F-35 pilots get fitted for flight

F-35 to arrive fall of 2010
Updated: Thursday, 25 Feb 2010, 6:08 PM CST
Published : Thursday, 25 Feb 2010, 6:08 PM CST

Hal Scheurich
PENSACOLA, Fla. (WALA) - Side by side, representing the Navy, Air Force and Marines, three pilots with the 33rd Fighter Wing at Eglin Air Force Base were measured up, down and around on Thursday.

They are about to enter one of the most innovative flight training programs the Armed Forces has ever put together. Eglin is their new home and the tool of their trade will be the new F-35 Lightning II Fighter. But, flying these planes takes special gear, and a lot of it.

For these guys, it was kind of like Christmas.

“This is the first time I’ve really seen everything,” said Navy pilot Capt. Mike Saunders. “You know head-to-foot, underwear, skivvies, all the way to the helmet fitting. It’s very exciting,” he continued.

The gear they’ll wear is every bit as innovative as the planes they’ll fly. An unprecedented amount of effort was put into the development of the new wardrobe.

Randy Epperly is with RFD Beaufort, the company who developed the clothing.

“Our gear has to withstand a thousand degrees for four seconds with no dripping and no melting, so that’s a very high standard we have to meet. More testing has been put into this pilot flight gear than any other aircraft,” Epperly said.

Of all the new flight gear the pilots have to wear, the most popular with them is the helmet. After one look at the futuristic headwear, it’s easy to see why.

“Two projection tubes inside his helmet are going to be projecting on the back side of his visor, so no matter which way the pilot turns his head, he’s going to be able to maintain the flight instruments as well as whatever missile cueing symbology he might need,” explained Peter Mohylsky of Vision Systems International.

Sensors aboard the aircraft allow the pilot to pick up features on the ground underneath him by looking between his legs and there’s a day / night camera integrated into the helmet. With an initial price tag of half a million dollars, don’t expect this to be available for your X-Box or Playstation any time soon.

The 33rd Fighter Wing is expecting their first flight simulators to be online by the summer and is expecting the arrival of the first F-35 later this fall.

http://www.fox10tv.com/dpp/news/f-35-pi ... or-flight#

"“Our gear has to withstand a thousand degrees for four seconds with no dripping and no melting, so that’s a very high standard we have to meet. More testing has been put into this pilot flight gear than any other aircraft,” Epperly said."

Guess the suit weighs less than the fire extinguishers and hydraulic cut-off safety valves they yanked. I wonder if the USMC is gonna start recruiting at the Jockey Club...

"The few. The itty-bitty, The Marine Corps F-35B mini me aviator"

JL

Clothes make the pilot: F-35 gear designed to bear up under any situation By Mona Moore Northwest Florida Daily News, Fort Walton BeachPublication: Northwest Florida Daily News (Fort Walton Beach, Florida)Date: Friday, February 26 2010

http://www.allbusiness.com/government/g ... 422-1.html

Feb. 26--EGLIN AFB -- The new generation of Nomads will have a new generation of flight suits. Joint Strike Fighter pilot instructors were fitted for their new gear Thursday morning in Nomad Hall during a press conference.
Representatives from the suit and helmet manufacturers fielded questions.
They shared the number of measurements taken to fit pilots into the gear and safety measures taken to make the suits. They also detailed features of everything, including the socks.
But they would not talk prices.
"It costs more than your house," said Bob Foote, chief technology officer of helmet manufacturer Vision Systems International.
Rumor had it the helmets cost about $250,000 each, but Foote would not confirm it.
The flight suits were a greater mystery. Because they are being bought and produced in a small batch for the instructors, the initial cost per uniform is more than it will be in the future, said Dale Hensley, JSF support equipment logistics lead at Lockheed Martin. He did not offer an estimate.
Graham Robertson, JSF trials and integrated logistics manager for RFD Beaufort, helped design the flight suits. He said a lot of money was saved on the project but did not know how much.
"We're just engineers," he said. "We're just trying to tailor our equipment to the needs and we know there will be many needs."
The suits will be worn by pilots from the Navy, Air Force and Marines and student pilots from allied countries.
Each branch of service and country can tailor the suits according to its use. For example, the U.S. Navy and British pilots will fly over water more often than the Air Force. They will have options, such as integrating life preservers into the suits.
RFD Beaufort took a flight suit already in production and made improvements based on F-35 specifications and trial runs.
Those improvements included tailoring the sleeves for safer ejections during an emergency and creating two different g-force protection suits that would keep pilots from blacking out in an emergency.
A pilot who tested the g-protection suits during flight demonstrations showed a notable improvement to current suits.
"When in the Legacy suit (worn flying F-16's), he was fatigued after one display," Robertson said.
The pilot then changed into the new protective gear. "After three displays, he was fresh as a daisy," Robertson said.
Socks are sewn into thermal suits and create a barrier against water in case a pilot ejects and lands in water. Other garments whisk away summer heat and have coolants pumping in them.
Pilots will wear flame retardant undergarments that Roberts said would have saved thousands of lives had they been used years ago
"This equipment will protect and give the pilots a chance to get out," Roberts said. "It integrates with the ejection seat and helmet."
Fitting and issuing the gear is a two-day process that includes testing the gear in a cockpit to ensure pilots can function safely and comfortably.
The most advanced step in the fitting process is the personalized helmet fitting. A laser scanner maps the head of each pilot and creates padding tailored to the individual in a matter of hours.
The fit of the helmets impressed Maj. Eric Smith, assistant director of operations for the 58th Fighter Squadron. He said it felt like the helmet was suctioned to his head.
"They also have noise reduction. They're very nice," he said.
The technology in the 4-pound helmet does not stop at the fitting. The helmets make flying the F-35 seem like flying an invisible aircraft. When pilots look down, they see the view under the aircraft. A glance to each side also shows them the view outside the aircraft.
"It's like playing a virtual reality game," Foote said. "The plane helps a little. But I prefer to think they built the plane to the specifications of this helmet."

Similarly:
Clothes make the pilot: F-35 gets next-generation gear February 28, 2010

http://www.nwfdailynews.com/articles/ge ... -gets.html

"EGLIN AFB — The new generation of Nomads will have a new generation of flight suits.

Joint Strike Fighter pilot instructors were fitted for their new gear Thursday morning in Nomad Hall during a press conference.

Representatives from the suit and helmet manufacturers fielded questions. They shared the number of measurements taken to fit pilots into the gear and safety measures taken to make the suits. They also detailed features of everything, including the socks.

But they would not talk prices.

“It costs more than your house,” said Bob Foote, chief technology officer of helmet manufacturer Vision Systems International.

Rumor had it that helmets cost about $250,000 each, but Foote would not confirm it.

The flight suits were a greater mystery.

Because they are being bought and produced in a small batch for the instructors than greater numbers as the program revs up, the initial cost per uniform is more than it will be in the future, said Dale Hensley, JSF support equipment logistics lead at Lockheed Martin. He did not offer an estimate.

Graham Robertson, JSF trials and integrated logistics manager for RFD Beaufort, helped design of the flight suits. He said a lot of money was saved on the project but did not know how much.

“We’re just engineers,” he said. “We’re just trying to tailor our equipment to the needs and we know there will be many needs.”

The suits will be worn by pilots from the Navy, Air Force and Marines, and student pilots from allied countries.

Each branch of service and country can tailor the suits according to its use. For example, the U.S. Navy and British pilots will fly over water more often than the Air Force. They will have options such as integrating life preservers into the suits.

RFD Beaufort took a flight suit already in production then made improvements based on F-35 specifications and trial runs.

Those improvements included tailoring the sleeves for safer ejections during an emergency and creating two different g-force protection suits that would keep pilots from blacking out in an emergency.

A pilot who tested the g-protection suits during flight demonstrations showed a notable improvement to current suits.

“When in the Legacy suit (worn flying F-16’s), he was fatigued after one display,” Robertson said.

The pilot then changed into the new protective gear. “After three displays, he was fresh as a daisy,” Robertson said.

The suits are manufactured in Ohio with material made in the United States.

Socks are sewn into thermal suits and create a barrier against water in case a pilot ejects and lands in water. Other garments whisk away summer heat and have coolants pumping in them.

Pilots will wear flame retardant undergarments that Roberts said would have saved thousands of lives had they been used years ago

“This equipment will protect and give the pilots a chance to get out,” Roberts said. “It integrates with the ejection seat and helmet.”

Fitting and issuing the gear is a two-day process that includes testing the gear in a cockpit to ensure pilots can function safely and comfortably.

The most advanced step in the fitting process is the personalized helmet fitting. A laser scanner maps the head of each pilot and creates padding tailored to the individual in a matter of hours.

The fit of the helmets impressed Maj. Eric Smith, assistant director of operations for the 58th Fighter Squadron. He said it felt like the helmet was suctioned to his head.

“They also have noise reduction. They’re very nice,” he said.

The technology in the four-pound helmet does not stop at the fitting. The helmets make flying the F-35 seem like flying an invisible aircraft. When pilots look down, they see the view under the aircraft. A glance to each side also shows them the view outside of the aircraft.

“It’s like playing a virtual reality game,” Foote said. “The plane helps a little. But I prefer to think they built the plane to the specifications of this helmet."

OLDie but a GOLDie.... (2005)

Gentex Military Fighter Pilot Oxygen Mask, MBU-20/P,
Successful In Latest Testing With Vision System International's F-35 Joint Strike Fighter Helmet Mounted Display System
22 Feb 2005 GENTEX PR

"Feb. 22, 2005 (Rancho Cucamonga, CA) - Gentex Respiratory Products' MBU- 20/P Oxygen Mask was successfully tested and evaluated recently as an essential and integral performance component of the new Helmet Mounted Display System (HMDS) to be donned by U.S. and international pilots flying the next generation of military fixed-wing aircraft -- the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF).

The windblast testing and integration evaluations, which were conducted by Vision Systems International ( VSI ), the San Jose, CA, -based company, which is to provide the HMDS for the F-35 JSF program, were conducted at the Dayton T. Brown Windblast Facility in New York at speeds up to 660 KEAS (knots-equivalent airspeed). The Gentex MBU-20/P Oxygen Mask, containing a Gentex Electro-Acoustics Products ( Derry , NH ) Electret Microphone, underwent integration trials to evaluate the performance and life support features and benefits required and delivered by the HMDS.

...The HMDS contracted for development for the F-35 JSF aircraft pilots is the next generation helmet system. VSI 's system is a custom helmet shell, helmet liner and suspension system for the lightest weight, optimal center of gravity and maximum pilot comfort. The helmet system also incorporates essential pilot avionics into the actual display within the helmet - binocular wide field-of-view, day/night capability with sensor fusion, digital image source for helmet vision and displayed symbology. The helmet is also designed for the Gentex MBU-20/P Oxygen Mask to be fitted and supply the necessary life support aspects, including oxygen and communications....

...The Gentex MBU-20/P Oxygen Mask, with its distinguished military pedigree, is qualified to provide over 600 knots of windblast protection, is focused on significant logistical and costs savings through its commonality with existing and next generation oxygen systems, is designed to offer users a light-weight and low-profile mask, and is also engineered to provide low inhalation and exhalation resistance, all of which are key to delivering performance necessary for the aircrew of today's and tomorrow's aircraft.

Further, one unique feature of the Gentex MBU-20/P is the platform it already offers for the integration and compatibility of a Chemical and Biological (CB) Protection respirator, which is part of VSI's HMDS design features and environmental protection requirements for F-35 JSF pilots.

"Gentex remains committed to supporting VSI in delivering state-of-the-art helmet mounted cueing systems for JHMCS with the Gentex MBU-20/P Oxygen Masks, and furthering the development of the F-35 JSF HMDS, which is clearly the next generation of capabilities for our warfighters and the warfighters of our allies," McCay adds...."

PHOTO: http://www.gentexcorp.com/assets/Gentex/MBU20-JSF.jpg
Source: http://www.gentexcorp.com/default.aspx?pageid=4179

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LMfPaOGKWGo


A short but decent little video giving a bit of a tour of the F-35 flight suit.

Laid back RED. Multiple Bladders huh. Big pockets for STUFF! I'll have to watch again because he swallowed some words.