Page 5 - Aerotech News and Review May 5 2017

New hypoxia trainer saves time, money, lives
by Kenji Thuloweit
Edwards AFB, Calif.
Pilots and aircrew members at Ed- wards Air Force Base, Calif., may be able to breathe easier knowing they don’t have to go to another base any- more for required hypoxia training.
A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held April 20, 2017, to introduce a new Re- duced Oxygen Breathing Device and Hypoxia Familiarization Trainer as part of the aircrew flight equipment in Bldg. 1250.
The new system takes the place of an altitude chamber, which Edwards used to have when the SR-71 Black- bird flew here. Since the hypobaric chamber closed over a decade ago, all aircrew have had to go to other loca- tions to receive this training.
“All aircrew need to have this train- ing once every five years and it is a grounding item; if they don’t have the training, they are grounded and can- not fly,” said Maj. Maggie Coppini, 412th Medical Group aerospace phys- iologist. “By having this device here at Edwards, we are providing a (local) ability to train our aircrew instead of having to send them temporary duty for this training. We will be saving the 412th Test Wing approximately $70,000 annually in TDY expenses by being able to provide the training ourselves.”
Coppini said F-35 and F-22 pilots
have to complete hypoxia training once a year and a need was identi- fied to have a trainer at Edwards. She presented the idea to the 412th Opera- tions Group commander, Col. Scott Cain, who approved the purchase of the system.
People can experience hypoxia when there is an oxygen deficiency. In airplanes, this can happen with a loss of cabin pressure or equipment failure.
There are three components to the new training system. The Reduced Oxygen Breathing Device is used with the Hypoxia Familiarization Trainer, which is a quasi-flight simulator for pilots. The ROBD is also used with the Mission Crew Trainer, which is de- signed for non-pilot aircrew members such as load masters, test engineers and boom operators.
Coppini said the ROBD works by changing the composition of breath- ing air to mimic altitudes up to 34,000 feet, making the aircrew member hy- poxic by giving less oxygen than is needed to maintain deliberate think- ing and motor skills. The oxygen flows through an aviator mask worn by the pilot or aircrew member.
“The ROBD provides more realis- tic training than an altitude chamber because the aircrew will be doing tasks similar to what they’d be do- ing in flight such as flying to different headings and altitudes, responding to radio calls, processing numbers and
cross-checking data, etc. Additional- ly, Staff Sgt. Lynnette McCarrier, my Aerospace Physiology technician, can configure their oxygen regulator, stick and throttle in a way that most closely resembles their primary aircraft, so we can develop habit patterns that are ap- plicable to their flight environment,” said Coppini.
The new system is designed to train
aircrew on recognizing their own unique symptoms of hypoxia. Once they identify their symptoms, they ini- tiate the appropriate emergency proce- dures and get on 100 percent oxygen to help their symptoms resolve and to land the aircraft safely (for pilots), ac- cording to Coppini.
“Hypoxia training is important so that aircrew can quickly and ef-
fectively recognize their symptoms, should they experience them in flight, and safely recover the aircraft so that everyone gets home safely.”
Coppini added that ROBD training is safer than an altitude chamber be- cause there is no risk of rupturing an eardrum or having sinus blocks. She also said the new system is more cost- efficient to maintain.
Col. Scott Cain, 412th Operations Group commander, tries out the new hypoxia trainer at the Aircrew Flight Equipment building April 20, 2017.
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Air Force photograph by Kyle Larson
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