Aviation Safety Resources Granted New Patent for 'TriChute'
Safe Landing System
Aviation Safety Resources has been awarded patent No. 7934682
from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office for its TriChute Safe
Landing System. The new patent revises and updates the technology
from a previous patent. The TriChute Safe Landing System is
designed to equip GA aircraft with a pilot-controlled mechanism
that lands passengers and aircraft safely in the event of an
in-flight emergency. The technology activates a series of ballistic
systems that separate the passenger compartment from the
fuel-containing wings and deploys three parachutes that bring the
passengers and wings down in separate, controlled level
landings.
"The fact is, three parachutes are better than one," said Dario
P. Manfredi, ASR president. "ASR's TriChute technology expands and
improves upon existing single-chute designs which are limited to
smaller aircraft. The TriChute system is designed to safely land
six-passenger aircraft and, down the road, even commuter jets,
larger fixed aircraft and helicopters. We believe it will become
the standard in aircraft design defining a new era in aviation
safety."
The additional patent 'adds to the strength of the company's
intellectual property portfolio,' which includes the original
TriChute safety system (U.S. Patent No. 5,009,374) proven and
tested in 1967 by Manfredi's father, Dario J. Manfredi, using a
specially equipped Stinson Voyager in an FAA-sanctioned flight at
Lakehurst (NJ) Naval Air Station. The system worked as designed,
separating the wings and bringing the fuselage down safely with
little or no damage.
In addition to ASR's two patents, the company's application for
a sensor-based Smart Recovery System (SRS) has been accepted for
both national and international review and is in the final stages
of approval with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
Applying sensor systems currently available in commercial and
military aircraft to general aviation aircraft, the Smart Recovery
System detects the environment in which the aircraft is operating
and makes decisions based on monitoring data. The system
immediately evaluates an emergency situation, identifies the
devices and systems available on the aircraft, and then
automatically deploys the appropriate device and/or system in the
safest manner unless overridden by the pilot.
The Smart Recovery System is designed to deploy whatever safety
systems are available on the aircraft to rectify an in-flight
emergency. Among the devices and systems deployed are verbal
warning systems, fire extinguisher systems, autopilot, flight
control systems, airbags and ballistic parachute recovery systems
including the TriChute Landing System.
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