The National Transportation Safety Board will hold a public meeting Jan. 11 to consider the results of a safety study on the effectiveness of airbags in GA aircraft.
The NTSB initiated the study to 1) examine the effectiveness of airbags in mitigating occupant injury in a survivable GA accident, 2) identify any unintended consequences of airbag deployments, and 3) develop procedures to assist investigators in documenting airbag systems in future investigations.
During the course of the study, investigators became aware of several potential issues that could compromise occupant safety associated with the use, adjustment and design of restraint systems. All of these findings will be presented to the five-member board for their consideration.
The meeting will be held on Tuesday, January 11, at 9:30 a.m., in its Board Room and Conference Center, 429 L’Enfant Plaza, S.W., Washington, D.C. A live and archived webcast of the proceedings will be available on the board’s website
A summary of the safety study, which will include its findings and safety recommendations, will appear on the website shortly after the conclusion of the meeting. The entire study will appear on the website several weeks later.
I flew two new Cessna’s in recent years, both were equipped with the inflatable restraint system. The belt was comfortable, but if you were expecting turbulence, or encountered moderate turbulence you could not cinch the belt down. There was also a continuity test required at every annual, but never had an issue with it.