Occupant Response to Varying Seat Stroke Using a Reusable Energy Attenuating Aircraft Seat

Details

• Creators:
  Hellstrom, Ian T ; Moorcroft, David M ; Carroll, William H
• Corporate Creators:
  United States. Department of Transportation. Federal Aviation Administration. Civil Aerospace Medical Institute
• Corporate Contributors:
  United States. Federal Aviation Administration. Aircraft Certification Service
• Subject/TRT Terms:
  Acceleration (Mechanics) Anthropomorphic Test Device (ATD) Aviation Certification Lumbar-Spine Load Occupant Protection Devices Pelvis Pelvis Acceleration Photometry Rotary Wing Aircraft Seat-Pan Acceleration Seats Spinal Column Testing

  More +
• Publication/ Report Number:
  DOT/FAA/AM-25/19
• DOI:
  https://doi.org/10.21949/1529692
• Resource Type:
  Tech Report
• Geographical Coverage:
  United States
• Corporate Publisher:
  United States. Department of Transportation. Federal Aviation Administration
• Abstract:
  While the U.S. rotorcraft accident rate over the past 10 years has steadily decreased, the number of fatal rotorcraft accidents and fatalities remains virtually unchanged. Survival in many impact scenarios is directly related to the certification level of the rotorcraft. Seats installed in newly designed rotorcraft must meet the emergency landing dynamic conditions rule (14 CFR Part 27.562 and §29.562). Rotorcraft with existing type certificates, whether newly manufactured or not, do not need to meet the dynamic rule. Many legacy rotorcraft have limited space beneath the existing seats, this precludes the use of a retrofitted fully compliant stroking seat. However, these rotorcraft could still benefit from meeting the framework of the rule with a reduced velocity requirement. The FAA Civil Aerospace Medical Institute conducted research on the relationship between impact pulse, seat stroke, and occupant injury risk. 48 tests were run using a rigid Reusable Energy Attenuating Laboratory (REAL) Seat, designed by the Navy, that allowed for varying seat stroke between tests. Results showed a strong correlation between seat stroke distance and lumbar load (R²>0.97), as well as pelvis acceleration and lumbar load. Comparing the data from this test series to 88 tests from the CAMI database showed that the relationship between pelvic acceleration and lumbar load is dependent on the sled acceleration. These findings may support updates to advisory circulars and guide future rulemaking to enhance rotorcraft crashworthiness.
• Format:
  PDF
• Collection(s):
  FAA Civil Aerospace Medical Institute
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:e4423f423a462ef4de32facd48abd32bf4ea7daa7a1b5f6fca368893066c444bf06b3546667243aef852f570b4ac020ec21ad93c1bde4ba6978ece10d462a261
• Download URL:
  https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/88350/dot_88350_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 1.55 MB ]