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The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)'s analysis of commuter aircraft accidents and ongoing research has indicated that the crashworthiness capabilities of smaller aircraft may be questionable. The small size of these aircraft results in a stiff structure and consequently higher impact loads experienced by the occupants. In 1993, the FAA issued a Notice of Proposed Rule Making (NPRM) 93-71 to increase the deceleration pulse amplitude of the sled tests under the Test-1 conditions (60-degree test) to 32G for the commuter type aircraft. To meet this condition, the seat design must exploit the energy absorption potential for its structural components. Energy absorbing components may include the seat legs, seat pan, and seat cushion. The intent is to design the seat so that it strikes well beyond the elastic limit to absorb the energy of the impact. To date, no seat has yet been able to pass the proposed criteria with an acceptable limit on the lumbar load (1500 pounds).