CORDIS provides links to public deliverables and publications of HORIZON projects.
Links to deliverables and publications from FP7 projects, as well as links to some specific result types such as dataset and software, are dynamically retrieved from OpenAIRE .
Exploitable results
The project was designed to contribute toward the better safety of infants and children in transport category aircraft by promoting better restraint practice.
The research and investigations carried out during the project were reviewed in depth by the partners and they took note of the present unsatisfactory situation with regard to infant passenger restraint. They also concluded from the study that there was no technical or practical reason precluding an improvement in restraint methods whereby all passengers would be restrained to an adequate and similar standard.
This situation has been recognized by the industry for many years but no action has been taken. No Authority has been prepared to subject their own national airlines to a potential cost burden that would not, at the same time, be imposed on others.
The major area of potential cost to the industry would be the matter of CRD provision and management. It was therefore concluded that passenger provided CRDs should be encouraged thus avoiding any additional cost to the airlines. As virtually all parents own regular auto restraints then it would be logical for these to be dual auto/aviation approved restraints. If that were the case then there would also be no additional cost to parents in the matter of aviation CRD provision. Cost increases would be limited to the purchase of an additional seat/ticket when the chosen CRD so requires and this would otherwise have not applied. e.g. Children under 2 years old.
The IMPCHRESS CRD Specification and proposals support and promote this concept of passenger provided CRDs.
The matter of economical CRD provision is the key to reaching the objective of safer infant restraint. The first step must therefore be the adoption of a CRD Specification controlling their construction and approval. Following on from that, a programme should be initiated that encourages auto CRD manufacturers in the provision of dual approved (auto/aviation) equipment.
It was established by the IMPCHRESS study that this could be readily achieved if it was generally understood that the use of aviation approved CRDs would soon be mandated by the JAA or FAA under a new Specification. Without this declared intention it is unlikely that automotive child restraint manufacturers would commit themselves to the necessary development and approval expenditure.
To achieve the project's overall objective the IMPCHRESS study concluded and put forward:
- To adopt, as soon as possible, an aviation CRS Specification.
- A change to Operational regulations, effective in two years from adoption of a CRS Specification, which would:
- Permit differing restraints for "Take-off and Landing" (Class A) and "In flight/cruise" (Class B) use.
-Require all passengers below the weight of 18 Kgs to be restrained by CRSs as approved to the adopted Specification.
-Encourage equipment approval in the initial phase by establishing an EC grant fund from which CRD manufacturers may be assisted when putting forward CRDs for aviation testing.
Commission a survey supervised and funded by the EC, in conjunction with major restraint manufacturers, to ascertain a selection of the most popular auto restraints currently in use in the 0-18 Kgs weight range (EC.44 groups 0, 0+ and 1). From this survey select a limited number for aviation testing. Assuming that some will be found acceptable for aviation use then arrangements to be made with the relevant manufacturers whereby parents may submit these existing auto CRDs for new dual use identification labelling.
- Arrange for the appointment of sufficient approving agencies.
-Commence a wide ranging promotional exercise as necessary to increase public awareness of the aviation child restraint issues together with notification of any forthcoming changes in flight regulations.
Searching for OpenAIRE data...
There was an error trying to search data from OpenAIRE
No results available