german air force institute of aviation...

GAF Institute of Aviation Medicine

German Air Force Institute of Aviation Medicine Commander: Col Dr. F Grell

Clinical Aviation Medicine DivisionHead: Col Dr. H D Marwinski

AsMA 84st Annual Scientific Meeting, May 12-16 2013, ChicagoPanel # 64: “Emergencies, First Aid and Prevention in Military and

Civil Aviation Medicine”,

Title: “Frequency and Pattern of Spinal Injury in Case of

Escape with an Ejection Seat”

Author: Lt Col Dr. T M Pippig


Disclosure Information 84th Annual AsMA Scientific Meeting

Lt Col Dr. med. Torsten Pippig:

I have no financial relationships to disclose.

I will not discuss off-label use and/or investigational use in my presentation


Agenda:

1.Introduction and History.

2.Ejection Seat.

3.Results (Spinal Injuries).

4.Case Report.

5.Discussion.

6.Summery.


3

1. Indroduction and History

GAF Institute of Aviation Medicine 1. Indroduction and History

„The greatest disaster that could occur during an air mission is not the

destruction of an aircraft, the real catastrophe is the loss of a pilot. For this

reason, along with the development of aeronautical technology, progress has

been made in the field of escape systems. Since their incorporation into fighter

jets, ejection seats have saved over 6.000 lives, more than 80 % of pilots having

survived ejections.“

(FOWLIE, RAF, 1985)

Martin-Baker Home: 7413, 20.04.2013 („Ejection Tie Club“ (founded in 1957, 5800 member))

GAF Institute of Aviation Medicine 1. Introduction and History

On 13 Jan 1943: 1st documented successful use of ejection seat by German

Engineer Rudolf Schenk (He-280 prototype) in Laerz/Rechlin;

On 24 July 1946: 1st live flight test of the Martin-Baker System:

Gloster Meteor Mk III (Bernhard Lynch);

Martin Baker MK-16A zero-zero ejection seat (EF-2000, JSF, Rafale, T-38):

89kg, semi-reclined 18°, 5.500 m (18.000 ft.), Mach 2+, -3 Gz to + 9 Gz;


Two-seat aircraft: Suchoi (RUS)


Ka-50 Hokum (1982) and Ka-51 Alligator (RUS)


Ejection Seat Concepts | ETC Aircrew Training Systems

GAF Institute of Aviation Medicine 2. Ejection Seat

GAF Institute of Aviation Medicine 3. Results

Tab. 1: Frequency of Injuries in Case of a Rescue Escape via Ejection Seat, German Air Force, from 1974 until 2012 (except F-104 G Starfighter)

NSurvival

RateFatal Injury

No Spinal Injury

Spinal Injury

Spinal Fracture

Spinal Soft Tissue Inj.

All103 93 10 45 48 31 17

Tornado54 50 4 20 30 19 11

F-4F25 21 4 13 8 7 1

RF-4E21 19 2 11 8 4 4

MiG-29

F-16, Hawk

12

12

00

01

11

01

10

in %90.3 9.7 48.4 51.6 33.3 18.3


Table 4:Source: Vasquez et al.,

3. Results

NationPeriod (N)

No Injured

Letal Injured

Severe Injured

Mild injured

Canada ? (77) 22.2 6.5 10.5 60.9

Sweden

1967-1987 (92)

43.5 9.8 4.3 42.4

Finland? (17)

17.6 5.9 29.4 47.1

Australia

1951-1992 (84)

8.3 8.3 38.1 45.2

Jordan

? (?)

45.5 9.1 9.1 36.4

Bulgaria

1953-1993 (?)

30.0 16.7 23.3 30.0

Spain1979-1995 (48)

10.4 14.6 52.1 22.4


Source: Wehrmedizinische Mschr. Heft 8/1993

3. Results

Nation(Author)

Period Number Survived(N) and %

Letal Injured(N) and %

GAF

(BECKMANN)

1965 - 1980 217 (176)81.1

(41)18.9

RCAF

(SMILEY)

1952 - 1966 292 (230)

78.8

(62)

21.2

USAF

(PLETCHER)

1949 - 1971 3700 (3050)82.4

(650)17,6

France

(?)

1955 - 1971 331 (256)

77.3

(75)

22.6

All 4538 (3710)

79.9

(828)

20.1

12.04.2007 24.03.2009


Tab. 2: Ejection Seat: Number of Fractures and Location

3. Results

NCervical

FracturesThoracic Fractures

Lumbar Fractures

All Fractures 49 6 34 9

PA 200 Tornado 30 5 21 4

F-4F Phantom II 11 1 8 2

RF-4E 5 0 2 3

Hawk 3 0 3 0

X-ray: Dens Fracture (1993) Thoracic F. (1995) MRI: sag,T1 stir (2005)

GAF Institute of Aviation Medicine 4. Case Report: 24.03.2009

Pilot (H F., 1978, 31 y., 980 fh) WSO (H E., 1970, 39 y., 3250 fh)

Anthropometry 194,8, 89,0 kg, BMI 24,0 183,3 cm, 95,9 kg, BMI 28,5

Head none none

Cervical sp. Arch fracture 2. and 4. none

Thoracic sp. 6. , 7. and 8. 12.

Lumbar sp./Pelvis none 1. and 2.

Upper limbs Closed olecranon fracture left Traumatic bursa injury elbow left

Lower limbs Closed patella fracture leftOpen distal femural fracture right

Pilon tibiale fracturr rightWeber A fracture left

Psyche Reactive depression none

Consequences Unfit for all military flying duties01.08.2010: DoD 50 v.H. (226 € p. m.)

Waiver until 31.03.13 (BO-43)GdS 30 DoD (requested)


Pilot (H F., 1978, 31 y., 980 fh): MRI, thoracic spine, sag, T2 stir (2009)

4. Case Report: 24.03.2009

* Source: Central Military Hospital Koblenz


(H E., 1970, 3250 fh): MRI Harmony, 1,0 T; Thoracic-lumbar spine, sag. T2, T1, T2 stir (2013)

4. Case Report: 24.03.2009

GAF Institute of Aviation Medicine 5. Discussion: Why?


Age in Years Breakin Load, Lumbar Vertebra (kN)

20 - 39 7,14

40 - 59 4,67

60 - 79 3,01


Phase of Ejection Sequence

Possible Injuries Occuring During Each Phase of the Ejection Sequence

Escape pathway clearance

MDAC splatter burns.

Canopy jettison rocker motor flash burns.

Cervical spine, head, shoulder, limb injuriesresulting from through canopy ejection.

Ejection gun firing and rocket motor burn

Spinal compression fractures.Femoral fracture from contact with set pan.

Windblast Windblast flail injuries.

Drogue parachute deployment

Spinal injury from drogue parachute opening shock loads.

Main parachute canopy

deployments

Spinal injury from main parachute shock loads.

Head and cervical spine injury helmet; and parachute riser interaction.

Parachute landing Lower limb fractures.

Spinal injuries.

Table 8: Source: Lewis 2006


Tab. 2: Frequency of Injuries in Case of a Rescue Escape via Ejection Seat

5. Discussion: Why?

N Age Fl.hoursSpeed

(kn)Altitude

(ft)BMI

SH

(cm)

All 103 32.8 1396 266 4142 24.1 93.5

Survived 93 32.6 1324 261 4122 24.1 93.3

Fatal 10 35.1 1992 310 4313 24.5 94.6

No injury 45 33.6 1447 248 4959 24.1 94.3

Sp. injury 48 31.6 1218 274 3341 23.9 92.4

Sp. fract. 31 31.7 1218 249 3755 24.1 91.5

Soft t. inj. 17 32.1 1218 315 2697 23.6 93.8

Tornado 54 33.1 1379 250 4553 24.3 93.1

F-4F 25 33.3 1290 256 5180 24.2 94.1

RF-4E 21 33.1 1584 330 1986 23.5 93.9

MiG-29, F-16, Hawk 3 29.0 910 50 2100 22.1 95.5


Pilot (H F., 1978, 980 fh): Closed olecranon fracture L*; ORIF (Open Reduction and Internal Fixation)

4. Case Report: 24.03.2009



Pilot (H F., 1978, 980 fh): Open distal femural fracture R*: ORIF + srew ostesynthesis. Closed patella fracture L*: srew osteosynthesis.

4. Case Report: 24.03.2009



(H E., 1970, 3250 fh): Closed pilon fracture of the ankle R*,x-ray and CT

4. Case Report: 24.03.2009


GAF Institute of Aviation Medicine 6. Summery:

In aircraft, an ejection seat is a system designed to

rescue the pilot or other crew of an aircraft (usually

military) in an emergency.

The purpose of an ejection seat is pilot survival.

The pilot typically experiences an acceleration of

about 12 to 14 +Gz (117–137 m/s2).

The ejection seat can save lives, but not in all

(survival rate 90 %).

We have a high risk of spinal fractures, when using

the ejection seat (> 30 %).

Do we need a training system?


Contact:

German Air Force Institute of Aviation Medicine

Clinical Aviation Medicine Division

Orthopedics/Anthropometry/Sports Science Branch

Dr. med. Torsten M Pippig, LtCol M.C., MD

Strasse der Luftwaffe 308

D - 82242 Fuerstenfeldbruck

Tel: +49 (0)8141 – 5360 – 2055

Fax: +49 (0)8141 – 5360 – 2989

Mail: [email protected]

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