Crash-Resistant Fuel System Effectiveness in Civil Helicopter Crashes
Crash-resistant fuel systems (CRFS) have proven close to 100% effective in preventing burn fatalities in survivable crashes of military helicopters, but this technology has not been adopted by the civil helicopter arena. This article reports on a study undertaken to determine whether crashes of civil helicopters with CRFS are less likely to result in post-crash fire than crashes of those with the CRFS. The authors analyzed crashes of civil helicopters during 1982-2004, comparing Bell 206 helicopters manufactured with CRFS with Aerospatial 350 helicopters manufactured during the same period (post-1981) but lacking CRFS. The Bell 206 helicopters with CRFS were also compared with earlier models without CRFS. Results showed the highest proportion of crashes with post-crash fires (11.3%) was in AS-350s manufactured after 1981 (non-CRFS) and the lowest (3.7%) was in Bell 206s (with CRFS). The authors conclude that CRFS should be used more widely in civil helicopters to prevent some thermal fatalities and serious injuries.
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Availability:
- Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/00956562
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Authors:
- Hayden, Mark S
- Shanahan, Dennis F
- Chen, Li-Hui
- Baker, Susan P
- Publication Date: 2005-8
Language
- English
Media Info
- Media Type: Print
- Features: References; Tables;
- Pagination: pp 782-785
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Serial:
- Aviation, Space, and Environmental Medicine
- Volume: 76
- Issue Number: 8
- Publisher: Aerospace Medical Association
- ISSN: 0095-6562
- Serial URL: http://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/asma/asem
Subject/Index Terms
- TRT Terms: Civil aircraft; Civil aviation; Crashworthiness; Fire prevention; Fuel systems; Helicopters; Military aircraft
- Uncontrolled Terms: Crash resistant fuel systems
- Subject Areas: Aviation; Safety and Human Factors; Vehicles and Equipment;
Filing Info
- Accession Number: 01010592
- Record Type: Publication
- Files: TRIS
- Created Date: Nov 28 2005 9:11AM