was it due to lack of service??

http://www.caa.co.za/resource%20center/accidents%20&%20incid/reports/2009/ZU-BEX...

specter177 wrote on May 11^th, 2010 at 11:17am:

I don't know--I am trying to get more info.. but its not easy 

Thanks Matt, that is true.

I was a seat maintainer for 25 years on MB mk8, 10 and 12's. Both the 10 and 12's  seats have what is called Manual Firing handle which is used if the Seat Pan Firing Handle fails for any reason, normally the pilot when ejecting will have the left hand on the Seat pan handle and the right hand on the Manual Firing Handle as a belt and braces manouver, as for the mk8 and earlier, I refused to ride an any aircraft due to the reliability and fatality rate, if you got your weight clocked in wrong by 2lb the seat would do it's own thing (a manual means of adjusting the direction that the rocket pack on the underside of the seat pan would point used in twin seated aircraft to prevent the seats from colliding into each other, i.e. port seat to port ), because it's C of G was then wrong.

As for pins still being fitted, as an experienced pilot I doubt it, and secondly the pin holder is in a position where they can be seen by both the ground crew and pilot as a departure pre-requosite. Belt and braces once again.


The MOD Form 700 is still in use by the British Military today, and the extension to the servicing is not unheard of, unless the fitted service life of the power cartrigdes and Survival equipment expires, which ever is the earliest. There is normally only two extensions granted.

Bruce