UK Military Experience of Rotary Aircraft Fires and Equipment - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

UK Military Experience of Rotary Aircraft Fires and Equipment Provided to Mitigate this Risk Dr Michael J A Trudgill MB BCh MRCGP Dip IMC RCS(Ed) DAvMed DOcc Med FRAeS RAF Centre of Aviation Medicine

Outline • Overview of Rotary Aircraft fires • UK Military experience • Recent UK ensemble testing RAF Centre of Aviation Medicine

Rotary Aircraft Fires • All Rotary aircraft • Dramatic and frequently tragic • Hydraulic • Electrical • Mechanical • Fuel fires • UK experience RAF Centre of Aviation Medicine

UK Rotary Accident Fires • Data reviewed from 1995- 2009 (15 Years) • 44 Rotary Accidents • 7 Fires (16%) • 5 Post crash fires (11.5%) • 2 In flight fires (4.5%) RAF Centre of Aviation Medicine

Aircraft Control Measures • Crashworthy fuel systems • Fuel tanks/seams/crash valves/engineering design • Hot surface ignition • Anti mist kerosene • Inert gases • Extinguishers • (US Army statistics-helio- no reduction in post crash fire) RAF Centre of Aviation Medicine

Personal Protective Equipment • Fire proof clothing • Reduces rate of tissue heating allowing wearer time to escape • Flame resistant shell • Insulating layer RAF Centre of Aviation Medicine

Operational Conflicts • Non Signature • Low thermal burden • Integration and Comfort • Ground pattern • Nomex flight suit • Boots • Undergarments RAF Centre of Aviation Medicine

Compromise • FR CS 95 developed • Education • Ongoing commitment to develop FR low burden AEA RAF Centre of Aviation Medicine

BTTG BURN TRIALS • Burn trials of current operational clothing ensembles to ISO 13506 • Clearance of new UBACS • Test a range of Head mounted equipment • Test a range of trousers- JSFAW RAF Centre of Aviation Medicine

Test Conditions • 4 or 5 second burn duration • 1200 deg C propane flame from 12 burners • Heat Flux 84kW/m2 • Behaviour during burn • Behaviour post burn • Subsequent equipment condition • Heat transfer RAF Centre of Aviation Medicine

Measurements • 150 thermistors across manikin • Measure at 10, 30 60 and 90 seconds • Heat flux used to estimate skin burn • Takata and Stoll skin model • Skin burn results plotted on a dermatome type map RAF Centre of Aviation Medicine

Results RAF Centre of Aviation Medicine

Further Analysis • Body divided into regions relating to items of equipment • Torso- Survival vest • Arms- UBACS • Legs-Trousers and long johns • Head-Helmets, masks and head over's • Small number of thermistors • Small number of burns • Data susceptible to equipment positioning RAF Centre of Aviation Medicine

Head Protection • Effect of flash fire on various helmets • Visors • Visor covers • Masks • Face shields • Scarf (shemag) • Head over RAF Centre of Aviation Medicine

Helmets RAF Centre of Aviation Medicine

Shemag and Head over RAF Centre of Aviation Medicine

Helmets and Headover RAF Centre of Aviation Medicine

Burn Severity 4B4L+HEADOVER 13 18 23 28 33 38 43 48 -2 3 8 4B4L+HEADOVER 4B4L+FACEMASK Head Protection 4B4L+FACEMASK Predicted Head and Neck Burns Head and Neck equipment Worn 10R+PQ MASK ALPHA EAGLE+FACEMASK RAF Centre of Aviation Medicine ALPHA EAGLE APACHE HELMET 4A+SHEMAG HEAD

Torso Burns • Effect of layers • Adequacy of minimal ensemble • Molle System • Jacket functionality • Effect on survival aids • Fragmentation vest • Ballistic plates RAF Centre of Aviation Medicine

RAF Centre of Aviation Medicine Front Back 61M+FRONT AND REAR CERAMIC PLATES 60M No plates or survival aids 60M+DYNEMA PLATES+COLLECTOR 61M+FRAG VEST+CERAMIC PLATES Torso TORSO BURN 61M+FRAG VEST 61M UBACS TUCKED IN 61M+UBACS 61M+UBACS 61M 64 54 44 34 24 14 4 -6 Burn Score

Results • More layers better • Frag vest good protection • Molle system survives • Jacket pockets protect survival aids ?ammo • Dynema Plate undamaged • Ceramic plate undamaged! • Plate rear cover-cordura • Decisions regarding layers on UBACS vest vindicated RAF Centre of Aviation Medicine

RAF Centre of Aviation Medicine

Arms • Double sleeve • Single sleeve • Neoprene inserts RAF Centre of Aviation Medicine

Single sleeve vs double RAF Centre of Aviation Medicine

Arms ARM BURNS 44 39 34 29 Burn Severity 24 RIGHT ARM LEFT ARM 19 14 9 4 -1 CAM UBACS MK16 FR 2 CAM UBACS CAM UBACS CAM UBACS GROUND CAM UBACS PECOC 7 no PECOC 8 1a 1b 1c 4 UBACS 5 6 neoprene plus neoprene Garment Worn RAF Centre of Aviation Medicine

Neoprene • Minimal welding to overlying fabric • Provides additional protection RAF Centre of Aviation Medicine

Trousers • Comparison of various ensembles • Kermel viscose • FR Rayon 65%,Aramid 25%,Nylon 10% • 90% Nomex • Kermel and cotton undergarments • Repairs and AVTUR RAF Centre of Aviation Medicine

TROUSERS RAF Centre of Aviation Medicine

RAF Centre of Aviation Medicine

AVTUR, REPAIRS AND HOMEGROWN RAF Centre of Aviation Medicine

Burn Severity 100 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 0 KERMEL LONGJOHNS+FR CS95 MK16A+COTTON LONG JOHNS KERMEL LONGJOHNS+FR CS95 KERMEL LONGJOHNS+FR CS95 TROUSER BURN Garment Worn COTTON LONGJOHNS+FR CS95 ARMY ELEMENT PANT(COLD RAF Centre of Aviation Medicine WEATHER,NO UNDERGARMENT) COTTON LONGJOHNS+FR CS95 AV TUR LEFT LEG COTTON LONGJOHNS+US FR COMBAT TROUSER ANTI MICROBIAL SHORTS+FR CS95 Left leg Right leg

Questions RAF Centre of Aviation Medicine