Abstract: An aircraft airbag module and an energy or impact absorbing and shock reducing control yoke are disclosed, the airbag module using non toxic compressed gas to provide either pyrotechnic or non-pyrotechnic inflation of an airbag independent of other aircraft operational systems. An airbag with one or more sections, when inflated, provides pilot protection without physically engaging the aircraft's control yoke, thus affording the possibility of continued aircraft control by the pilot. The aircraft control yoke includes a mechanically keyed and physically compressible section, as well as padding, thus providing the pilot with additional impact protection with or without airbag deployment. The airbag is retractable or releasable mounted so as to allow the airbag to be manually or automatically removed from the airbag module after an airbag inflation/deflation cycle.

Abstract: An airbag assembly is positioned relative to an aircraft control yoke in a manner to minimize the application of an undesired force to the control yoke when the airbag assembly is inflated. A disc-shaped airbag assembly is horizontally rod-supported from an aircraft's instrument panel so as to surround the aircraft's horizontally extending control yoke and so as to be independent mechanically thereof. The rods that support the airbag assembly may be spring biased to a quiescent position, and may then be of the telescoping type to accommodate full inward movement of the control yoke as the aircraft's pitch attitude is controlled.

Abstract: Airbags are positioned in a general aviation aircraft cockpit relative to a control yoke, a pilot, and a front seat passenger. Airbag actuation is controlled by a adaptive programmable controller such as a microcomputer. Airbag actuation is based upon information that the controller receives from multiple acceleration sensors. The outputs of the acceleration sensors are subjected to thresholding techniques, such as output signal weighting and/or majority voting. A programmable threshold is adaptively established for the controller based upon unique aircraft parameters, such as weight, altitude, angle of attack, ground and/or air speed, etc. The controller ignores all acceleration sensor inputs that do not meet this adaptive threshold. Thus, airbag actuation takes place only when a sufficient acceleration event occurs concurrently with the presence or absence of defined aircraft parameters that establish a proper threshold for the acceleration event.

Abstract: Airbags are positioned relative to an aircraft yoke so as to minimize undesired force application to that yoke upon actuation thereof. The airbag actuation is accomplished by sensors which are capable of responding to multiple traumatic forces upon the aircraft to either establish multiple actuations of a common airbag, or actuation of separate airbags, upon occurrence of each event. The airbags can assume a side lobe configuration so as to minimize the possibility of impact upon side posts, or the interior side of the aircraft cabin structure. The sensors are arranged in an array with common directional alignment for maximizing probability of appropriate actuation. Use of multiple sensors and majority voting circuitry enhances the reliability of the systems and process.