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• December 15, 2016 Create Date
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National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics, Technical Notes - Pilot Escape from Spinning Airplanes as Determined from Free Spinning Tunnel Tests

Pilot-escape tests have been made for 21 models of fighter, torpedo-
bomber, scout-bomber, and trainer airplanes spinning in the Langley
20-foot free-spinning tunnel. A model of a pilot was released from the
outboard side (left side in a spin to the pilot's right) and from the
inboard side of the cockpit of each model during both flat and steep spins,
and the subsequent relative paths of the model and pilot were observed.

Analysis of the test results indicated that, if a pilot finds it
necessary to leave a spinning airplane, it would generally be better for
him to bail out of the outboard side of the cockpit than to bail out of
the inboard side. For airplanes with cockpits located forward of the
leading edge of the wing, the pilot's chances of clearing all parts of
the airplane by bailing out appeared to be poorer than for airplanes with
cockpits located rearward of the leading edge of the wing. It was found
that the path followed by a man after leaving a spinning airplane can be
calculated if the angle of attack and the rates of descent and rotation
of the airplane are known. For the types of airplanes covered by this
experimental investigation, analysis indicates that the centrifugal force
which would act on a pilot during a spin would probably not prevent him

Safe pilot exit from aircraft during an emergency in flight is a
problem of great importance. This problem includes safe escape from
spinning airplanes. Tests in which models of pilots were released from
spinning airplane models have been made in the Langley 20-foot free-
spinning tunnel in connection with spin tests of models of specific
service airplanes. The results of these tests have been collected and
analyzed in an attempt to establish a criterion for determining from which
side the pilot of a spinning airplane should attempt an emergency escape.

Twenty-one models were tested, covering a range of low-wing and
midwing military airplanes considered to be in the spinning category.
One of the models tested had a 35° sweptback wing. For the tests, a
pilot model was released from the fuselage at the outboard side (left
side in a spin to the pilot's right) and then at_the inboard side of
the cockpit of each model during both flat and steep spins, and the
subsequent path taken by the pilot was noted._ For two of the models
tested, the pilot was released from two fuselage positions corresponding
to alternate cockpit.1ocations on the airplane.