All Wheels Up Working Group to Focus on In-Cabin Wheelchair Securements for Dedicated Wheelchair Spot

Key stakeholders from around the world assemble following US Transportation Review Board
report confirming feasibility of wheelchair securements on commercial flights

FRISCO, Texas – August 30, 2022. All Wheels Up (AWU), the only not-for-profit organization in
the world funding and conducting research for a wheelchair spot on airplanes, announced its
third working group of key stakeholders from U.S. and foreign air carriers, airplane, airplane
seat and wheelchair manufacturers, regulatory agencies, and universities to address in-cabin
wheelchair securements to accommodate a wheelchair spot on airplanes.
The U.S. Transportation Review Board confirmed last year in its “Final Report on the Feasibility
of Wheelchair Securement Systems on Aircraft” that wheelchair securement systems are
feasible for in-flight use in commercial aviation. The AWU Working Group will go in-depth into
the design and engineering of in-cabin wheelchair securements and share research and
innovations in the field. Speakers from the National Institute for Aviation Research from Wichita
State University and London-based aviation industrial design firm PriestmanGoode will join
other stakeholders from the industry.

AWU’s mission is to increase awareness for safer and more dignified accessible air travel
through research and advocacy. AWU is the only organization in the world crash-testing
wheelchairs and wheelchair securement systems for commercial flights, with the guidance and
support of the FAA. Since 2011, the not-for-profit, led by volunteers and support by grassroots
fundraising, has achieved the following:
– Funded the first proof of concept by crash testing wheelchairs and wheelchair tie downs
systems to 16G dynamic testing standards of airplane seats
– Procured wheelchair securement systems and surrogate wheelchair for testing
– Advocated to Congress to fund a feasibility study as part of the FAA Reauthorization Act
of 2018
– Funded multiple university research papers including two University of Washington
Capstone studies (to be published in Q3 2022) providing support data for industry
decisions

Working group meetings will take place at the end of September. Commenting on the working
group meetings, Michele Erwin, CEO of All Wheels Up, said:
Accessible air travel is at a pivotal moment. We recognize that wheelchair users need and want
to fly with independence and dignity in their own wheelchairs. All Wheels Up believes true
accessible air travel includes a wheelchair spot on planes. The U.S. Transportation Review

Board confirmed the feasibility of the wheelchair security systems and the U.S. Secretary of
Transportation pledged to work toward requiring airlines to allow passengers to stay in their
personal wheelchairs when they fly. At this event, all stakeholders will collectively have a voice
on the next steps.

About All Wheels Up:
All Wheels Up (AWU) is the first organization in the world to fund research and development for
a “wheelchair spot” on commercial airplanes. The not-for-profit organization is working with the
airline carriers, airplane manufacturers, and other stakeholders to make airplanes wheelchair
accessible for the millions of people who depend on them for mobility and safe seating. AWU’s
mission is to increase awareness for safer and more dignified accessible air travel through
research and advocacy. AWU is the first not-for-profit organization funding research and
development for a wheelchair spot on planes—as well as providing community outreach through
its Fly Safe Today program.

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