When the U.S. Air Force flies its new advanced pilot trainer from Boeing and Saab, it will be equipped with an ACES 5® ejection seat along with a fully integrated landing gear system.
Both will be supplied by Collins Aerospace, the entity that resulted from the recent merging of UTC Aerospace Systems and Rockwell Collins. Collins is a unit of United Technologies Corp, headquartered in Farmington, Connecticut, and provides heat treating capabilities among its high-technology systems and services to the building and aerospace industries.
ACES 5 offers passive head and neck protection, arm and leg flail prevention, and a load-compensating catapult rocket that varies its thrust based on the occupant’s weight. In addition to ACES 5, Collins will supply the aircraft’s fully integrated landing gear system, including structure, actuation, dressings, hydraulics, and wheels and brakes. The system boasts several technological innovations designed to help reduce maintenance costs while improving operational performance.
“Collins Aerospace is honored to be a supplier for Boeing in support of the U.S. Air Force’s next-generation trainer program and proud to provide a host of integral content, including our ACES 5 ejection seat and fully integrated landing gear system,” said John “Barney” Fyfe, Air Force programs director for Collins Aerospace. “Our innovative technologies will play a critical role in helping to keep aircrews safe, reducing maintenance costs, and improving operational performance. Our support for Boeing military aircraft dates back to 1932 with the P-26, and we look forward to continuing to work with the Boeing and Saab team on the T-X program in the years to come.”
