Patent ID: 8191830

Claim:
A method of ejecting an aircraft occupant from an aircraft comprising: providing an ejection seat, the ejection seat having a seat frame, a propulsion subsystem for propelling the ejection seat free of the aircraft in response to an eject signal, and a parachute for supporting the occupant after ejecting from the aircraft; providing a moveable head support mounted to the seat frame, the moveable head support adapted to support the rear of the occupant's head in a tilted-forward position; in response to the eject signal, initiating the propulsion subsystem which exposes the occupant to a vertical acceleration causing the occupant's head to assume an acceleration-induced tilted forward position; in response to movement of the ejection seat in a direction away from the aircraft, deploying the moveable head support to a deployed position in which the moveable head support holds the occupant's head forward in the acceleration-induced tilted forward position; and deploying a plurality of side members to support the lateral sides of the occupant's head against lateral forces caused by a windblast striking the occupant's head.