AmSafe awarded STC approval for seatbelt retrofitting

AmSafe Inc. has been awarded a Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) by the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) that permits operators to retrofit general aviation aircraft with AmSafe Seatbelt Airbags. Approved service centers located in any EASA member country may now install the seatbelt airbag system on approved aircraft (21 models are currently approved). AmSafe’s Seatbelt Airbag is a self-contained, modular restraint system designed to improve occupant protection from serious head-impact injury, and to enhance a passenger’s ability to exit the aircraft following an otherwise survivable accident. When the system’s sensors detect a crash, an airbag built into the restraint deploys up and away from the seat occupant—unlike automobile airbags, which deploy toward the occupant. In service since 2001, AmSafe’s seatbelt airbag has been rigorously tested to meet Federal Aviation Administration and European Aviation Safety Agency requirements.