*waits for snickering to die down*

I'm not polish that I'm aware of, but I've got a pretty big redneck streak. Neither apply here. I'm being serious. So try to stop snickering.

I think I've come up with two (or variations of one) workable system for a helicopter ejection seat

Install more or less standard ejection seats in the cocpit/seats of the helicopter. Install a ring shaped charge around the driveshat of the rotor, wired to go off ~0.5 seconds before the ejection charge (subject to experiment and revision). In theory, the rotor disk, without the weight of the helicopter, will go up, really, really fast. The pilot(s) can now safely eject from the helicopter body, which is starting to feel the effects of gravity, but no too badly, but hasn't made any serious plunges towards earth.

Option two:
Install more or less standard ejection seats in the cocpit/seats of the helicopter. Install shaped charges on the root of each rotor, set to go off maybe 0.25 seconds before the seat does. The centripital force should have the rotors out of the path of the seats by then.

What do you all think?

Disclaimer -
Should this actually be an original idea, that is put into use, by any manufacturer of military helicopters, I expect, at the very minimum, a free ride in one of them bad boys. As soon as it saves someones life, I want trigger time on a range in one of them bad boys. I have a timestamp on this, so no cheatin'!

have you seen the james bond movie goldeneye? (option 2)

It's already done on at least one helicopter. They used an explosive charge on each blade so they would throw themselves clear before the seats came up out of the ****pit. I want to say it was the Russian made Havok helicopter but I would have to research it to be shure.

Edit: Seems I was wrong, knew it was Russian made though. It is the Ka-50 Black shark helicopter that has an ejection seat system. Check out the link http://www.army-technology.com/projects/ka50/ They don't say anything specific as to how they solve the blender effect while ejecting but they confirm it is the only operational helicopter with an ejection seat.

but in general helicopters don't NEED ejection seats.

don't you just let the rotors spin free after an engine failure [or some such thing] and that causes a braking action? You land hard but you can walk away ...

-MF

Quote: Originally Posted by Monsignor Funkibut but in general helicopters don't NEED ejection seats. don't you just let the rotors spin free after an engine failure [or some such thing] and that causes a braking action? You land hard but you can walk away ... -MF

Thats all fine and dandy if your tail rotor isnt broken. Try swooping down with out it.

you can autorotate without tail rotor since the counterspin effect is caused by the main rotor being powered. basicly you fly the heli like an autogyro into the ground on the evening news.

Quote: Originally Posted by Monsignor Funkibut but in general helicopters don't NEED ejection seats. don't you just let the rotors spin free after an engine failure [or some such thing] and that causes a braking action? You land hard but you can walk away ... -MF

It's possible to autorotate a whirlybird in the event of an engine failure (the rotors keep turning and producing lift in the same way an autogyro operates), but it gives the pilot very limited landing options - as in, look between you knees, 'cause that's were you're gonna land.
In the case of a military chopper, there may be more damage than an autoratation descent can deal with.
Either way, I'd certainly like the option. Choppers just don't glide well.

Quote: Originally Posted by vf1000ride It's already done on at least one helicopter. They used an explosive charge on each blade so they would throw themselves clear before the seats came up out of the ****pit. I want to say it was the Russian made Havok helicopter but I would have to research it to be shure. Edit: Seems I was wrong, knew it was Russian made though. It is the Ka-50 Black shark helicopter that has an ejection seat system. Check out the link http://www.army-technology.com/projects/ka50/ They don't say anything specific as to how they solve the blender effect while ejecting but they confirm it is the only operational helicopter with an ejection seat.

Looks like they stole my idea before I even had it The first step is to blow the rotor blades loose
http://www.razorworks.com/enemyengaged/hokum/index.html

Besides, that would be a hell of a surprise for your wingman, huh?