1. FAA CRASHWORTHINESS RESEARCH PROGRAM
RPD MANAGER: GARY FRINGS
INTERNATIONAL AIRCRAFT FIRE AND CABIN SAFETY RESEARCH CONFERENCE
NOVEMBER 17, 1998
HARRAH’S CASINO HOTEL ATLANTIC CITY, NJ, USA
Crashworthiness Program

2. CRASHWORTHINESS PROGRAM OBJECTIVE
USE A SYSTEMS APPROACH TO CRASHWORTHINESS WHICH WILL REDUCE OR PREVENT OCCUPANT INJURIES/FATALITIES IN A SEVERE BUT SURVIVABLE CRASH IMPACT ENVIRONMENT
Crashworthiness Program

3. CRASHWORTHINESS PROGRAM BACKGROUND
1960’S US ARMY RESEARCH
TWO DECADES OF FAA SUCCESS
INCORPORATE CRASHWORTHINESS IMPROVEMENTS DURING DESIGN STAGE
CONCENTRATE ON THREE PRIMARY AREAS
SEAT/RESTRAINT SYSTEMS
FUEL CONTAINMENT
CABIN DELETHALIZATION
Crashworthiness Program

4. Crashworthiness Program
SIX RESEARCH AREAS
CABIN INTERIORS
FUEL SYSTEMS
CRASH ENVIRONMENT
AIRCRAFT STRUCTURES
OCCUPANT PROTECTION
ANALYTICAL MODELING
Crashworthiness Program

5. CABIN INTERIORS OBJECTIVE
MINIMIZE OR ELIMINATE INJURIES/FATALITIES CAUSED BY INSERVICE INTERIOR CABIN FIXTURES DURING A SEVERE BUT SURVIVABLE CRASH BY QUANTIFYING THE REACTION OF THE FIXTURES (OVERHEAD STOWAGE BINS, SEATS, GALLEYS, ETC.)
Crashworthiness Program

6. CABIN INTERIOR PROJECTS
TRANSPORT AIRPLANES
FUSELAGE SECTION HORIZONTAL AND VERTICAL IMPACT TESTS EQUIPPED WITH OVERHEAD STOWAGE BINS (PART OF INTERNATIOINAL “CABIN SAFETY” PROGRAM)
Crashworthiness Program

7. Vertical Drop Test Narrow body Fuselage Section
Crashworthiness Program

8. FUEL SYSTEMS OBJECTIVE
REDUCE TO ZERO THE NUMBER OF POST-CRASH FIRES CAUSED BY FUEL SYSTEMS FOR SURVIVABLE CRASHES
Crashworthiness Program

9. Crashworthiness Program
FUEL SYSTEMS PROJECTS
TRANSPORT AIRPLANES
FUSELAGE SECTION HORIZONTAL AND VERTICAL IMPACT TESTS EQUIPPED WITH AUXILIARY FUEL TANKS
CRASH RESISTENT FUEL SYSTEM STUDY
FUEL CONTAINMENT CONCEPTS
ROTOCRAFT
UPDATE OF THE CRASH RESISTANT FUEL SYSTEM PORTION OF ADVISORY CIRCULAR 29-2B
Crashworthiness Program

10. Longitudinal Acceleration Test B737 Fuselage Section
Crashworthiness Program

11. CRASH ENVIRONMENT OBJECTIVE
DEFINE THE ENVIRONMENTS FOR SEVERE BUT SURVIVABLE CRASHES FOR VARIOUS AIRCRAFT TYPES
Crashworthiness Program

12. CRASH ENVIRONMENT PROJECTS
TRANSPORT AIRPLANES
AIRCRAFT DITCHING RESEARCH
EVALUATE CURRENT DYNAMIC TEST STANDARDS
COMBI AIRPLANES CONSIDERING CURRENT DESIGN STANDARDS AND NEED FOR REVISION
DIGITAL CAMERA CRASH RECORDER
Crashworthiness Program

13. CRASH ENVIRONMENT PROJECTS (CON’T)
ROTORCRAFT
FAA/U.S. NAVY ROTORCRAFT DITCHING RESEARCH
MEDEVAC HELICOPTER CRASHWORTHINESS REQUIREMENTS
ROTORCRAFT ROLLOVER STUDY
Crashworthiness Program

14. CRASH ENVIRONMENT PROJECTS (CON’T)
SMALL AIRPLANES
CONDUCT COMMUTER/AIR TAXI DITCHING RESEARCH
REVIEW COMMUTER/AIR TAXI AIRPLANE DITCHING AND DESIGN STANDARDS
REVIEW FULL SCALE AIRPLANE IMPACT TESTS
GENERIC
SIZE EFFECT EVALUATION OF AIRCRAFT IMPACT RESPONSE CHARACTERISTICS
Crashworthiness Program

15. AIRCRAFT STRUCTURES OBJECTIVE
DEFINE THE CRASH LOADS AND FUSELAGE RESPONSE FOR VARIOUS AIRCRAFT
Crashworthiness Program

16. AIRCRAFT STRUCTURES PROJECTS
SMALL AIRPLANES
FAA TECHNICAL CENTER COMMUTER DROP TESTS
SHORTS 330
BEECHCRAFT 1900C
METRO III
NASA/FAA CRASH DYNAMICS INTERFACE
LEARFAN 2100 COMPONENTS
ROTORCRAFT
ENERGY ABSORBING SUBSTRUCTURES
INTERAGENCY AGREEMENT WITH US ARMY (FT. EUSTIS)
GENERIC
UNIQUE STRUCTURES
Crashworthiness Program

17. Vertical Drop Test Shorts 330 Regional Transport
Crashworthiness Program

18. Vertical Drop Test Beechcraft 1900C Airliner
Crashworthiness Program

19. Vertical Drop Test Metro III Airliner
Crashworthiness Program

20. OCCUPANT PROTECTION OBJECTIVE
RESEARCH AND DEVELOP NEW AND UNIQUE OCCUPANT PROTECTION METHODOLOGIES
Crashworthiness Program

21. OCCUPANT PROTECTION PROJECTS
GENERIC ISSUES
FAA/WSU HEAD INJURY CRITERIA (HIC) RESEARCH
ADDITIONAL/REVISED OCCUPANT INJURY CRITERIA
ENERGY ABSORBING SEAT CUSHION DESIGN
ROTORCRAFT
FAA/US ARMY COCKPIT AIRBAGS PROGRAM(CABS)
SMALL AIRPLANES
TECHNICAL CENTER/CAMI SIDE FACING SEAT RESEARCH
OCCUPANT PROTECTION SYSTEMS RESEARCH
Crashworthiness Program

22. ANALYTICAL MODELING OBJECTIVE
IMPLEMENT ANALYTICAL CRASH MODELING AND AIRCRAFT ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION MODELING METHODOLOGIES
Crashworthiness Program

23. ANALYTICAL MODELING PROJECTS
FAA/US ARMY ANALYTICAL MODELING RESEARCH INTERFACE
FAA/CRANFIELD UNIVERSITY
AIRCRAFT ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION TOOL (AAIT)
BEECHCRAFT 1900C MODEL
B737 FUSELAGE SECTION MODEL
SHORTS 330 MODEL
FAA/US NAVY WATER IMPACT MODELING AND VALIDATION
DYNAMIC SEAT CERTIFICATION UTILIZING ANALYTICAL MODELING
Crashworthiness Program

24. ACCOMPLISHMENT HIGHLIGHTS
QUANTIFIED LOADS AND FORCES FOR VARIOUS AIRCRAFT AND OCCUPANTS SUBJECTED TO SEVERE BUT SURVIVABLE CRASHES
IMPROVED O/H STOWAGE BIN ATTACHMENTS FOR B737/B757
PUBLISHED REPORTS ON TRANSPORT AND COMMUTER AIRPLANE DITCHING AND ROTORCRAFT FLOTATION
VALIDATING AUXILIARY FUEL TANK MOUNTING METHODOLOGIES
DEVELOPMENT OF AAIT
Crashworthiness Program

25. Crashworthiness Program