New handles installed!

I was finally able to get the last of the work done installing the NOS ejection handles into the ACES II ejection seat. Most of the delay was due to the high temperatures in the area of late – it really limits the amount of time I can spend in the workshop, unfortunately.

Ejection Seat Woes, Begone!

Well after dithering about how to “correctly” solve the issue with the NOS initiator handles in my ACES II seat, I finally got off the dime and removed about 10mm of material from the front of the handle well.

With that done, I was able to re-install the spring mechanism that connects the handle to the torque bar. The torque bar spans the seat width and connects the two handles together.

There’s two things left to do right now – I need a spring compressor in order to collapse the spring enough that I can install the retaining pin at the top end of the guide rod. I’ve also got a temporary fastener installed on the bracket attached to the torque rod. That has to be replaced with the original 10-32 bolt. Once that’s done, I can repair the other side!

Next steps will include dumping the spring into rust remover and getting the latching/guide mechanism that’s under the seat pan cleaned up and re-installed. I’ll be posting a video about this soon.