On Wed, 28 Apr 2004 17:37:23 +0200, Roelant van der Bos
wrote:

Actually such a system is available at DG Flugzeugbau. The NOAH system
works with a compressed air cilinder and a bag located under the cushion in
the glider. It lifts to over the canopy rim and lets you just roll out of
the cockpit

See:

http://www.dg-flugzeugbau.de/noah-e.html

Roelant van der Bos

I think Roger was thinking of something like an automotive crash bag.
Unlike the DG Noah-e it would need to inflate just before impact so it
would lift the pilot off the seat and then absorb the impact forces as
it deflates.

There are problems:

- it must inflate just before the glider hits the ground, not when the
BRS deploys, but how would its inflation be triggered?

- would there be space in a closed cockpit for it to deploy?

- a cockpit is MUCH smaller than even the smallest car interior so
might it injure the pilot anyway, e.g. by breaking his eardrums as a
result of its explosive deployment in a confined space?

Its a nice idea, but I think its a non-starter inside the cockpit.

--
martin@ : Martin Gregorie
gregorie : Harlow, UK
demon :
co : Zappa fan & glider pilot
uk :