Aerospace Medicine Support to Flight Test
Transcript of Aerospace Medicine Support to Flight Test
Aerospace Medicine Support to Aerospace Medicine Support to Flight TestFlight Test
Kathryn G. Hughes, Lt Col, USAF, MC, SFS
USAF Pilot-Physician
Edwards AFB CA
16 May 2013
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Disclosure Information
I have no financial relationships to disclose.
I will not discuss off-label use and/or investigational use in my presentation
This presentation contains the opinion of the author and does not the reflect the view of the U.S. Air Force or Department of Defense.
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Overview
• Objective – understand the unique aerospace medicine requirements that exist to support the flight test mission
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Edwards AFB
• Edwards AFB - USAF Developmental Test and Evaluation for a number of aircraft, and the USAF Test Pilot School • Muroc Field – 1937, bombing range• Training base for fighters/bombers in WWII
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Edwards AFB
• Muroc Field – 1937, bombing range• Training base for fighters/bombers in WWII• Bell P-59 jet fighter brought first test mission
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Edwards AFB
• Muroc Field – 1937, bombing range• Training base for fighters/bombers in WWII• Bell P-59 jet fighter brought first test mission• Chuck Yeager – Bell X-1 broke sound barrier
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Edwards AFB
• Muroc Field – 1937, bombing range• Training base for fighters/bombers in WWII• Bell P-59 jet fighter brought first test mission• Chuck Yeager – Bell X-1 broke sound barrier• 1949 named after Capt Glen Edwards, killed in a YB-49 crash
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Edwards AFB
• 1960s: X-15 – mach 6.72, alt >350,000 feet• T-38, F-4, C-141, C-5, SR-71
• 1970s: F-15, F-16, F-117, Space Shuttle
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Edwards AFB
• 1960s: X-15 – mach 6.72, alt >350,000 feet• T-38, F-4, C-141, C-5, SR-71
• 1970s: F-15, F-16, F-117, Space Shuttle• Current: B-1, B-2, B-52, F-16, C-130, C-17, C-5, KC-135, KC-10, F-22, F-35, Global Hawk RQ-4
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Edwards AFB
• NASA Dryden, soon to be renamed the Neil A. Armstrong Flight Research Center• AF Rocket Research Lab
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Edwards AFB
• NASA Dryden, soon to be renamed the Neil A. Armstrong Flight Research Center• AF Rocket Research Lab• Dr John Paul Stapp – deceleration testing 1947 – 1951 proved survivability up to 45G
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Aerospace Medicine
• Flight Medicine Clinic with ambulance response• Optometry• Occupational Medicine Service• Bioenvironmental Engineering/Industrial Hygiene• Aerospace Physiology
• Reach-back support to 711 Human Performance Wing and USAF School of Aerospace Medicine
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Aerospace Medicine
• Similar services for all AF bases, unique additional roles:• USAF Test Pilot School – 48 students/year• Pilots, RPA Pilots, Flt Test Engineers• Enlisted aircrew course• Human Factors curriculum, Human Systems Integration curriculum, FAA medical exams, airsickness sensitization, test management plan support/consultant
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Aerospace Medicine
• Life Support Equipment – expertise on life support systems under development, full coverage G-suits, helmet-mounted displays, survival gear/immersion suits, bladder relief devices• Safe integration of pilot-mounted gear• Oxygen regulators, on-board oxygen generation systems
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Aerospace Medicine
• Team approach• Closely working with test pilots, flight test engineers, human factors engineers, test conductors• Operational Risk Management• Human System Integration