Design, Development, and Fabrication of a Crash Sensor for Military Helicopters

This effort resulted in the design and construction of a crash sensing system for military helicopters to be used to electrically detonate the squibs of an inflatable body and head restraint system (IBAHRS) during a crash. Calibration sensitivity levels were established through computer simulations using acceleration data collected in previous helicopter crash tests. The sensor system is sensitive enough to deploy the IBAHRS in time for it to be effective but not so sensitive that inadvertent firings occur due to expected acceleration levels of flight maneuvers, vibrations, and landings.