High Energy Absorbing Troop Seat Study

During a crash of a troop-carrying fixed wing aircraft or helicopter the troop seats have been designed to withstand the specification force levels without regard for any protection of the seat occupant's spine. A recent troop seat redesign program has resulted in a seat design that provides some increased energy absorption in the vertical (spinal) direction. This proposed Phase I study will investigate the feasibility of having energy absorption provided by appropriate rip stitching of Dacron and/or Kevlar materials. A major problem to be solved is the provision of appropriate energy absorption for both the twenty-four inch seat spacing for equipped paratroopers and the twenty inch seat spacing for troops/passengers. The proposed six month effort is divided into nine tasks as follows. 1) Fabric requirements definition. 2) Development of force versus distance for the EA stroke. 3) Spreader Bar redesign/placement. 4) Front Tube redesign. 5) Front Leg redesign. 6) Seat Back redesign. 7) Seat Bottom fabric energy absorption design. 8) Sample seat assembly 9) Documentation and reporting.