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HEAT issues in Military Cockpit

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resqav8r

livin' the dream
Joined
Sep 5, 2005
Posts
16
Just wondering if anyone besides me thinks that flying in the heat of OEF & OIF is more demanding than normal. Many cockpits (fighters, transport, AH64, AH1) are climate controlled so no issue for those guys. However, those of us low level in H60 & OH58D contend with cockpit heat well above our core body temperature. Do you find that heat distracting and/or potentially hazardous? What do you do to deal with it (suck it up, doors off, etc.). I'd be courious, because I'm suspecting that some rookie mistakes made by senior pilots might be the result of the distraction caused by the extreme heat and dust. Any input is welcomed. thanks.
 
We were issued, by our flight surgeon, a headband that you would soke in water and wrap around your head. You would shove it in a water bottle and throw it in your fridge before the mission. It looked funny wearing a soaking wet headband but the thing worked for about eight hours.

Try this website. www.virginiabusiness.com/magazine/yr1998/aug98/mybrednk.html

These are not the ones we used, our are black, but they are similar.

It think at one point my Navigator measured the cockpit temp at 150+. It didn't stop the missions, you just delt with it. I do believe that the heat combined with cronick (sp.) fatigue has caused some near accidents if not actual accident.

Good Luck

CLAMBAKE
 
You are quite correct that heat plays a critical factor in fatigue and other physical factors in flight. The Army Safety Center and USAAVNC (or whatever that acronym is) have detailed studies on it. Contact them if you want more info.

As for your other comments: "Many cockpits (fighters, transport, AH64, AH1) are climate controlled so no issue for those guys. However, those of us low level in H60 & OH58D contend with cockpit heat well above our core body temperature."

That comment is not exactly correct. As a former AH-64 pilot I can assure you that heat is still a huge factor if not worse in the the AH-64 and AH-1. That climate control, when it is working properly barely compensates for the large amount of heat generated by having a cockpit surrounded by glass with no ventilation. It is still very hot. When the system is not working properly, or diverted to keep other systems cool it is worse than being in an aircraft that has windows available to the outside environment.

If you want to keep your temp down a little, try these tips. Get a bandana, or one of the kercheifs especially designed for this particular task and soak it in water, then roll it up and wrap it around your neck. You can also soak your skull cap and get it damp before flying. If feels funky but it does cool you down for a bit. But most of all remember to drink lots of water.

Good luck
 
resqav8r said:
Just wondering if anyone besides me thinks that flying in the heat of OEF & OIF is more demanding than normal. Many cockpits (fighters, transport, AH64, AH1) are climate controlled so no issue for those guys. However, those of us low level in H60 & OH58D contend with cockpit heat well above our core body temperature. Do you find that heat distracting and/or potentially hazardous? What do you do to deal with it (suck it up, doors off, etc.). I'd be courious, because I'm suspecting that some rookie mistakes made by senior pilots might be the result of the distraction caused by the extreme heat and dust. Any input is welcomed. thanks.

I feel that the heat has been a contributory factor in some of the pilot error mishaps. However, I was usually more comfortable in the 60 than an AH1, even though the snake had an ECU.

Problem was the Cobra just didn't have enough power to utilize the ECU in the take off, hover and landing phases of missions and as you might guess, when it comes to Cav and Attack ops, that is pretty much all there is. The problem then becomes compounded by the fact it is a closed cockpit with a lot of greenhouse. I'm not sure about the 64, but I think heat is less of an issue as they are rarely FMC and as such the crew spends most mission hours sitting in a tent. (just kidding - don't shoot). Of course the sand really adds to the misery and maintenance. Screws up everything; you, the bird and even the chow. Can't get away from that I would guess. At least not for the foreseeable future.

As a note, I am pretty sure the Aeromedical team down at Ft. Rucker conducted a lot of tests concernig this very issue during the 90's because I actually participated in a few for the Hawk. If I recall, we flew the simulator with a wire up our a$$ while they heated the thing up to sauna levels. Used googles and such. It sucked and was actaully quite a bit more severe that anything I recall experiencing in the real world. You might want to do a search and see if they published any results.

Good luck over there.
 
sardaddy said:
You are quite correct that heat plays a critical factor in fatigue and other physical factors in flight. The Army Safety Center and USAAVNC (or whatever that acronym is) have detailed studies on it. Contact them if you want more info.

As for your other comments: "Many cockpits (fighters, transport, AH64, AH1) are climate controlled so no issue for those guys. However, those of us low level in H60 & OH58D contend with cockpit heat well above our core body temperature."

That comment is not exactly correct. As a former AH-64 pilot I can assure you that heat is still a huge factor if not worse in the the AH-64 and AH-1. That climate control, when it is working properly barely compensates for the large amount of heat generated by having a cockpit surrounded by glass with no ventilation. It is still very hot. When the system is not working properly, or diverted to keep other systems cool it is worse than being in an aircraft that has windows available to the outside environment.

If you want to keep your temp down a little, try these tips. Get a bandana, or one of the kercheifs especially designed for this particular task and soak it in water, then roll it up and wrap it around your neck. You can also soak your skull cap and get it damp before flying. If feels funky but it does cool you down for a bit. But most of all remember to drink lots of water.

Good luck

Ah - the skull cap. Still have mine and still refuse to wash it!!

Interesting to hear that the 64 has the same kind of ECU limitations that the Cobra had. It is a bitch to have that sun using the canopy as a cooking glasss.

On a side note. When I retired, the Hawk required that pilot doors be installed prior to flight. I have seen several pictures from Iraq as well as NO where the aircraft is flying doors off. Looks like quite and improvement.
 
Do your helos have the reflective sun shades? Sounds funny...but it works. We made them put them up in the 130s and it helped. We also worked a deal with MX to pull a hatch or keep the cargo door cracked a few inches.
There were times I was so hot that sweat was pouring over me and it ddistracted me from my task at hand. We were in the Stans...one of the lower stans had a "bowl effect' were a dust layer sat at 16k and turned into a magnifying glass.
There were times I was so hot I took my flight suit and tied it around my waist. Put my flak vest back on and used my headset. Told my female CP she could do the same...IF she wanted. She didnt...and then when we got airborne Id get back into my gear.
We had radio problems in the heat as well as burns from the metal buckles on the shoulder straps. Showers were sometimes so hot they would burn...and CE took their sweet time taking care of that - we suggested camo netting over the bladders.....2 weeks later the females shower had it. We never got it. How hard is it to get a camo net?
Anyway....leadership needs to realize this IS a factor.

PS Anyone ever use that cooler device from the Sharper Image? A guy I know that has a lawn service says it works.
 
heat revisited

Thanks very much for the input. I've had the good fortune of working the deep of night when it's cool and yet I still get pretty hot doing the job. Never had a 64 in extreme temps / alt like this (and I'm now in USAF). I really wanted to see if after 18 yrs of flying I'm turning soft. This whole issue of heat hit me flying the US border from SanDiego to Corpus the week of Emily. My Co was making real tiny subtle mistakes and I was slow to catch them. We saw our OAT pegged on several occasions, we only have a tiny vent window and the vent blower was more like ahair dryer or blow torch. It was miserable, so I brought a coolshirt (used in autoracing) with me to theater. I've used it prior to critical phases of flight and felt much better for it. However, it really made me wonder how it is in other aircraft and especially those folks flying in the day. Worse yet, has anyone heard how the guys in HMMVs are dealing?
 
resqav8r said:
....... Many cockpits (fighters, transport, AH64, AH1) are climate controlled so no issue for those guys......

I've got news for you. A fighter cockpit is slightly climate controlled. If it's not cold enough to snow, a fighter pilot is probably going to get out of a cockpit drenched in sweat. Yanking around at high Gs is an athletic event and quickly overpowers the miniscule efforts of a small AC unit in a fighter. Add to that the effect of sitting in the sun under a greenhouse called a canopy and you'll find heat is quite an issue for fighter guys.
 
Thanks, Adler ... I really had no idea (been RW all my life), just kinda figured that with the FAT at altitude that it wasn't much of an issue. It's good to know as a reference. One day I'll find out; when I collect the Eagle ride that's been promised to my crew ... hope it's a cool day.
 

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