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

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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

•1950s: F-100 series, B-52, KC-135, C-130, U-2

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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

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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

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Aerospace Medicine

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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

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Aerospace Medicine

• Aircrew standards/certification• Civilian aircrew, older population

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Aerospace Medicine

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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

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Recent Experiences

• F-22 OBOGS hypoxic-like event investigation• F-35 mishap investigations• C-17 high altitude airdrop• U-2 cockpit upgrade• B-2 long duration test mission support• Full coverage G-suit testing