For decades, VTOL transport meant helicopters, and occupant safety meant the crashworthy seat. But as we embrace Future Vertical Lift (FVL) and advanced tiltrotors, this assumption is being challenged. These new aircraft have unique, higher-energy failure modes that a passive seat cannot solve. This article asks: Are we anchored to a past solution, and is it time to discuss active safety systems for this new era?

Discussing the common myths and misconceptions that surround ejection seats.

The paper presented by Tim Clark at SAFE Europe 2025 on the challenges presented by limited ejection seat access for civil aircraft developers.