Final STC Test Conformation Demonstrated on Airbus A320

US Global Aerospace, Inc. has installed its Guardian™ Anti-Ballistic Cockpit Security Door on an Airbus A320 in Denver (CO), as part of the final phase of the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration’s Supplemental Type Certification process.

The complete installation was accomplished in under 8 hours -- less than one shift -- on an Airbus A320 owned by Ryan Air, and was validated by Future Jet Aerospace Inc., an independent aviation consulting firm (Dallas TX). The Guardian Door combines USGA’s kinetic energy absorbers, lightweight G-Lam™ anti-ballistic material and a proprietary passive vent system to provide access security and ballistic and decompression protection to the flight crew while eliminating the need for costly and time consuming airframe structural enhancements common on alternative cockpit security solutions.

"Other doors on the market can take over 200 labor hours and more than four days to install. Taking an aircraft out of service for such an extended period could potentially cost an aircraft operator millions of dollars in lost revenue.

"Our Guardian Door is not only secure and robust; we believe it also presents the most expedient and cost-effective cockpit fortification solution available," said John Robinson, CEO of USGA. “The light weight of our door (less than 50 pounds, compared to 85 to 120 pounds for others) results in additional fuel savings over the long term. In addition, the Guardian Door design has only 14 parts, which equates to lower potential component failure rates than competitive designs, some of which have in excess of 80 different parts.”

USGA has also made significant progress in developing commercial construction wall panels that integrate the anti-ballistic qualities of USGA’s proprietary G-Lam material with blast mitigation and fire suppression technologies. These lightweight panels are designed to be compatible with current construction techniques and easily retrofitted to existing facilities.

FMI: www.usglobalaero.com