Head Injury Criterion

Head Injury Criterion (HIC) testing is used to evaluate the potential for head injury during dynamic aircraft seat testing and emergency landing conditions. Using an instrumented test dummy, acceleration data is collected during dynamic testing and used to calculate a HIC value that helps assess occupant protection. The evaluation is particularly important when seats are positioned near monuments, partitions, bulkheads, or other interior structures that could present a potential head-strike hazard. ACES supports HIC testing as part of aircraft seating and restraint-system certification programs, helping customers evaluate seat installations and demonstrate compliance with applicable occupant-safety requirements.