Helmet-mounted systems (HMS), such as night vision goggles and helmet-mounteddisplays, are designed to enhance pilot performance through improvements in situationalawareness, target acquisition, and weapon delivery. Using HMS, however, may alsoaffect pilot safety by increasing the potential for neck injury during ejection due to theincrease in dynamic forces generated in the cervical spine as a result of the change inhelmet inertial properties. The majority of these increased forces occur during thewindblast and catapult phase of the ejection. Smaller crewmembers and those who ejectwith poor positioning are especially at risk. Previously, helmets were equipped with achin-strap that would allow the helmet to separate from the crewmember during anejection. However, new strap systems have been designed to stabilize the helmet andimprove helmet retention so that HMS can be properly used. This stabilization systemhas demonstrated a higher probability of a neck injury occurring during an ejection. Tobalance the issues of helmet stability with helmet retention and neck injury, a new chinstrapsystem has been developed. This system has been demonstrated through laboratoryand in-house testing to be a promising solution.
展开▼
