The subject of the best position for passengers to take in anticipation of an aircraft emergency landing has been studied for many years. The purpose of this "Brace for Impact" position is well understood. Simply stated, the goal of the brace for impact position is to pre-position your body against whatever it is most likely to hit during the crash, and thus avoid the secondary impact which could otherwise take place. While this goal is simple, the many conditions which can exist in aircraft operations have resulted in misunderstandings and doubts, so that questions pertaining to the best brace for impact position are possibly the most frequent questions asked of researchers in cabin safety at the Civil Aeromedical Institute (CAMI). This paper will attempt to explain the problem of secondary impact, summarize pertinent research done at the CAMI, and will attempt to explain the basis for answers to the most frequent questions asked about the brace for impact position.
In the event of an accident, one action that an occupant can take to contribute to their survival is to assume an appropriate brace-for-impact positio...
Sled tests were performed using a driver-only airbag system in conjunction with various belting systems to determine injury criteria using 5th, 50th, ...
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United States Department of Transportation
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