NTSB Study Finds AmSafe Seatbelt Airbags Reduce Injuries in General Aviation Aircraft Accidents

PHOENIX--(BUSINESS WIRE)--AmSafe Industries, Inc., the leading provider of engineered restraint systems issued the following statement:

“three thousand dollars for a two-seat retrofit may not be cheap, but when you consider it relative to the safety benefit, and to the cost of a new airplane – which can be more than half a million dollars – it is a good investment.”

On Tuesday, the National Transportation Safety Board held a public meeting where it adopted the findings of a three-year long study which demonstrated that seatbelt airbags provide additional occupant protection in crashes of general aviation aircraft. We salute the NTSB and its technical staff for having undertaken this important study, and we appreciate the fact that the NTSB has ratified a position AmSafe has held for years: seatbelt airbags on aircraft have saved lives.

AmSafe agrees with the conclusions of the study and supports the recommendations of the NTSB in this matter. Further, we second a number of observations made by Board members in the public hearing, specifically those which suggested that the level of awareness of the benefits of seatbelt airbags in aviation is currently below optimal.

AmSafe believes NTSB Chairman Hersman was correct when she observed that, “three thousand dollars for a two-seat retrofit may not be cheap, but when you consider it relative to the safety benefit, and to the cost of a new airplane – which can be more than half a million dollars – it is a good investment.” We, of course, believe that the best point of comparison is not to the value of an aircraft but rather to the value of a pilot’s or his/her passenger’s life.

We are encouraged by the findings of the NTSB and are confident that this endorsement will lead to more widespread use of seatbelt airbags on general aviation, business and commercial aircraft. We are optimistic that the efforts of the Board will contribute to a heightened awareness of this life-saving technology and that this greater awareness will eventually lead to a broader adoption of airbags by many of the world’s airlines.

About AmSafe Industries, Inc.

AmSafe Industries, Inc. is the world leader in safety and securement products for the aerospace, defense, and ground transportation industries. AmSafe’s innovative products can be found on virtually every commercial aircraft in the world and include seatbelts, restraints, airbags, cargo and barrier nets, tie-downs and cabin interior textiles, and its textile armor protections system and restraints can be found on a wide range of military vehicles worldwide. Headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona, AmSafe operates manufacturing and service facilities around the globe and is committed to providing quality products and timely, cost effective solutions to customers worldwide. For more information, visit www.amsafe.com

Photos/Multimedia Gallery Available: http://www.businesswire.com/cgi-bin/mmg.cgi?eid=6572559&lang=en