What Gs are required to lock your shoulder harness?

• A. 1-2 Gs
• B. 2-3 Gs
• C. 3-4 Gs
• D. 4-5 Gs

Answer: (B)

Shoulder harness locking is designed around an emergency locking mechanism that activates during a sudden, substantial deceleration. The system is calibrated to lock when the forces on you reach roughly two to three times the force of gravity. This ensures you’re securely restrained in a crash or a very hard stop, while avoiding unnecessary tightening during normal flight or minor turbulence.

Why this range is best: locking around two to three g provides protection in real-world crash scenarios without causing nuisance locking in everyday bumps. If it locked at only 1-2 g, the belt might tighten too readily and be uncomfortable or restrictive during normal maneuvers. If it required 4-5 g, some serious-but-not-catastrophic decelerations could fail to engage the lock in time, reducing protection when it’s most needed.