FAA Office of Aerospace Medicine
Civil Aerospace Medical Institute

Report No: DOT/FAA/AM-66/13

Title and Subtitle: Flotation characteristics of aircraft-passenger seat cushions.

Report Date: April 1966

Authors: McFadden EB, Simpson JM.

Abstract: Flotation characteristics of aircraft seat cushions were evaluated with respect to their utilization as individual flotation devices. The Federal Aviation Agency Technical Standard Order C-72 states that individual flotation devices shall provide a minimum of 14 pounds of buoyancy for a period of 8 hours. When statically tested with an inanimate mass, initial prototype cushions successfully met and exceeded this requirement. When dynamically evaluated by human subjects in moderate wave action, these prototypes failed in 8 minutes.

These cushions therefore met the provisions of the Technical Standard Order as written but did not meet the intent. Progressive development has resulted in a number of seat-cushion designs utilizing a variety of techniques to provide adequate survivor flotation. Prototypes of these seat cushions were subjected to dynamic and more realistic evaluation by human subjects both in the field and laboratory. A comparison of mechanical- and human-subject evaluations is included. Survivor body-flotation attitude and seat-cushion retention devices are also discussed.

Key Words: aircraft seats, survival(personnel), buoyancy, life preservers.

No. of Pages: 16