The best friend of ejected pilot.

X-25 Discretionary Descent Vehicle (gyrocopter)

This was funny and interesting idea for pilots who needed to eject. Even if the ejection systems work properly the pilot could land on enemy teritory and be captured. That was the reason why the "Discretionary Descent Vehicle" program was initiated in 1967. During this time the American pilots suffered heavy loses over Vietnam and many of them were captured and not handled very nice. It was meant to be part of the ejection seat instead of parachute and allow the helpless crew member/members the option of landing somewhere other than that offered by a parachute descent.

There were three aircraft designated X-25, X-25A & X-25B. The basic X-25 was un-powered and of very basic construction consisting of little more than an aluminium square cross sectioned structure with a single seat and four post landing gear. Un-powered and designed to operate like a rotorchute, following ejection and a brief period of descent, the DDVs rotor blades automatically self deployed and aerodynamic forces then rotated the blades. As rotational speed increased so the gyroscopic forces in turn spread the blades into a conventional flat plane configuration though no control of the rotor head was provided for the pilot, the only directional control being via the foot pedal controlled rudder.

The X-25A & B on the other hand were variations of Bensens McCulloch powered B-8M and un-powered B-8 Gyroglider with much larger range. This variant had really interesting specifications, like small helicopter/gyro - speed 60-85 mph and the range was 200-300 miles - that allowed the pilot to land in South Vietnam or anywhere outside the "hot zone".

The overall DDV program proved an unqualified success. The feasibility of the DDV was proved sound and found to be effective even at supersonic speeds. Unfortunately for the DDV, the winding down of US involvement in South East Asia ultimately killed off any interest in the program as the problem of aircrew losses reduced itself to what were judged to be ‘acceptable levels’.

pics:


just a model image
external image



[edit on 15-5-2005 by longbow]
Edit: resized image

[edit on 15-5-2005 by Seekerof]

Id imagine there were three main issues with this:

1. Weight - an aircraft would have to carry all that just incase?!
2. Complexity - relatively speaking, an ejector seat is a simple beast, not much to rely on. This however involves ... quite a lot!
3. Complexity - a lot more to get hit than a simple plain ejector seat.

I mentioned complexity twice because its quite a large factor

The first model (without engine) was not complex at all. Of course the later variants were more complex than parachute, but remeber it was projected during the Vietnam war, when NV threatened they will execute captured pilots flying over North.
And the weight was 247lbs, don't know if it's too much or not.

There was a time in the 60s where Goodyear's rubber inflatable aircraft was supposed to be an inflight inflatable ejection seat system. You pulled the cord, eject from your high-tech fighter then you find that an inflatable aircraft would appear behind you. A small jet engine provided the thrust and you had around a 100 miles of range to get home again. But the old problem of cost and weight killed the entire idea.

MikeT

Originally posted by longbow
The first model (without engine) was not complex at all. Of course the later variants were more complex than parachute, but remeber it was projected during the Vietnam war, when NV threatened they will execute captured pilots flying over North.
And the weight was 247lbs, don't know if it's too much or not.

It had moving parts that arent activated by explosives and was required to work perfectly in a stressful situation - it was complex. And yes, 247lb is pretty heavy when that can be replaced by fuel.

how does one incorporate that into a jet??

The whole cockpit itself is a integrated gyrocopter??

there is a better idea the powered para sail. more or less its a squre box arobatic parashute with a power propeler on the back. so take your normal ejector seat and mout a 5hp motor eather jet, turbine, electric or other.... what ever takes up less weight and intrgrate that into a normal seat back. jock exits the jet... drops most of the ejector seat shoot opens.... pilot starts up the power system on his back and makes his way back to base at 50-75mph.. with a range of 150+ miles.

yes i can't spell and my grammer sucks but you are not worth spell checking.

I think the powered parasail might be able to work. The only issue I see is if you get shot down by an enemy fighter I doubt you would get far in your parasail righ before they made a straffing pass at you

Originally posted by shadarlocoth
there is a better idea the powered para sail. more or less its a squre box arobatic parashute with a power propeler on the back. so take your normal ejector seat and mout a 5hp motor eather jet, turbine, electric or other.... what ever takes up less weight and intrgrate that into a normal seat back. jock exits the jet... drops most of the ejector seat shoot opens.... pilot starts up the power system on his back and makes his way back to base at 50-75mph.. with a range of 150+ miles.

Sounds good, I wonder if it can be also used for regular paratroopers - the plane could deploy the paratroops 150miles away from AA defenses.

it works a guy in england is building them and it can fly up to 14,000 feet up if the shoot was made of clear or sky color and radar exorbant I really don't see why it would not work.

the only down side is the pack weights 25 pounds but thats not being made out of weight saving gear. This could also be use for extractions of units. air drop in a set of packs men get on location and put on there props deploy the shoot and start to run into the wind shoot goes up in the air then guy starts prop and they are off...

you could even have them droped by a UAV make a UAV that is cable of droping the back packs slow moving with long range no war load and it flys over drops off the power shoots then flys back to base. 10k for the UAV and 2k per pack..... or risk a choper or other airplain worth millions... somthing you could do for men traped behind enemy lines or somthing similar...

as for the enemy coming back and gunning you down umm whats stoping him from doing that now anyway? If they want the pilot dead he is going to be dead. The other question is if they do gun down a powered recovery shoot do you not think that would have a little payback from our side? ya he is getting away but you just shot down a multi million doller jet.... but at night i think it would be next to imposible to see the guy. and the USA is now doing alot if not most of there operations at night. If the shoot is stealthie and the system is quite I see no problem with him exaping... as for gideance just get a gps tracker with map function that fits in a pocket they make them for civies so I'm sure they can figure out somthign for the military boys...

www.flycastelluccio.it...

sight with a basic parasailing unit on it I'm sure you could cut down the size and weight.

[edit on 17-5-2005 by shadarlocoth]

[edit on 17-5-2005 by shadarlocoth]