Kristin Alyse Hanson

Re: With Regard to docket number FAA-2012-0311 Although there does need to be procedures put into place to add safety measure to the current commercial air industry the proposed inflatable lapbelt alone does not seem adequate. Although, as with airbags in cars, it can help to lower the initial trauma of a crash or a hard landing, unlike with a car, and as pointed out by the background, airplane landings and take offs that experience problems can have several points of impact and these belts would just help with the first of the series. Additionally, these belts don’t seem to help with issues such as whiplash that are common in any crash and can be hard to recover from. Finally, as with any type of belt that is suggested for use the issue of size comes to mind. Not every American is the same size and to create a belt that would be both safe and account for protection for all Americans seems highly unlikely. This is especially true given pregnant women’s sensitive needs to restrictions around their middle and the fact that many adults have small children ride on their laps during flights, which is why airlines don’t charge for children under the age of two. Perhaps some combination of the inflatable lapbelt with shock absorbent pads that are currently used would be a safer standard and account for some of the lacking safety the lapbelts alone pose.