For some reason, we seem to overlook items that may save our lies. We take the tyres on the car for granted - give them a kick occasionally, but really trust to luck. Ah, yes, I hear you say, that's not the same with airmen and aircraft. Well, you hope so. Military fast-jet aircrews are trained that if all else fails, the black and yellow handle is grasped and they and their aircraft will part company. They know that the seat below them will have been maintained to the highest of high standards. The growing number of civilian jet 'warbird' pilots can be less appreciative of the seat that can save life. Horror stories abound. Some owners will think nothing of having their new pride-and-joy painted in amazing whizz-bang colours and spend thousands of pounds on the repaint. Yet they will turn their noses up at £500 to overhaul their ejection seat. Then there are Folland Gnat T.1 pilots who turn to rogue suppliers to keep their out-of-support seats 'operational'. The potentially huge market for former Soviet and Eastern European seats is also full of life-threatening pitfalls.
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