After a five year study of General Aviation (GA) accidents, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has concluded that aircraft cabin environments place the occupant at high risk of suffering severe injuries in an emergency crash situation. Studies of Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) seat tests were used to form the basis of a computer analysis to address dynamic cabin environments. In this effort a simplified system of masses, springs, and dampers are used to simulate the more complex configuration of cabin structure, seat, pilot, and restraints on a personal computer. The primary objective of this study is to accurately simulate the motions observed in real life tests performed at the FAA Civil Aeromedical Institute (CAMI) with a commercially available dynamics software. Working Model® was chosen based on its performance, availability, and cost. Design students can use the simulation to evaluate cabin arrangements early in the design phase, making for a useful design tool.
","abstract_html":"<p>After a five year study of General Aviation (GA) accidents, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has concluded that aircraft cabin environments place the occupant at high risk of suffering severe injuries in an emergency crash situation. Studies of Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) seat tests were used to form the basis of a computer analysis to address dynamic cabin environments. In this effort a simplified system of masses, springs, and dampers are used to simulate the more complex configuration of cabin structure, seat, pilot, and restraints on a personal computer. The primary objective of this study is to accurately simulate the motions observed in real life tests performed at the FAA Civil Aeromedical Institute (CAMI) with a commercially available dynamics software. Working Model® was chosen based on its performance, availability, and cost. Design students can use the simulation to evaluate cabin arrangements early in the design phase, making for a useful design tool.</p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Shilladay, Mark A."],"institution":null,"degree_name":"Master of Science in Aerospace Engineering","degree_level":"Thesis - Open Access","degree_discipline":"Graduate Studies","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":["James G. Ladesic","Howard D. Curtis","Frank Radosta"],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":1995,"date_issued":"1995-05-01T07:00:00Z","date_published":"1995-05-01T07:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-27T19:25:16Z","subjects":["General Aviation","aircraft","cabin","occupant","restraint","Aviation","Systems Engineering and Multidisciplinary Design Optimization"],"languages":[],"rights":[],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://commons.erau.edu/db-theses/227","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor","label":"Contributor","values":["James G. Ladesic","Howard D. Curtis","Frank Radosta"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Shilladay, Mark A."]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Graduate Studies"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Thesis - Open Access"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Master of Science in Aerospace Engineering"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["General Aviation","aircraft","cabin","occupant","restraint","Aviation","Systems Engineering and Multidisciplinary Design Optimization"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://commons.erau.edu/db-theses/227"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["After a five year study of General Aviation (GA) accidents, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has concluded that aircraft cabin environments place the occupant at high risk of suffering severe injuries in an emergency crash situation. Studies of Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) seat tests were used to form the basis of a computer analysis to address dynamic cabin environments. In this effort a simplified system of masses, springs, and dampers are used to simulate the more complex configuration of cabin structure, seat, pilot, and restraints on a personal computer. The primary objective of this study is to accurately simulate the motions observed in real life tests performed at the FAA Civil Aeromedical Institute (CAMI) with a commercially available dynamics software. Working Model® was chosen based on its performance, availability, and cost. Design students can use the simulation to evaluate cabin arrangements early in the design phase, making for a useful design tool.
"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Dynamic Simulation of General Aviation Cabin Environments and Occupant Restraint Systems"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor":["James G. Ladesic","Howard D. Curtis","Frank Radosta"],"dc:creator":["Shilladay, Mark A."],"dc:description.abstract":["After a five year study of General Aviation (GA) accidents, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has concluded that aircraft cabin environments place the occupant at high risk of suffering severe injuries in an emergency crash situation. Studies of Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) seat tests were used to form the basis of a computer analysis to address dynamic cabin environments. In this effort a simplified system of masses, springs, and dampers are used to simulate the more complex configuration of cabin structure, seat, pilot, and restraints on a personal computer. The primary objective of this study is to accurately simulate the motions observed in real life tests performed at the FAA Civil Aeromedical Institute (CAMI) with a commercially available dynamics software. Working Model® was chosen based on its performance, availability, and cost. Design students can use the simulation to evaluate cabin arrangements early in the design phase, making for a useful design tool.
"],"dc:identifier":["https://commons.erau.edu/db-theses/227"],"dc:subject":["General Aviation","aircraft","cabin","occupant","restraint","Aviation","Systems Engineering and Multidisciplinary Design Optimization"],"dc:title":["Dynamic Simulation of General Aviation Cabin Environments and Occupant Restraint Systems"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Graduate Studies"],"thesis:degree_level":["Thesis - Open Access"],"thesis:degree_name":["Master of Science in Aerospace Engineering"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-27T19:25:16Z"}