AmSafe aviation inflatable restraints saves five lives

Citation

(2007), "AmSafe aviation inflatable restraints saves five lives", Aircraft Engineering and Aerospace Technology, Vol. 79 No. 2. https://doi.org/10.1108/aeat.2007.12779bab.016

AmSafe aviation inflatable restraints saves five lives

AmSafe aviation inflatable restraints saves five lives

AmSafe Inc., a provider of restraint products to the aviation, defence and ground transportation markets, recently confirmed the successful deployment of its AmSafe aviation inflatable restraint (AAIR(R)) system which prevented the loss of life in three separate general aviation aircraft accidents in four months. A total of five occupants survived these incidents, which occurred in Wisconsin, Switzerland and Brazil, after the AAIR deployed and enabled them each to evacuate without life-threatening injuries.

“Helping to prevent the loss of life constitutes the ultimate reward for the thousands of man hours that went into researching, developing, testing and implementing the AAIR system” said Ken Beckemeyer, President of AmSafe, Inc., the parent company of AmSafe aviation which developed the AAIR. “The positive outcomes of these accidents serve as significant validation for what years of safety restraint testing have shown us – airbags on aircraft can save lives.”

According to the Aircraft and Pilots Association (AOPA) 2004 Nall Report, more than 50 per cent of all general aviation accidents occur during taxi, takeoff or landing, and an overwhelming proportion of these scenarios are survivable. One primary factor in surviving an aircraft accident, according to several industry reports, is avoiding a debilitating injury to the head or neck that would prevent an expeditious departure from the aircraft.

A September 2006 episode of the “Horizon” programme on the BBC noted that more than 90 per cent of aeroplane accidents have survivors, and given survivable impact conditions, aircraft occupants equipped with the AAIR have a significantly reduced risk of head injury and loss of consciousness. The AAIR is specifically designed to meet stringent head injury criteria, or HIC, a predictive measure of the likelihood of a brain concussion and other injuries typical in a severe aircraft impact. Having the AAIR, which adds just 1.5 pounds per passenger placement, on an aeroplane seat is comparable protection to the standard airbags that are provided in automobiles.

“Twenty years ago people wondered about the value of installing airbags in cars, but now you wouldn't think of getting in a car that didn't have one,” said Bill Hagan, President of AmSafe Aviation. “The same safety restraint measures are essential when flying. These recent accidents, and the fact that the occupants survived the impact, further illustrate the importance of having pilot and passenger seats equipped with an airbag restraint system.”

The AAIR is built directly into the seatbelt so that when the sensors detect an impending impact, the airbag is deployed within 50ms up and away from the seat occupant, affording passengers of all sizes protection to the head, neck and torso. The airbag subsequently deflates within 10s, enhancing chances for survival by allowing egress under emergency conditions and potential post-accident fires. AmSafe has demonstrated the effectiveness of the AAIR for occupants in survivable impacts by performing thousands of dynamic sled tests at its state-of-the-art testing facility in Phoenix.

Certified by the FAA for installation on both general aviation aircraft and commercial airliners, the AAIR is being installed on approximately 80 per cent of all new single engine general aviation aircraft as standard or optional equipment by manufacturers such as Cessna (a Textron, Inc. company), CIRRUS Design and Mooney Aeroplane Company. The system also is currently featured on more than 20 commercial airlines around the world and has logged millions of flight hours since entering service.