Amsafe

AmSafe Seatbelt Airbag Protecting Passengers on More than 50 Airlines Worldwide

Posted: April 26, 2010

Number of commercial aviation customers nearly doubles in 12 months; North American carriers include Delta Air Lines, US Airways and American Airlines

PHOENIX (April 26, 2010) - AmSafe, Inc., the leading provider of highly engineered restraint systems, today announced that more than 50 airlines worldwide are flying aircraft equipped with the AmSafe Seatbelt Airbag.

The AmSafe Seatbelt Airbag is a self-contained, modular restraint designed to protect occupants from serious head-impact injury and enhance one's ability to exit an aircraft following a survivable accident. Integrated into the lap belt portion of the seatbelt, the AmSafe Seatbelt Airbag inflates in less than 90 milliseconds and, unlike automotive airbags, safely deploys up and away from the occupant, making it a safe restraint for passengers of all ages.

"Attainment of this key milestone reflects over a decade of investment, innovation and hard work by AmSafe and its employees," said Terence Lyons, CEO of AmSafe, Inc.

"Over the past twelve months, the number of airlines flying the AmSafe Seatbelt Airbag has nearly doubled," added Bill Hagan, President of AmSafe Aviation. "The recent implementation of more stringent FAA safety standards has driven this momentum and we are engaged in ongoing discussions with airlines, airframe and seat manufacturers to ensure that all passengers are provided with the added layer of safety that the Seatbelt Airbag affords."

According to the National Transportation and Safety Board (NTSB), more than 80 percent of commercial airline accidents are survivable. Most accidents occur on the ground or at take-off or landing when aircraft are closer to the ground and flying at relatively low speed. In a survivable crash, fatalities frequently occur from smoke inhalation and fire when passengers cannot escape the aircraft quickly. The AmSafe Seatbelt Airbag is designed to keep passengers conscious during the critical 90 seconds immediately following impact.

In service since 2001, the AmSafe Seatbelt Airbag has enabled airlines to comply with a new FAA safety regulation that went into effect in October 2009 requiring commercial aircraft seats to withstand a crash impact of up to 16 times the force of gravity. As compliance with this regulation has proven difficult to attain in certain seating environments, airlines have turned to the AmSafe Seatbelt Airbag in order to meet the new standard. By so doing, they have been able to deliver enhanced passenger safety and at the same time avoid the alternative approach to compliance: removal of rows of seats and the associated loss of millions of dollars per aircraft in revenue.

The AmSafe Seatbelt Airbag has also enabled the innovation of lie-flat, pod-style and other premium seating that has become prevalent in first- and business-class cabins on long haul international aircraft. In some instances, the AmSafe Seatbelt Airbag not only makes the use of these innovative new seats possible, but it also helps carriers maximize the number of premium seats on an aircraft while still meeting FAA safety standards.

About AmSafe, Inc. and AmSafe Aviation
AmSafe, Inc., and its affiliated business units, are world leaders in safety and securement products for the aerospace, defense and ground transportation industries. AmSafe's innovative products can be found on virtually every commercial aircraft in the world and include seatbelts, restraints, airbags, cargo and barrier nets, tie-downs and cabin interior textiles. Headquartered in Phoenix, Ariz., AmSafe operates manufacturing and service facilities around the globe and is committed to providing quality products and timely, cost-effective solutions to customers worldwide.

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Press Contacts:

Carlotta Soares
AmSafe Corporate Communications
602 850 2730
csoares@amsafe.com

Chris Poisson / Anna Dreyser
Schwartz Communications
781 684 0770
amsafe@schwartz-pr.com


AmSafe Aviation

1043 N. 47th Avenue
Phoenix, AZ 85043
United States
Phone: 602 850 2850
Fax: 602 850 2812

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