The Perceived Benefits of Airbag Systems in General Aviation Aircraft

Airbags have been used in cars for years and are just starting to be developed for used in General Aviation (GA) aircraft but there exists a perception that aircraft airbag systems may be more harmful than beneficial. Many GA accidents involve high gravitational impacts taking place during the taxi, takeoff and landing phases of flight. This study will use descriptive methodology to survey members of three local flying clubs to obtain their perception regarding airbags in general aviation aircraft. It was hypothesized that majority of the survey respondents would support the use of airbags in general aviation aircraft. The results indicated that generally pilots supported the use of airbag systems in general aviation aircraft.