Delivering Now

Mooney and AmSafe are now working together to install Seat Belt Airbags in new Ovation and Bravo airplanes. They will be offered as standard equipment for the Pilot and Copilot seats, with an option to install the system for the rear seats.

"We believe that this product is the most significant safety enhancement available to the general aviation flying community," said AmSafe AAIR(R) General Manager Joe Smith.

With a new STC in hand, AmSafe Aviation of Phoenix and Mooney Airplane Co. of Kerrville, Texas, will install AmSafe Aviation Inflatable Restraints (AAIR(R)) in all Mooney Bravo and Ovation models (M20K, M20M, M20R, M20S).

The AAIR(R) system consists of a three-point restraint with an airbag that deploys away from the seat occupant during a crash. This cushions the occupant's head, neck and upper torso to reduce head strikes and soft tissue damage that can occur in a forward-facing crash. NTSB general aviation statistics show that most crash events are survivable, especially when head and neck injuries are minimized with proper protection according to a news release.

The AmSafe AAIR(R) seat belt airbag system has been flying on commercial aircraft since 2001and is installed on the several Airbus aircraft, the Boeing 777-200ER and 747-400, the Bombardier CRJ700 and the British Aerospace Jetstream 41.

The AmSafe AAIR(R) is contracted for use on 17 general aviation airframes and was recently selected as standard equipment for all Cessna single-engine piston aircraft pilot and copilot seats, and as options for second row seats and third-row bench seats. They've also been chosen for the first business jet installation aboard the Adam Aircraft A700.

FMI: www.amsafeaviation.com,  www.mooney.com