Fly Bag test (Photo credit D’Appolonia)
Italy-based D’Appolonia, the engineering arm of the RINA group, has developed and patented a bomb-proof bag which will improve aircraft safety.
Fly-Bag is a flexible bomb-proof container which airlines can use to contain luggage and cargo in the holds of passenger planes. The innovative fabric of the bag contains the blast and stops it from destroying the aircraft structure.
Roberto Carpaneto, CEO, D’Appolonia, says, “This new generation fabric container marks a turning point in aviation safety. It is light and flexible enough to be used on all aircraft and full scale tests have proven that it will protect aircraft and passengers from explosions caused by any explosives hidden in the baggage.”
The Fly-Bag comes in different sizes all made from fabrics and compounds resistant to the major dynamic and thermal impacts generated by an explosion. Unlike a rigid blast-proof container it weighs very little and is flexible for confined spaces making it ideal for use in aircraft where weight and space are crucial. It works by absorbing the shock wave from the explosion through a mechanism controlling the deformation of the multilayer fabric with which it is made. The Fly Bag has several layers each with a specific function: fragment retention, absorption of shock wave and fire-resistance.
The Fly Bag has been produced as a prototype in three versions:
- for holds in narrow-body aircraft (Airbus A320 type, normally used for regional flights),
- for baggage containers, normally in aluminium, used in large-body aircraft (Boeing 747 type, used for intercontinental flights),
- for small explosive materials which may be found in the passenger cabin.
The system is covered by an international patent and is certified by EASA, the European Aviation Safety Agency.
See a full scale test on this You Tube link: