JSSG Crew Systems Crash Protection Handbook

This handbook establishes guidance for the development requirements and verifications for occupant crash protection and for crash protective aspects of seating, restraint, and crewstation and passenger/troop station design. This handbook is for guidance only. This handbook cannot be cited as a requirement. If it is, the contractor does not have to comply.

The crash protection system shall provide means for protecting aircraft occupants (i.e. pilots, aircrew, troops, and passengers) from severe and fatal injuries caused by acceleration and contact forces, fire, toxic gases, submersion, and other hazards associated with crash survivable aircraft crashed. The system shall also provide occupants both the time and the means to egress rapidly and safely, once the aircraft has come to rest. In addition, survival and rescue equipment on-board the aircraft shall be protected from crash damage so that occupants can readily access the equipment after a crash to support post-crash survival, enemy evasion, and rescue. The system may consist of both autonomous elements integrated into the aircraft solely for the purpose of providing crash protection, as well as aircraft structural and subsystem elements modified to enhance occupant crash protection. The system shall be integrated into the aircraft to achieve efficient overall protection for aircraft occupants, while limiting cost and weight penalties to acceptable levels. The system’s performance requirements are defined in this document within the following three areas:

a. Aircraft crash protection envelope
b. Occupant exposure limits to crash hazards
c. System functional elements