FAA Office of Aerospace Medicine
Civil Aerospace Medical Institute

Report No: DOT/FAA/AM-66/03

Title and Subtitle: Cockpit design for impact survival.

Report Date: February 1966

Authors: Mohler SR, Swearingen JJ.

Abstract: Three principles for high delethalization within the cockpit are given:

1. the elimination of sharp, elongated, brittle, pointed, or similarly shpaed objects within the envelope of motion of the occupant in a given location;
2. the use of a body-restraint system, consisting of a belt and shoulder harness capable of withstanding 25 g's; and
3. the provision of body-segment decelerations by the use of mirror-image sandwich material in cockpit structure.

An example of a delethalized cockpit is also given.

Key Words: cockpits, impact, survival (personnel), aviation safety, human factors engineering, sandwich construction, feasibility studies, aviation accidents, safety belts, deceleration, geometric forms.

No. of Pages: 10