FULL SCALE HELICOPTER CRASH TESTING. IN: CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS OF ENERGY ABSORPTION OF AIRCRAFT STRUCTURES AS AN ASPECT OF CRASHWORTHINESS (66TH), HELD IN LUXEMBOURG ON MAY 1-6 1988

Historically, when one speaks of actual aircraft accident investigations or preplanned aircraft crash tests, a common objective exists: to gather as much pertinent information as is possible from a relatively complex and sometimes unpredictable dynamic event. Today, analytical math models are becoming more capable of predicting the dynamic behavior of aircraft structures and occupants subjected to crash loads. The engineering community still finds it necessary, however, to periodically perform full-scale crash tests for the purpose of validating math models, exploring new crashworthy component design concepts, defining synergistic effects or a variety other valid goals.