Acceleration compensator
 |  |
Inertial dampeners were used to protect pilots from the intense g-forces of combat maneuvers.
Theacceleration compensator, also known as theinertial damper,inertial compensator,deceleration compensator,deceleration equalizer, ordrive compensator,[1] was a technology used instarships, especially instarfighters and other high-performance vessels. It compensated for the intense accelerations that a spaceship underwent in the course of its normal activities; without compensators, ships would either have to accelerate much more slowly, or cause a blackout to or even kill their occupants with excessive g-forces.
An averageHuman could survive around 5gs, while a trained human in a flight suit was generally capable of surviving around 9gs without suffering negative effects. Even larger ships such as theExecutor-class Star Dreadnought were capable of accelerations of over 1000gs, which was well above lethal levels of acceleration, necessitating the use of inertial compensators on practically every ship.
Inertial compensators were often dialed back from full power by experienced pilots (from 97 to 95 percent), giving them just enough inertia to feel how the ship was performing without negatively impacting their ability to pilot the ship.[2]
Though used primarily in starships, an inertial compensator could be installed in anairspeeder.SenatorSimon Greyshade used one in his customNarglatchXJ-6 airspeeder to protect riders from the harsh maneuvers the craft was capable of.[3]
Inertial compensators were also used in simulators, making them more realistic by creating artificial sensations of acceleration.[4] They were also used inSenate Buildingturbolifts.[5]
During theYuuzhan Vong War, modifying inertial compensators was necessary to compensate for the shield-draining techniques of thedovin basals.
Behind the scenes[]
The 1998Star Wars Encyclopedia has an "acceleration compensator" entry, which says these are used in "medium- and larger-sized spacecraft such as theMillennium Falcon." However, earlier books, such asX-Wing: Rogue Squadron, depict acceleration compensators inX-wings.[6]
Inertial compensators may or may not be the same asrepulsor-compensators.
