COMPARATIVE CHARACTERISTICS OF THE RESULTS OF ASSESSMENT OF PSYCHOPHYSIOLOGICAL FUNCTIONS OF DIFFERENT CATEGORIES OF MILITARY PILOTS

The aim of the study was to carry out a comparative analysis of the values and structure of correlation relationships of psychophysiological function of different categories of military pilots (112 – supersonic, 109 – transport and 142 – helicopter aircraft). The analysis of the obtained results was carried out according to the indicators of personified characteristics, neurodynamic and psychomotor functions. A significant identity of the values and structure of the correlation relationships of indicators of psychophysiological functions of military pilots of supersonic and transport aviation was established. The presence of a common system-forming factor in ensuring the reliability of task performance determines the prevalence of indicators of psychomotor functions over those in helicopter pilots for whom the indicators of most neurodynamic functions are reliably better. Respectively, in the groups of military pilots of supersonic and transport aviation, psychophysiological functions are fairly well correlated with each other and are closely related to majority of personal characteristics, forming 45 and 52 % of relationships. Among helicopter pilots, such relationships are significantly less, amounting 24%. There is also a lack of significant influence of personalized characteristics on the formation of the «correlation frame» of psychophysiological functions.

Hearing Function among Squadron 11/Attack Helicopter Pilots in 2019–2020

Noise-Induced Hearing Loss (NIHL) is sensorineural deafness resulting from prolonged exposure to loud noise. In the military environment, personnel with NIHL are often found. One of the professions that are at risk for NIHL is an aviator. Some of the factors that influence the degree of deafness are age and length of work. This research is a descriptive quantitative observational study with a cross-sectional design. The research subjects were Squadron 11/Attack helicopter pilots at Achmad Yani Air Base, Semarang, totaling 32 pilots, which were taken from medical record data. Sampling was done by total sampling. The data obtained were processed using SPSS and grouped into tables accompanied by descriptive explanations of each characteristic. The audiogram results showed that 32 pilots were normal, across all age and length of service categories. This result is due to the appropriate use of hearing protection device (HPD), in the form of a helmet that reduces noise up to 14 dB at 250 Hz, 21 dB at 1000 Hz, 26 dB at 2000 Hz, 37 dB at 4000 Hz, and 42 dB at a frequency of 8000 Hz, which pilots use. The pilot's working time is relatively short with a flight training schedule only 2 times a week and a flight time of around 2-3 hours. The conclusions of the study showed a description of normal hearing function in all Squadron 11/Attack helicopter pilots, based on age and length of service.

Multi-Body Dynamic Analysis of Cervical Spine for Helicopter Pilots

Helicopter pilots use helmets equipped with night vision goggle and counter weight. This increased load can lead to disc injury, so it is necessary to evaluate the load and moments applied to each cervical disc when pilot head is moving in different flight conditions. A 3D multi-body dynamic model of cervical spine is provided to investigate the effect of weight of the helmet in flexion, extension, lateral bending and axial rotation of the spine. The whole study was done in several steps: 1) to develop a non-linear dynamic model of spine. 2) to validate the model against the published data under flexion, extension, lateral bending and torsinal moments. 3) to solve three case studies to simulate a moving head in different direction. 4) to run the simulations again with consideration of adding a helmet into the model with different weight to find out the effects on the cervical discs loading. The results demonstrate that C2C3, C4C5 and C7T1 carry the highest loads depending on direction of imposed displacement on the head. Experts in the area of neck injury can study the results and locate the regions at risk of injury or they can feed this information into FEA model to get stress distribution in discs, bones or ligaments.

Multi-Body Dynamic Analysis of Cervical Spine for Helicopter Pilots

Helicopter pilots use helmets equipped with night vision goggle and counter weight. This increased load can lead to disc injury, so it is necessary to evaluate the load and moments applied to each cervical disc when pilot head is moving in different flight conditions. A 3D multi-body dynamic model of cervical spine is provided to investigate the effect of weight of the helmet in flexion, extension, lateral bending and axial rotation of the spine. The whole study was done in several steps: 1) to develop a non-linear dynamic model of spine. 2) to validate the model against the published data under flexion, extension, lateral bending and torsinal moments. 3) to solve three case studies to simulate a moving head in different direction. 4) to run the simulations again with consideration of adding a helmet into the model with different weight to find out the effects on the cervical discs loading. The results demonstrate that C2C3, C4C5 and C7T1 carry the highest loads depending on direction of imposed displacement on the head. Experts in the area of neck injury can study the results and locate the regions at risk of injury or they can feed this information into FEA model to get stress distribution in discs, bones or ligaments.

A numerical study of vibration-induced instrument reading capability degradation in helicopter pilots

Rotorcraft suffer from relatively high vibratory levels, due to exposure to significant vibratory load levels originating from rotors. As a result, pilots are typically exposed to vibrations, which have non-negligible consequences. Among those, one important issue is the degradation of instrument reading, which is a result of complex human-machine interaction. Both involuntary acceleration of the eyes as a result of biodynamics and vibration of the instrument panel contribute to a likely reduction in instrument reading capability, affecting flight safety. Therefore, being able to estimate the expected level of degradation in visual performance may give substantial benefits during vehicle design, allowing to make necessary adjustments while there is room for design changes or when retrofitting an existing aircraft to ensure the modifications do not adversely affect visual acuity and instrument reading ability. For this purpose, simulation is a very valuable tool as a proper model helps to understand the aircraft characteristics before conducting flight tests. This work presents the assessment of vibration-induced visual degradation of helicopter pilots under vibration exposure using a modular analysis environment. Core elements of the suggested analysis framework are an aeroelastic model of the helicopter, a model of the seat-cushion subsystem, a detailed multibody model of the human biodynamics, and a simplified model of ocular dynamics. These elements are combined into a comprehensive, fully coupled model. The contribution of each element to instrument reading degradation is examined, after defining an appropriate figure of merit that includes both eye and instrument panel vibration, in application to a numerical model representative of a medium-weight helicopter.

A Generalized Index for the Assessment of Helicopter Pilot Vibration Exposure

Helicopters are known to exhibit higher vibratory levels compared to fixed-wing aircraft. The consequences of vibrations depend on the affected helicopter component or subject. Specifically, pilots are in contact with several parts of the helicopter; vibrations can spoil the pilot-vehicle interaction. To evaluate the effects of vibration exposure on pilots, comfort levels resulting from whole-body vibration are computed. However, specific body parts and organs, e.g., hands, feet, and eyes are also adversely affected, with undesirable effects on piloting quality. Therefore, a detailed assessment is necessary for a more accurate estimation of pilot vibration exposure when comparing different configurations, tracking changes during design, and determining the safety of the flight envelope. A generalized assessment is presented by considering vibrations at the seat surface, hand-grip of controls, eyes, and feet. The suggested vibration measure includes comfort, handling, feet-contact, and vision in a single formulation. It is illustrated by coupling a high-fidelity biodynamic model of the pilot to a helicopter aeroservoelastic model in a comprehensive simulation environment. Using appropriate modeling techniques, vibration exposure of helicopter pilots could be evaluated during all stages of design, to achieve a more comfortable and safer flying environment.