Featured Items from Our Collections

"The Cycle of SAR Operations on Land and Sea"
Air Sea Rescue Bulletin, August-September 1946

In 1946, Air Sea Rescue Bulletin produced these charts to illustrate the cycle of search and rescue operations. Search and rescue (or SAR) had been conceived by the military during World War II to save personnel and machines in order to carry on the war effort. From a wartime exigency, SAR developed into an efficient network of communications, ocean station vessels, and rescue coordination centers.

From the Jerome Lederer Papers, part of the Flight Safety Foundation Jerry Lederer Aviation Safety Library (MS-016)

Human Tolerance of Crash Deceleration (PDF)
Crash Injury Research, 31 January 1950

Safety advocates started calling for the use of shoulder harnesses for improved pilot protection in the 1930s. By 1950, the U.S. Air Force was conducting tests with rocket sleds to study crash deceleration forces and human tolerance. These tests showed the importance of restraints for increased crash survival. This 1950 report summarizes the rocket sled program and its findings and applauds the Air Force for "an exceptionally daring and valuable research achievement.

From the Flight Safety Foundation Jerry Lederer Aviation Safety Library (MS-016).

"Stop Murphy's Nut 'n' Bolt Gang" safety poster (PDF)

ASASA's collections include examples of posters produced by various agencies to promote safety in the activities of pilots, mechanics, and others involved in aviation. This poster was issued by the Directorate of Aerospace Safety, Norton Air Force Base, California.

From the C. O. Miller Papers (MS-001).

Ten Commandments for Design Reliability (PDF)
Human Factors, 1960

Flight Safety Foundation published a number of monthly or bi-monthly bulletins devoted to different aviation safety themes until 2006 when the bulletins were superseded by AeroSafety World. Started in the 1950s, Human Factors is an example of just one of these bulletins. The issue highlighted here gives some basic principles that should be followed for design of reliable systems.

From the Flight Safety Foundation Jerry Lederer Aviation Safety Library (MS-016).

Bird Hazards to Aviation
Federal Aviation Administration, AC 150/5200-1, 1965

This circular was intended to give airport personnel an overview of the bird strikes problem. It also discussed airport and municipal responsibilities and bird deterrents to help reduce the hazard.

From the Jerry Lederer Papers, part of the Flight Safety Foundation Jerry Lederer Aviation Safety Library (MS-016)

Aviation and Civil Liberties (PDF)
Jerry Lederer, National Aeronautics March 1940

In this 1940 column, Jerry Lederer discusses the question of balancing civil liberties against regulations for flight safety. He suggests that individual rights should be abridged at "the point where an extension of these rights would endanger the Public Safety or the public welfare" and that in many cases education—rather than regulation—can serve the role of ensuring safety. Regulations should be put into place in those situations where the average person is unlikely to have the means, skill, or knowledge to ensure safety.

From the Jerry Lederer Papers, part of the Flight Safety Foundation Jerry Lederer Aviation Safety Library (MS-016)

Good Show (PDF)
Pilots Safety Exchange Bulletin, 29 December 1955

Starting in 1948, Flight Safety Foundation published a number of monthly or bi-monthly bulletins devoted to different aviation safety themes until 2006 when the bulletins were superseded by AeroSafety World. Published from 1954 to 1988, Pilots Safety Exchange Bulletin is an example of just one of these bulletins. The issue highlighted here contains an article originally published in the MATS Flyer. It tells the story of the ditching of a Military Air Transport Service (MATS) C-54 in the stormy Atlantic Ocean. This bulletin also includes a list of ditchings that occurred between 1952 and 1955.

From the Flight Safety Foundation Jerry Lederer Aviation Safety Library (MS-016).

Safety with Comfort in the Passenger Cabin (PDF)
Charles R. Mercer, Lockheed-California Company, 1975

Mercer, a Lockheed engineer, presented this paper at the 1975 Flight Safety Seminar of the Orient Airlines Association (now known as the Association of Asia Pacific Airlines). He discusses the interface between safety and comfort in airliner passenger cabins and the challenge faced by the cabin designer in melding requirements of safety and comfort to produce a viable and marketable product, and he also shares design concepts for the cabin including passenger lounges, dining rooms, and sleeping berths.

From the Charles Mercer Papers (MS-004)

Handbook for Aircraft Accident Investigators Cooperating in Crash Injury Research (PDF)
A. Howard Hasbrook and Ruth M. Petry, Crash Injury Research (1951)

The Crash Injury Research Project (CIR) was established at Cornell University Medical College in March 1942 to broaden the scope of accident investigation to include information on injuries and to use this information to improve aircraft design to eliminate or lessen causes of injury. This handbook was written for the use of investigators who reported accident injury information to CIR.

Digitized copy in the William D. Waldock Papers (MS-005)

The Potential Role of Flight Recorders in Aircraft Accident Investigation (PDF)
B. R. Allen and John S. Leak, Civil Aeronautics Board (1966)

During the 1940s, the Civil Aeronautics Board issued requirements that air carriers carry devices to record altitude, vertical acceleration, and radio transmitter operation, but these regulations had to be rescinded because of the unavailability of suitable recorders.

Finally in 1957, a new regulation was put into place requiring the use of flight recorders to record airspeed, altitude, direction, and vertical acceleration against a base of time.

This 1966 report reviewed the use of recorder data in accident investigations and the potential for further enhancements in the use of flight recorders.

From the International Society of Aviation Safety Investigators Collection (MS-009, Box 19)

Air Medical Evacuation System (AMES) Demonstration Project (PDF)
Executive Summary, June 1970

During 1969-1970, a team at Arizona State University developed and tested a system for helicopter emergency medical services (HEMS) within Arizona. The nine month flight program--known as the Air Medical Evacuation System or AMES--demonstrated the validity of using helicopters for evacuation of accident victims. During the demonstration project, the AMES program flew 1,185 hours and evacuated 225 persons in the course of 213 missions. Project personnel and aircraft also flew 613 non-medical missions, including manhunts, aircraft searches, patrol, and surveillance. In addition to the Executive Summary, the full final report and other documentation of the AMES project are available in the Archives. Other studies related to HEMS may be found in the Archives' holdings; contact us for more information.

From the S. Harry Robertson Papers (MS-016)

Mechanic's Creed
Aviation Mechanics Bulletin, 1953

May 24 is National Aviation Maintenance Technician Day.
The Mechanics Creed was originally written by Jerome Lederer in 1941. The creed appeared on the back cover of the first issues of Flight Safety Foundation's Aviation Mechanics Bulletin in 1953 and proved to be extremely popular. Mechanics around the world, "from Tokyo to Frankfurt, from Canada to Puerto Rico," wrote to request copies to hang in their offices and shops.

From the Flight Safety Foundation Jerry Lederer Aviation Safety Library (MS-016)

"When Propellers Kick, They Kick Hard"
Civil Aeronautics Board Bulletin, 1 March 1941

The U.S. Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB) released this bulletin on propeller accidents and safety tips in 1941. Jerry Lederer was the first director (1940-1942) of the CAB Safety Bureau; he was well known for his efforts to disseminate safety information.

From the Flight Safety Foundation Jerry Lederer Aviation Safety Library (MS-016).

Gagarin Medal Presented to Jerry Lederer, 1989

The Gagarin Medal was awarded by the Soviet Federation of Cosmonauts to honor individuals who made significant contributions to aviation and space.The award is named for Yuri Gagarin, the first Soviet cosmonaut and first human in space.

From the Flight Safety Foundation Jerry Lederer Aviation Safety Library (MS-016)

Evacuation Slides... History & New Technology (PDF)
Sharon Barthelmess, Cabin Crew Safety Bulletin Nov./Dec. 1980

The problem of passenger evacuation from an airplane became more complicated as aircraft grew in size. The development of the inflatable evacuation slide provided an marked improvement over the earlier use of knotted ropes or fabric chutes. Actual experience with evacuations also provided valuable ideas for safety improvements to inflatable slides. This 1980 article provides a brief history.

From the Flight Safety Foundation Jerry Lederer Aviation Safety Library (MS-016).