View Full Version : air-bags for pax/crew?
huntsman
18th Nov 2001, 05:41
do air-bags exist for aeroplane pax and/or crew?
never seem to have heard mention of them.
john_tullamarine
18th Nov 2001, 08:14
It's certainly been looked at. The FAA's CAMI group did a range of sled tests many years ago with bags. I don't know of any aircraft which use the technology, though.
IF you had air bags in Airliners, much as they may help in the way that they do in cars (autos), would they not be a hindrance though once inflated to any evacuation of an Aircraft?
Speedbird48
18th Nov 2001, 11:20
The Jetstream 41's operating in the US were modified over the past year with an air-bag system fitted to the front row of seats.
The system is incorporated into the seatbelt and inflates at a certain G rating with a bottle fitted under the seat. The two seats on the right side face a closet wall and the wall was also modified with a high density foam padding. The front left seat faces the galley wall, on some airplanes, and that was also padded with the same material.
The system is available for other airplanes but the J41 is the only one that I have knowledge of.
Fright Level
18th Nov 2001, 14:18
There are two types of airbags for cars. One used in the US assumes the occupants are not wearing seat belts and the Euro version that is designed to work in conjunction with a belt. Both bags have a huge hole at the back and will deflate immediately after inflation as their purpose is to aid deceleration of a body, not act as an inflated cushion.
The rapid inflation is created by an explosive device. So, two types of bags to suit belts/no belts and explosive devices? I don't think this will work on an aircraft where the injuries/deaths you are trying to avoid are often caused by things other than the immediate impact itself.
Rod
[ 18 November 2001: Message edited by: EDDNR ]
PAXboy
18th Nov 2001, 19:00
I have seen these belts on the J41. I think that one of the major problems with them would be that the bag inflation would be obstructed by people's hands.
I have read of this problem in vehicles, where an arm that is caught between the person and the rapidly inflating bag will be smashed into their face, or knocked sideways into the door/window, sometimes causing broken bones.
If pax receive broken bones, they might be inclined to think that they have been damaged rather than protected. However, introducing them into bulkhead rows, seems like a good idea and may give some some experience to base a wider trial.