identical for all practical purposes with that used in the Hawker P. 1081, was removed from a Westland Wyvern aircraft on 6th May, 1951, and was replaced by a Martin Baker Mark 1 ejection seat. The tests to be carried out by this aircraft involved certain special hazards and, because of the rumours about the cause of Squadron-Leader Wade's death which were then circulating, it was decided to change the seat.