Improved Occupant Crash Safety in Helicopters

The objective of the European project 'HeliSafe TA' was to improve the survivability of occupants in helicopter crashes and to minimise the risk of injuries. This was achieved by an advanced safety system concept based on interacting safety features such as enhanced safety seats, improved harness systems and deployment of airbags. A key feature of ‘HeliSafe TA’ was the application of numerical simulation tools to predict cabin and occupant response to crash loads in order to optimise the layout of the safety system. For the verification of the simulation models and in order to generate a broad load data base, three fully instrumented drop tests were carried out in Europe’s most extensive helicopter crash test programme to date. Furthermore, numerous sled tests with two generic helicopter mock-ups were conducted. The paper gives a brief overview on HeliSafe TA with emphasis on DLR’s contribution to the project. DLR was responsible for the crash simulation of the full-scale helicopter drop tests and the definition of acceleration pulses in the sled test programme. Detailed simulation models of the cockpit mock-up were developed which included the pilot dummy and safety features such as the energy absorbing seat and the belts. With the verified models, DLR carried out different parametric studies in order to optimise the properties of the energy absorbers used in the cockpit seats and to propose a concept which leads to the lowest possible injury rates for occupants of different weights and sizes. Optimised adaptive and non-adaptive attenuator systems were then proposed