Comparative Evaluation of the APH-6D, HGU-35/P (Low Pressure), HGU-35/P (High Pressure), VTAS II and VTAS III Helmet Systems on the Dynamic Flight Simulator.

摘要

Pilots flying high performance aircraft under sustained acceleration in an ACM (Air Combat Maneuver) have been exposed to an additional stress imposed upon them by their heavy, unstable helmet and its related oxygen mask. A newly developed lightweight mold-in-place helmet with an integrated oxygen mask system was dynamically tested on the Naval Air Development Center (NAVAIRDEVCEN) human centrifuge in a simulated ACM acceleration profile. Four pilots, each wearing three variations of the prototype helmet, were exposed to a peak of 6 Gz in 10 seconds, held for approximately 4 seconds, returned to 2 Gz, then built up to 4 Gz in 10 seconds, held for approximately 4 seconds and then returned to a plateau of either 3 Gz or 1 Gz for a total time of 4 minutes. Performance measurements were made during the plateaus. The pilots used the APH-6 single visor helmet as a standard for the conventional HGU-35/P helmet and a VTAS-II helmet (lightweight, mold-in-place helmet assembly using an A-13A oxygen mask and an add-on VTAS electronic/optical system) as a standard of comparison for the VTAS-III (an HGU-35/P integrated oxygen mask system and an integrated VTAS electronic/optical system). Based upon a perfect score of 100, the overall evaluation of the helmets tested scored as follows: APH-6 (57.5), VTAS-II (46), HGU-35P High Pressure (79), HGU-35 Low Pressure (77.5, and the VTAS-III (71). (Author)