NASA Drop-testing Helicopters: If You Fly in a Helicopter, NASA Is Interested in Saving Your Posterior.
As part of its investigation into helicopter crashworthiness and accident survivability, NASA swung a Navy CH-46E like a pendulum before releasing it and allowing it to drop 30 feet to the ground. Onboard sensors and cameras recorded the deformation of the aircraft and the seat structures. Data from the experiment will be used to establish a baseline to test energy-absorbing floor structures to improve passengers’ chances of surviving a similar crash.
