Despite continued training and emphasis by the aeromedical and flight safety community, g induced loss of consciousness (GLOC) continues to result in fatal mishaps. Full coverage anti g suits have been shown to improve g tolerance, but concerns about comfort, mobility, thermal burden, and effectiveness have delayed deployment to the USAF F-15 and F-16 fleets. The USAF Test Pilot School conducted centrifuge and flight testing of the legacy CSU-13B/P g suit, the CSU-22/P Advanced Tactical Anti-G Suit (ATAGS) in use on the F-22 Raptor, and the RFD Beaufort Full Coverage Anti-G Trouser (FCAGT) in use on the F-35 Lightning II. Project Have PAIN built upon previous testing by collecting physiological, performance, and suitability data under controlled, prescribed high-g profiles in both the flight and centrifuge environments, while quantifying thermal and mobility concerns as compared to the CSU-13B/P legacy g-suit. Seven project aircrew, including four with prior high-g fighter experience, completed high-g events at load factors from six to nine g. Onset rate was varied between 1.5 and 6 g per second and maximum g was maintained for a minimum of ten seconds. Physiological data including heart rate, respiration rate, oxygen saturation, core temperature, and skin temperature were recorded along with subjective strain, workload, comfort, and mobility ratings. Differences were found in the physiological response and subjective evaluation of the high-g environment by aircrew wearing a full coverage g-suit when compared to aircrew wearing the CSU-13B/P. Wear of the full coverage g-suit resulted in lower peak heart rate response as well as lower reported subjective strain and workload. Comfort and mobility were found to be slightly degraded for full coverage g-suits as compared to the CSU-13B/P, but not objectionably so. Among the full coverage suits, the reduction in peak heart rate response and workload was greatest for the RFD Beaufort FCAGT. The reduction in subjective strain ratings and workload, combined with the lower peak heart rate response when wearing the full coverage g-suits was interpreted as an increase in the overall protection afforded to aircrew at sustained high-g. This paper will present the findings of the test team along with a brief overview of the test approach and data analysis. Additionally, this presentation will address the challenges in performing physiological testing in the flight test environment, to include instrumentation, safety, privacy, and legal concerns.
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