Cyclic Hotline
27th Jun 2001, 18:42
Simula Awarded U.S. Army Contract for Cockpit Air Bag Systems
Advanced Product Is World's First Application of Air Bag Technology In an Aircraft Cockpit
PHOENIX, June 27 /PRNewswire/ -- Simula, Inc. (Amex: SMU - news) announced today that advanced air bag technology will be integrated into the cockpit of a U.S. military helicopter, the first application of such technology in any aircraft. The contract was awarded by the U.S. Army Aviation Applied Technology Directorate (AATD) for the production of Cockpit Air Bag Systems (CABS) for the UH-60A/L Black Hawk helicopters. The 20-month contract will provide for the production of 490 systems for retrofit into existing helicopters by the U.S. Army, as well as additional spare kits and supporting training materials. The contract value is $11.1 million with approximately $3 million of that contract value performed in 2001. Production deliveries will be completed by March 2003.
"This is one of the most significant milestones in Simula's long history of providing leading edge safety technology. Like the crashworthy seating we produce for the Black Hawk and other military helicopters, and the life-saving head protection systems we provide for both automobiles and trucks, CABS will save lives and mitigate serious injuries,'' said Brad Forst, President and Chief Executive Officer of Simula.
U.S. Army studies indicate that as many as 80 percent of their helicopter accidents are potentially survivable. The Army has been systematically identifying ways of preventing deaths and injuries due to head and upper body strikes against interior cockpit components. The introduction of cockpit air bags into U.S. Army helicopters follows an extensive series of development contracts performed by Simula to validate the system's effectiveness and its utility in the UH-60A/L helicopter cockpit environment. Qualification tests included a comprehensive series of tests to simulate severe crashes and demonstrate high reliability of the system.
Simula's Cockpit Air Bag System is comprised of forward and lateral air bag modules for the pilot and copilot, inflators, and a Simula-patented Electronic Crash Sensor Unit (ECSU). The ECSU is programmable and can be used as the heart of Cockpit Air Bag Systems adapted to a wide range of aircraft. Simula will have overall responsibility to integrate all components of the CABS into kits to be installed in the Black Hawk helicopter. Details of the system can be found at http://www.simula.com\ATD\cabs.asp .
"Our Cockpit Air Bag System is a significant new product line for our aerospace and defense segment, and represents the next generation of safety equipment Simula produces for military aircraft,'' Forst said.
"With our newly restructured and focused Company, we are transforming our technical excellence into economic success,'' said Forst. "CABS will be a significant contributor to that future''.
Simula noted that the 490 systems will outfit approximately one-third of the Army's fleet of 1,500 Black Hawk helicopters. There are approximately 450 additional H-60 helicopters in the U.S. Navy, U.S. Air Force, foreign military and commercial fleets, with new H-60 helicopters also in production.
The CABS contract is an outgrowth of a Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program contracted by the U.S. Army AATD in Ft. Eustis, Virginia, and managed and funded by the Air Crew Integrated Systems (ACIS) Product Manager at the Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, Alabama. The original SBIR program and follow-on programs, funded by the Army, determined that cockpit air bags are a cost-effective way of minimizing the risk of injury or death due to head and upper body strikes against flight controls, the instrument panel, the glare shield, and armor panels in helicopter crashes.
Simula designs and makes systems and devices that save human lives. Its core markets are aerospace and defense systems, and automotive safety systems. Simula's core technologies include inflatable restraints, energy-absorbing seating systems, advanced polymer materials, lightweight transparent and opaque armor products, personnel protective equipment and sealed parachutes, and crash sensors. For more information, go to http://www.simula.com .
Safe Harbor statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995: This news release contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties that may cause the Company's actual experience to differ materially from that which is anticipated. These forward-looking statements include projections about product opportunities for military helicopters. Production is dependent upon the Company's production capabilities as well as continued demand for such products. Future revenues from CABS may be dependent upon Department of Defense procurement decisions. Actual results may differ materially from those projected. Additional risks include those described herein and in the Company's registration statements and periodic reports filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
Advanced Product Is World's First Application of Air Bag Technology In an Aircraft Cockpit
PHOENIX, June 27 /PRNewswire/ -- Simula, Inc. (Amex: SMU - news) announced today that advanced air bag technology will be integrated into the cockpit of a U.S. military helicopter, the first application of such technology in any aircraft. The contract was awarded by the U.S. Army Aviation Applied Technology Directorate (AATD) for the production of Cockpit Air Bag Systems (CABS) for the UH-60A/L Black Hawk helicopters. The 20-month contract will provide for the production of 490 systems for retrofit into existing helicopters by the U.S. Army, as well as additional spare kits and supporting training materials. The contract value is $11.1 million with approximately $3 million of that contract value performed in 2001. Production deliveries will be completed by March 2003.
"This is one of the most significant milestones in Simula's long history of providing leading edge safety technology. Like the crashworthy seating we produce for the Black Hawk and other military helicopters, and the life-saving head protection systems we provide for both automobiles and trucks, CABS will save lives and mitigate serious injuries,'' said Brad Forst, President and Chief Executive Officer of Simula.
U.S. Army studies indicate that as many as 80 percent of their helicopter accidents are potentially survivable. The Army has been systematically identifying ways of preventing deaths and injuries due to head and upper body strikes against interior cockpit components. The introduction of cockpit air bags into U.S. Army helicopters follows an extensive series of development contracts performed by Simula to validate the system's effectiveness and its utility in the UH-60A/L helicopter cockpit environment. Qualification tests included a comprehensive series of tests to simulate severe crashes and demonstrate high reliability of the system.
Simula's Cockpit Air Bag System is comprised of forward and lateral air bag modules for the pilot and copilot, inflators, and a Simula-patented Electronic Crash Sensor Unit (ECSU). The ECSU is programmable and can be used as the heart of Cockpit Air Bag Systems adapted to a wide range of aircraft. Simula will have overall responsibility to integrate all components of the CABS into kits to be installed in the Black Hawk helicopter. Details of the system can be found at http://www.simula.com\ATD\cabs.asp .
"Our Cockpit Air Bag System is a significant new product line for our aerospace and defense segment, and represents the next generation of safety equipment Simula produces for military aircraft,'' Forst said.
"With our newly restructured and focused Company, we are transforming our technical excellence into economic success,'' said Forst. "CABS will be a significant contributor to that future''.
Simula noted that the 490 systems will outfit approximately one-third of the Army's fleet of 1,500 Black Hawk helicopters. There are approximately 450 additional H-60 helicopters in the U.S. Navy, U.S. Air Force, foreign military and commercial fleets, with new H-60 helicopters also in production.
The CABS contract is an outgrowth of a Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program contracted by the U.S. Army AATD in Ft. Eustis, Virginia, and managed and funded by the Air Crew Integrated Systems (ACIS) Product Manager at the Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, Alabama. The original SBIR program and follow-on programs, funded by the Army, determined that cockpit air bags are a cost-effective way of minimizing the risk of injury or death due to head and upper body strikes against flight controls, the instrument panel, the glare shield, and armor panels in helicopter crashes.
Simula designs and makes systems and devices that save human lives. Its core markets are aerospace and defense systems, and automotive safety systems. Simula's core technologies include inflatable restraints, energy-absorbing seating systems, advanced polymer materials, lightweight transparent and opaque armor products, personnel protective equipment and sealed parachutes, and crash sensors. For more information, go to http://www.simula.com .
Safe Harbor statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995: This news release contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties that may cause the Company's actual experience to differ materially from that which is anticipated. These forward-looking statements include projections about product opportunities for military helicopters. Production is dependent upon the Company's production capabilities as well as continued demand for such products. Future revenues from CABS may be dependent upon Department of Defense procurement decisions. Actual results may differ materially from those projected. Additional risks include those described herein and in the Company's registration statements and periodic reports filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.