How can you determine if a seat is armed on an aircraft?

The proper method for determining if a seat is armed on an aircraft is to check the position of the safe/arm handle. When the safe/arm handle is in the armed position, it indicates that the seat is ready for ejection in the event of an emergency. This handle is a critical component in ensuring that the weapon system is ready to deploy when needed.

While visual inspections can provide some additional confirmation, they are not foolproof as they may not reveal the actual functional state of the seat. Similarly, relying on mechanical sounds or cockpit status lights may not provide definitive information about the arming status, as those indicators can sometimes lead to misinterpretation or may not directly correlate to the armed status of the ejection seat. Therefore, checking the safe/arm handle ensures a clear and unequivocal assessment of the seat’s readiness for combat.