Patent ID: 7578472

Claim:
A maneuvering ejection seat for an aircraft comprising: a seat for supporting an aircraft occupant; a first rocket motor having a fixed nozzle and a substantially cylindrical housing with a first longitudinal axis, said first rocket motor being mounted to said seat by a bearing allowing said first rocket motor to rotate about said first longitudinal axis, said first longitudinal axis being the sole degree of freedom about which said rocket motor rotates relative to said seat; a sensor for determining a rotational position of said first rocket motor relative to said seat; and a hydraulic actuator for rotating said first rocket motor about said first longitudinal axis; a hydro-pneumatic amplifier for supplying pressurized hydraulic fluid to said hydraulic actuator, said hydro-pneumatic amplifier comprising a housing having a bore therein with an input port, an output port and a free floating piston disposed in said bore separating said input port from said output port, a supply of hydraulic fluid contained within said bore in a region between said piston and said output port; a source of pressurized gas fluidically connected to said input port of said hydro-pneumatic amplifier for pressurizing said supply of hydraulic fluid; and a servo valve inter-disposed between said output port of said hydro-pneumatic amplifier and said hydraulic actuator for controlling a flow of pressurized hydraulic fluid from said a hydro-pneumatic amplifier to said hydraulic actuator.