Aviation Safety Resources Granted New Patent for 'TriChute' Safe Landing System

Aviation Safety Resources has been awarded patent No. 7934682 from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office for its TriChute Safe Landing System. The new patent revises and updates the technology from a previous patent. The TriChute Safe Landing System is designed to equip GA aircraft with a pilot-controlled mechanism that lands passengers and aircraft safely in the event of an in-flight emergency. The technology activates a series of ballistic systems that separate the passenger compartment from the fuel-containing wings and deploys three parachutes that bring the passengers and wings down in separate, controlled level landings.

"The fact is, three parachutes are better than one," said Dario P. Manfredi, ASR president. "ASR's TriChute technology expands and improves upon existing single-chute designs which are limited to smaller aircraft. The TriChute system is designed to safely land six-passenger aircraft and, down the road, even commuter jets, larger fixed aircraft and helicopters. We believe it will become the standard in aircraft design defining a new era in aviation safety."

The additional patent 'adds to the strength of the company's intellectual property portfolio,' which includes the original TriChute safety system (U.S. Patent No. 5,009,374) proven and tested in 1967 by Manfredi's father, Dario J. Manfredi, using a specially equipped Stinson Voyager in an FAA-sanctioned flight at Lakehurst (NJ) Naval Air Station. The system worked as designed, separating the wings and bringing the fuselage down safely with little or no damage.

In addition to ASR's two patents, the company's application for a sensor-based Smart Recovery System (SRS) has been accepted for both national and international review and is in the final stages of approval with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

Applying sensor systems currently available in commercial and military aircraft to general aviation aircraft, the Smart Recovery System detects the environment in which the aircraft is operating and makes decisions based on monitoring data. The system immediately evaluates an emergency situation, identifies the devices and systems available on the aircraft, and then automatically deploys the appropriate device and/or system in the safest manner unless overridden by the pilot.

The Smart Recovery System is designed to deploy whatever safety systems are available on the aircraft to rectify an in-flight emergency. Among the devices and systems deployed are verbal warning systems, fire extinguisher systems, autopilot, flight control systems, airbags and ballistic parachute recovery systems including the TriChute Landing System.  

FMI: www.aviationsafetyresources.com, http://aviationsafetyresources.com/content/view/18/33