Separates Wings From Aircraft

Aviation Safety Resources announced Monday the formation of a team of aviation experts, dedicated to bringing to market a new emergency landing system for small aircraft.

New Jersey-based ASR is a family operation, led by financial executive Dario P. Manfredi. He says the company aims to fulfill the dream of his father, who patented and successfully demonstrated an early version of a novel airframe parachute system in 1967. Today's ASR TriChute Landing System is designed to lower the aircraft safely to the ground in three sections, saving the lives of pilots and passengers.

Controlled by the pilot as a last ditch-effort to save lives in the event of loss of control, failure of the aircraft structure or other in-flight emergencies, the TriChute Landing System separates the passenger compartment from the fuel-containing wings, while simultaneously deploying three parachutes. The passenger compartment and each wing land separately allowing a level, controlled landing for the passengers while minimizing damage to the aircraft and the risk of an explosion.  

"The fact is, three parachutes are better than one," Manfredi said. "ASR's TriChute technology improves upon existing single-chute designs to safely land six-passenger aircraft, and, down the road, even commuter jets, larger aircraft and helicopters. We believe it will become the new standard in aircraft design defining a new era in aviation safety."

Manfredi also notes TriChute is the first parachute-based system designed to minimize structural damage to the aircraft.

The team includes commercial partners Precision Aerodynamics, parachute design; O & N Aircraft Modifications; aftermarket retrofitting; and ballistics company Scot Incorporated; and two FAA engineers with extensive aviation experience. John Mariani, an FAA certification engineering consultant and pilot instructor, served as test pilot for an aircraft company utilizing the single parachute system, and Thomas D. Morgan, is an FAA Designated Engineering Representative (DER) and aeronautical engineer for the US Air Force.

The final member of the team is Fred DiMaria, president of Creative Business Strategies, who is leading efforts to raise $3.2 million in seed money to fund Phase II of  the program, in which the team will.build and test a radio-controlled model to collect data and fast-track FAA certification.

The ASR team has also updated the original patents, and filed a third to speed commercialization of the technology.

FMI: www.aviationsafetyresources.com