Research & Development
JAXA promotes three research and development programs and a fundamental research program that underpins them.
R&D of onboard safety avionics technology to prevent turbulence-induced aircraft accidents (SafeAvio)
Simulation for effect on passenger cabin when encountering turbulence
To determine turbulence effects on the passenger cabin, JAXA conducted simulations for the following two cases. Motion of aircraft, a cabin crew and service carts were simulated for both cases.
The left-hand side of the video below simulates a case of severe turbulence when an aircraft experienced sudden change in altitude (maximum -0.7 G of vertical acceleration).
The right-hand side, meanwhile, simulates a case where such vertical acceleration of aircraft is reduced by half with the gust alleviation technologies which we are developing under the SafeAvio initiative. The result shows that cutting turbulence shaking in half eliminates almost all risks of injury in the passenger cabin.
This simulation data will be used in further research on gust alleviation technology, and for reviewing the operating procedures of cabin crews.
Video: Simulation results comparing the effects of turbulence inside the passenger cabin with and without gust alleviation technology (1:02)
The right side shows a cabin for which vertical heaving (vertical acceleration) is cut in half by applying gust alleviation technology, while the left side shows a cabin without any such measures.
July 13, 2015
