FAA Office of Aerospace Medicine
Civil Aerospace Medical Institute

Report No: DOT/FAA/AM-65/23

Title and Subtitle: Determination of centers of gravity of children, sitting and standing.

Report Date: August 1965

Authors: Swearingen JJ, Young JW.

Abstract: There have been numerous instances in which small children have been thrown out over the top of the seat belt in rough air and airline crashes, indicating that the present seat belt is not a satisfactory restraint device for children 2 to 10 years old. Data defining the location of the center of gravity of children of different ages in the sitting position have not been available and are urgently needed to serve as a basis for developing an improved restraint system for children.

To supply these data for design requirements approximately 1,200 children (ages 5 to 18) were balanced on a specially designed center-of- gravity machine in sitting and standing positions. The center of gravity of small children in the standing position will be most useful in the design of flotation equipment. This study shows that the center of gravity for small children sitting in an airline seat is located roughly 5 in. above the seat belt and explains why children slip out over the seat belt during crash decelerations. Complete data of location of centers of gravity along with anthropometric data of the children studied are presented.

Key Words: anthropometry, center of gravity, safety belts, aircraft seats, aviation safety, children.

No. of Pages: 14