Investigating The Effect of Seat Suspension System and Cushion on The Dynamic Behavior of the 214 Helicopter Pilot's Body

Articles in Press

Document Type : Research Article

Authors

1 Department of Aerospace Engineering, Shahid Sattari Aeronautical University of Science and Technology, Tehran, Iran

2 Faculty of Engineering, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Kharazmi University, Tehran, Iran

Abstract

In this study, the influence of the stiffness and damping characteristics of the pilot seat cushion in the Bell 214 helicopter is investigated as two critical factors in reducing the transmission of vibrations to the pilot’s body. Since the dominant vibrations in the Bell 214 occur at low frequencies—typically between 2 and 15 Hz—the seat suspension system is not practical in this range, and the seat cushion plays a more significant role in vibration isolation.



First, the biodynamic response of the human body is validated by comparing the results with existing experimental and analytical data related to helicopter vibration exposure. Then, the biodynamic equations of motion are analyzed using a four-degree-of-freedom seated human model under various configurations, with and without suspension and seat cushioning.



Finally, the frequency-domain response is examined through three-dimensional plots to evaluate the effect of different cushion stiffness and damping values. Additionally, in this research, the ISO 2631-1 standard was used to obtain passenger comfort parameters. The results indicate that selecting optimal mechanical properties for the cushion can significantly enhance pilot comfort and play an effective role in reducing vibration-induced physical injuries.

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AUT Journal of Mechanical Engineering

Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript
Available Online from 01 July 2025

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