A new standard has been drawn up that is intended to provide a means of compliance for the certification of inflatable restraints (often known as airbags) in general aviation aircraft weighing less than 19,000 pounds and with a maximum capacity of 12 passengers.
ASTM International (the American Society for Testing and Materials), an organisation that develops and publishes voluntary consensus technical international standards, has approved the standard (soon to be published as F3703), which it believes will be useful to aircraft original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), and those applying for type certificates (TC) and supplemental type certificates (STC) from the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
Jay Yeakle, an ASTM member, says that FAA special conditions have been employed as the existing regulations did not envision inflatable restraint technology in such aircraft.
According to Yeakle, TC and STC applicants today must engage with certification agencies to receive a special condition to install inflatable restraints in general aviation aircraft. ASTM says the new standard will capture much of the same information that can be found in the special conditions, and will present it in a way that can be accepted by authorities.
“Manufacturers will be able to use the proposed standard in their certification plans rather than engaging the regulatory bodies for FAA special conditions,” explained Yeakle. “This provides a more efficient path to certification, reduces regulatory workload, and should speed the certification process.”
“By approving this standard through the ASTM F44 committee, it can be adopted internationally as an industry standard developed in coordination with several certification agencies,” added Yeakle.
“This new standard is one of several being considered by the structures subcommittee (F44.30) to address cabin safety. Anyone interested in cabin safety for general aviation is encouraged to participate in the standards developing activities of F44.30.”
