Continually evolving and advancing aviation occupant safety requirements need the most advanced restraint systems to meet compliance. In the event of an otherwise survivable accident, AmSafe's Structural Airbag System protects passengers of all sizes from traumatic head and neck injury.

The airbags are stored in the forward monument or seatback, making the airbag invisible to the passenger. First certified and flying in 2012, sophisticated, patented “active-positioning” airbag designs deploy the airbag safely away from the occupant, before placing the airbag in front of the strike hazard in milliseconds. AmSafe structural airbags are safe for all size passengers, passengers in the brace position, lap held children and children in child seats.

The Electronics Module Assembly

AmSafe’s airbag and pretensioner systems are controlled by Electronics Module Assembly (EMA).

The EMA is comprised of the system electronics, crash sensors and an advanced, non-rechargeable lithium battery. The EMA can control up to 3 inflators or 3 pretensioners.

The sensor and electronics detects and analyzes decelerations. The airbag or pretensioner will not deploy inadvertently during normal operations such as a hard landing, random vibration or food cart strikes on the seat. Deployment will occur, however, when a force is at or above 6gs for approximately 50 milliseconds.

Two EMAs available:

• NexGen EMA: Designed for passenger seats, the NexGen EMA has integrated system diagnostics that can be operated wirelessly. The NexGen EMA has a battery life of 10 years.
• V23 EMA: Designed for pilot/co-pilot seats, the V23 EMA has specialized electronics designed for the specific safety requirements of the pilot/co-pilot position. The V23 EMA has a battery life of 7 years.

Inflator Assembly

The airbag inflator consists of a compressed gas cylinder optimized for the aviation environment and the airbag size. The inflator has a life limit of 10 years.

Cable Interface Assembly

The cable interface assembly connects the EMA to one, two or three inflators or pretensioners.

System maintenance

AmSafe airbag and pretensioner system diagnostics need to be performed at 4,000 flight hours for commercial aircraft applications. All NexGen diagnostics are performed by pushing the test button on the EMA or by using AmSafe wireless software to check the entire cabin at one time without accessing the EMAs. The V23 EMA uses a specialized hand-held diagnostic tool to check the system status. Trained technicians can easily perform the test. AmSafe offers specialized maintenance training for aircraft OEMs, operators and service centers.

Worldwide customer support and service

As the world leader in crew and passenger restraint systems, AmSafe has dedicated continuous support and service centers located around the world – you can depend on AmSafe to provide you with technical expertise for your restraint requirements.