Aircraft by type

Eurofighter Typhoon

Eurofighter GmbH,  Munich

 BAE Systems [UK]
Alenia Aeronautica [Italy]
EADS ][Deutschland]
EADS [Spain]
 

Losses & Ejections
 

List being compiled

based

22nd November 2002
1215 GMT

Spanish Air Force

Eurofighter
Typhoon

DA 6

EADS-CASA Flight Test Centre in Getafe south of Madrid

plane crashed into a mountainous region of Toledo in central Spain

Spanish Air Force OTC Pilot Comandante Ignatio Lombo

28th April 2008

RAF

Eurofighter
Typhoon

17 Sqn Operational Evaluation Unit
RAF Coningsby

Damaged while landing at USN China Lake Weapon's Test range, California

  photo via Eurofighter TYPHOON

The plane's two-person crew ejected following a double engine failure before the plane crashed into a mountainous region of Toledo in central Spain at approx. 1215 GMT.

If I'm correct left to right: - Comandante Nacho Lombo : (possibly Carlos Pinilla ??) : (??) : King Juan Carlos I : Coronel Eduardo Cuadrado : (possibly Alfonso de Castro ??

                                                                                                  via Eurofighter
                                                                                                     

Eurofighter
Typhoon
                                                                                                                                             

Ejection system

Martin Baker Mk.16A Ejection Seat

The designed oversizing of one of the two nozzles fitted within the chairs base rocket assembly rolls the seat  to one side on leaving the aircraft enabling safe parachute deployment.

In the two seat Typhoon each seat is designed to roll in opposite directions assuring safe ejection for both crew members.

Martin Baker

Martin Baker MK-16A zero-zero ejection seat

The Typhoon is fitted with the lightweight Martin Baker MK-16A zero zero ejection seat system weighing just 89kg semi-reclined at 18° and capable of safe ejection from stationary ground level up to 18000ft+/Mach 2+ from -3g to +6g.

 It is state of the art featuring a fully micro-processor controlled ejection sequence, light aluminium/Kevlar^®/Carbon Fibre construction and newly designed drogue and chute systems.

The  fully computer controlled ejection sequence MK-16A features a number of new design features including an integrated redesigned ejection gun/rocket motor  within the seat's structure.

The sequencing system is manufactured by Litef of Germany and  incorporates its own accelerometers and pressure sensors fed by a pop-out pitot tubes mounted to the head box.   

On ejection around 0.46 seconds following the pilot pulling the ejection handle the seat clears the aircraft and the rocket motor sequence is initiated. The rockets designed for a fast burn cycle of around 0.25st generate an instantaneous force of 20kN.

As the seat starts moving the sequencer takes over complete control of all the seats functions. The moment the seat clears the aircraft the pitot tubes deploy and the sequencer decides which of three modes to enter depending on the seats altitude and speed

low level/low speed -  ejection's result in the main parachute being deployed within 0.5 seconds.

high altitude ejection (5500m+/18000ft+)  - the sequencer enters suspend mode, re-checking its data every second. This allows for both conservation of battery power and reduces the time the pilot spends at cold high altitudes until it reaches a lower altitude

For medium level ejection's (or upon reaching these altitudes following a high level exit) drogue mode is entered and the sequencer calculates the optimum point for releasing the main chute.

Thanks to Nina Hornauer , PR & Communications, Eurofighter GmbH