Statistics have shown that flying is safer than driving, and improving aviation safety has been a top priority for the government, airplane manufacturers and airlines. In a report, the U.S. General Accounting Office listed 28 suggested improvements that range from simple to beyond the reach of current technology.
The GAO stated findings from NASA suggesting that most fatalities occur as a result of intense impact and fire during a crash. As a result, the report included several interesting safety suggestions, such as inflatable seat belts, emergency water misting systems, and a blanket of inert gas surrounding the fuel tank. These three suggestions would simply require the use of low-pressure switches, such as our 1G, 8G, and 7G Series switches.
Inflatable Seat Bells
These advanced seat belts would be designed to hold the passenger securely, thereby reducing the likelihood that the person would be impacted against nearby objects or ejected from the seat. The pressure in these inflatable lap belts would be regulated to secure the passenger but not cause physical harm. Along with this suggestion, the GAO has recommended replacing current airline seats with new stronger seats that can withstand impacts 16 times greater than the average human body weight.
Water Misting Systems
Fire in the compartments of an airline is of great concern, and a system that mists water into the passenger and crew areas may help decrease fire hazards in an airplane crash. The water in these systems would be pressurized to a level adequate to suppress fires, heat, and smoke, thereby allowing passengers and crew to escape with fewer burn injuries.
Inert Gas Blanket
The GAO report suggests the use of a system that places a blanket of inert gas, such as nitrogen enriched air, that Will reduce fuel tank fires in a crash. Although the report does not specify details of this system, it does state that this technology is currently used in military applications. This technology would need to be modified for use in commercial airlines. This would possibly amount to a secondary tank or bladder around the fuel tank that holds the inert gas within a specific pressure range in order to reduce the mixture of fuel with atmospheric oxygen and an ignition source, thereby reducing fires and contributing to more survivable airplane crashes.
Pressure switches help these systems work properly.
These switches would detect optimal pressures to keep the system within established ranges in order to contribute to passenger and crew safety in the unlikely event of a downed airplane.
Please feel free to contact us for further details on how sensors contribute to improving aviation safety or to learn more about applications for our commercial aviation switches and sensors.