A new airbag system designed to increase helicopter crew survival and minimise airframe damage in the event of forced landings is being previewed today by Italian developer Aero Sekur.
The "shock attenuation system" is designed for civil and military applications and limits inertia loads on the fuselage and frame, paving the way, according to Aero Sekur, for a "new generation of lighter construction helicopters with improved performance and enhanced crashworthy capability".
The first integrated design is under development and should be available in 2012.
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© Aero Sekur |
Giacomo Giovangrossi, Aero Sekur's space business unit director, says the company has combined three decades of expertise in flotation bag development with the technology transferred from its space division. "The shock attenuation aspects of the system were originally developed as part of the ESA ExoMars programme and designed to bring payloads including Mars probes safely to rest, The system ensures that orientation is maintained on uneven or sloping surfaces. The airbag also features our non-pyrotechnic inflation system, significantly enhancing maintainability, reliability and operating costs."
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Source: Flight Daily News