Aircraft occupant protection system

1. An occupant protection system for an aircraft, the system comprising:

a sensor system for sensing flight information associated with the flight of the aircraft;

a control system including an impending crash detection system and an impact detection system;

a first group of aircraft systems each configurable for impact mode, wherein:

the impending crash detection system receives at least some of the flight information from the sensor system and determines whether a crash is likely to occur based at least in part on the received flight information,

the impending crash detection system is configured to provide an impending crash signal to the first group of aircraft systems if the impending crash detection system determines that a crash is likely to occur, and

the first group of aircraft systems are configured to automatically initiate impact mode upon receipt of the impending crash signal from the impending crash detection system; and

a second group of aircraft systems each configurable for impact mode, wherein:

the impact detection system receives at least some of the flight information from the sensor system and determines whether an impact has occurred based at least in part on the received flight information,

wherein the impact detection system is configured to provide an impact signal to the second group of aircraft systems if the impact detection system determines that an impact has occurred,

wherein the second group of aircraft systems are configured to automatically initiate impact mode upon receipt of the impact signal from the impact detection system,

wherein the second group of aircraft systems comprises at least one of a soft pedal system, a fuel shutoff system, a fuel tank ventilation system, a fire extinguisher system, an egress lighting system, a door latch system, an emergency locator transmitter system.

2. The occupant protection system of claim 1 , wherein the second group of aircraft systems further comprises at least one of a collapsible cyclic stick system and an internal airbag system.

3. The occupant protection system of claim 1 , wherein the first group of aircraft systems comprises at least one of an automatic flare maneuver system, an active restraint system, an active seat system, an external airbag system.

4. The occupant protection system of claim 1 , wherein the sensor system comprises at least one of a global positioning system (GPS), an inertial navigation system (INS), a Helicopter Terrain Awareness Warning System (HTAWS), an enhanced ground proximity warning system (EGPWS), a radar altimeter, a transponder collision avoidance system (TCAS), an immersion sensor system, one or more accelerometers.

5. The occupant protection system of claim 1 , wherein the control system includes an electronic control system comprising a processor and a memory.

6. The occupant protection system of claim 1 , wherein the impact detection system receives at least some of the flight information from an accelerometer and determines whether an impact has occurred based at least in part on the received flight information from the accelerometer.

7. The occupant protection system of claim 6 , wherein the impact detection system determines whether an impact has occurred based at least in part on at least a predetermined amount of deceleration being detected by the accelerometer.

8. The occupant protection system of claim 1 , wherein the impending crash detection system determines whether a crash is likely to occur based at least in part on received flight information about distance to ground and speed of the aircraft in the direction of the ground.

9. The occupant protection system of claim 1 , wherein the first group of aircraft systems are each configurable for impact mode for preparing the aircraft for impact such that the crash environment of the aircraft is improved for aircraft occupants while allowing for continued piloting of the aircraft.

10. The occupant protection system of claim 1 , wherein the second group of aircraft systems are each configurable for impact mode for preparing the aircraft for impact such that the crash environment of the aircraft is improved for aircraft occupants in such a way that may hinder further piloting of the aircraft.

11. A method for occupant protection for an aircraft, the method comprising:

using a sensor system, sensing flight information associated with the flight of the aircraft;

receiving, at an impending crash detection system, at least some of the flight information from the sensor system;

determining, using the impending crash detection system, whether a crash is likely to occur based at least in part of the received flight information;

providing an impending crash signal from the impending crash detection system to a first group of aircraft systems if the impending crash detection system determines that a crash is likely to occur,

wherein the first group of aircraft systems are configured to automatically initiate an impact mode upon receipt of the impending crash signal from the impending crash detection system;

receiving, at an impact detection system, at least some of the flight information from the sensor system;

determining, using the impact detection system, whether an impact has occurred based at least in part on the received flight information;

providing an impact signal from the impact detection system to a second group of aircraft systems if the impact detection system determines that an impact has occurred,

wherein the second group of aircraft systems are configured to automatically initiate an impact mode upon receipt of the impact signal from the impact detection system, and

wherein the second group of aircraft systems comprises at least one of a soft pedal system, a fuel shutoff system, a fuel tank ventilation system, a fire extinguisher system, an egress lighting system, a door latch system, an emergency locator transmitter system.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the second group of aircraft systems further comprises at least one of a collapsible cyclic stick system and an internal airbag system.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein the first group of aircraft systems comprises at least one of an automatic flare maneuver system, an active restraint system, an active seat system, an external airbag system.

14. The method of claim 11 , wherein the sensor system comprises at least one of a global positioning system (GPS), an inertial navigation system (INS), a Helicopter Terrain Awareness Warning System (HTAWS), an enhanced ground proximity warning system (EGPWS), a radar altimeter, a transponder collision avoidance system (TCAS), an immersion sensor system.

15. The method of claim 11 , wherein the control system includes an electronic control system comprising a processor and a memory.

16. The method of claim 11 , wherein the receiving, at the impact crash detection system, of at least some of the flight information includes receiving at least some of the flight information from an accelerometer; and wherein the determining, using the impact detection system, of whether an impact has occurred is based at least in part on the received flight information from the accelerometer.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the determining, using the impact detection system, of whether an impact has occurred is based at least in part on at least a predetermined amount of deceleration being detected by the accelerometer.

18. The method of claim 11 , wherein the determining, using the impending crash detection system, of whether a crash is likely to occur is based at least in part on received flight information about distance to ground and speed of the aircraft in the direction of the ground.

19. The method of claim 11 , wherein the first group of aircraft systems are each configurable for impact mode for preparing the aircraft for impact such that the crash environment of the aircraft is improved for aircraft occupants while allowing for continued piloting of the aircraft.

20. The method of claim 11 , wherein the second group of aircraft systems are each configurable for impact mode for preparing the aircraft for impact such that the crash environment of the aircraft is improved for aircraft occupants in such a way that may hinder further piloting of the aircraft.