Physiological Effects of Thermal Stress on Aviators Flying a UH-60 Helicopter Simulator

Abstract

<jats:title>Abstract</jats:title> <jats:p>An evaluation of the physiological effects on aviators of heat stress (90°F wet bulb globe temperature [WBGT]) versus a cooler condition (70°F WBGT) when wearing either a MOPPO (Mission-Oriented Protective Posture 0) uniform or a MOPP4 ensemble encumbered with a ballistic chest plate and overwater survival gear was performed at the United States Army Aeromedical Research Laboratory. The study used a repeated-measures design with 14 aviators flying 4-hour missions in a UH-60 helicopter simulator. Average crew endurance in the MOPP4-hot condition was reduced to one-third of the fully completed mission time of 309 minutes. For the hot condition, core temperature in the simulator rose 1.4°F/hour when aviators wore the encumbered MOPP4 ensemble versus 0.27°F/hour when they wore the MOPPO uniform. Sweating rate in the MOPP4-hot condition was 1,523 ml/hour, resulting in 2.5% dehydration, in contrast to 183 ml/hour and 0.9% dehydration in the MOPP4-cool condition. In this study, pilots flying realistic UH-60 simulator sorties rapidly incurred significant physiological heat strain when wearing an encumbered MOPP4 flight ensemble in hot cockpit conditions.</jats:p>

Clothing, Textiles, and Human Performance

“…50**/o rh) and hot (37.8°C. 50% rh) conditions [194]. Endurance was significanth' reduced with this type of clothing, with human performance assessed under both conditions.…”

“…and to a lesser extent, heat stress, have been reported [194]. Effects of two aviator uniforms (the U.S. unencumbered mission oriented protective posture aviator battle dress, and the encumbered version) in four combinations over the aviator battle dress flight ensemble, worn by nine crews were examined under cool (21.1°C.…”

Effects of wearing aircrew protective clothing on physiological and cognitive responses under various ambient conditions

“…Studies that have looked at the effects on cognitive performance of wearing protective clothing at different ambient temperatures often lack information about how the physiological status of the subject correlates with decrements in performance (Fine and Kobrick 1987, Thornton and Caldwell 1993, Reardon et al 1998b). Other studies have focused primarily on the physiological consequences of wearing protective clothing in different ambient temperatures, or on limitations on the ability to perform physical work, rather than on mental performance as such (Thornton et al 1985, White et al 1991, Scott et al 1994, Rissanen and Rintama¨ki 1997.…”

“…This in turn could have had consequences for the cognitive performance, with fewer incorrect reactions in the Vigilance test. Detrimental effects of heat stress when wearing protective clothing on flight performance have been demonstrated in the UH-60 helicopter simulator (Reardon et al 1998a). Caldwell et al(1997) showed that aviators could not safely fly a single standard mission in the UH-60 helicopter simulator wearing protective clothing at 418C, without some type of cockpit or individual cooling garment.…”

Uniformes da Guarda Nacional: 1831-1852. A Indumentária na Organização e Funcionamento de uma Associação Armada

“…Os uniformes militares têm sido objeto de variados estudos técnicos. Na área de medicina há avaliações de uniformes de aviadores (Reardon, 1998), de camuflagem (Lim et alii, 1997), de combate (Hansen et alii, 1996), daqueles utilizados na operação Desert Storm na guerra entre Estados Unidos e Iraque (Wester et alii, 1996;Fryauff et alii, 1996) e na proteção contra doenças (Soto et alii, 1995;Yevich et alii, 1995). Ainda há análises sobre técnicas computadorizadas de fabricação (R&D Magazine, 1997), resistência física (Palmer et alii, 1995) e funcionalidade de roupas de proteção química (Bensel, 1997).…”