Forum: F-35 Avionics

Great find, thanks 'munny' (on the money). The previous 'StrikeEye' video was not 'F-35 specific' and this new one is. Is the audio any good? Seems like the captions explain most of it anyway. I had the 9th view but volume was at 11! Very Happy

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geogen wrote:

Totally random thought, but what about a completely unconventional interim alternative proposal... say two 6x9 display +/- mounted within the cockpit at the pilots 9 and 3 o'clock? Let's say $1,000 COTS per display. Display the essential data on those displays as the pilot is turning his head (wow, a 30 yr old fighter pilot needs to turn his head when in combat) and simply cue it with a cueing piece attached to the helmet; whether with NVG or not?

And simply integrate voice commands to supplement the executions, as appropriate?

We can't just be patching STUFF in the cockpit.. Do you undertsand the dynamics of a cat and trap Embarassed

HMD will be fine once they fix it...

'geogen' statement above: "... the pilot is turning his head (wow, a 30 yr old fighter pilot needs to turn his head when in combat)..." A pilot head/helmet/oxy mask combination weighs 'weight times G' at any given moment. Here is some info about problems created for pilot (and there would be more info out there).

Doc, My Neck Hurts by Lt. Mark Jacoby and Tina Avelar in USN Flying Safety Magazine APPROACH March/April 2007 pages 16-19

http://www.public.navy.mil/navsafecen/D ... pril07.pdf (2Mb)

Excerpt from this recent 'flight test report page' - good to have it here for reference:
http://www.f-16.net/f-16_forum_viewtopi ... t-480.html

F-35 problems on their way to being fixed 18 May 2012 By Dave Majumdar

http://www.flightglobal.com/news/articl ... ed-372074/

"...Lockheed is also set to test fixes to the jet's troublesome helmet-mounted display (HMD) this summer, O'Bryan says. Lockheed has reached an agreement with the US government on the HMD requirements, which will help the company to fix imagery lag on the helmet by tweaking the system's software, he says.

The company is also adding micro inertial measurement units (IMU) to the helmet and pilot's seat to dampen out jittery images. "We're going to fly those micro-IMUs this summer," O'Bryan says.

Lockheed hopes that the new ISIE-11 camera, which replaces the existing ISIE-10 cameras, will resolve jet's night vision acuity problems. The new system will undergo testing at MIT's Lincoln Labs later this summer. The system will now consist of two ISIE-11 cameras, one of which will be mounted in the helmet and another on the canopy bow, and imagery pumped in from the F-35's six distributed aperture system (DAS) infrared cameras.

"We're optimistic, we've got a good plan," O'Bryan says.

Meanwhile, the pilots have started to test the imagery from the distributed aperture system. Initial results look to be very promising, O'Bryan says. But there will need to be tweaks as flight tests reveal potential issues...."

Last edited by spazsinbad on May 31, 2012 - 04:32 AM; edited 1 time in total

F-35 helmet’s jitter problem should be fixed by this summer 30 May 2012 By Barry Graaf

http://whythef35.blogspot.com.au/2012/0 ... ld-be.html [fixed by 'lamoey']

Best to read the post and only some bits are excerpted here:

"...Vision Systems International (VSI) has identified the fix for the jitter problem:...
...The correction:
To correct that deficiency, King said VSI is installing a micro-inertial measurement unit (IMU) on its helmets that will dampen the vibrations on the transmitter, similar to the way noise-canceling headphones are able to block out background noise. That technology is set to be flight-tested on a JSF flight sciences test aircraft in late May or early June, and a more rigorous test involving an F-35 equipped with full mission systems software and hardware will take place in late June or July...."

...VSI President Philip King says:
"What I think is going to happen is we're going to find out there's a vibration component or a frequency component we weren't aware of, and we're going to have to tweak the algorithm to dampen out that last little piece," he said...."

...The helmet also has two other issues. Night vision:
A solution to the second major challenge on the HMDS, night vision quality, is further off, but King expressed confidence that VSI and its partners can improve the helmet camera's acuity at night from its current level of about 20/70. An F-35 test pilot told ITAF last year that the program's requirement is 20/40 vision....

...That new sensor will still provide somewhat inferior acuity than legacy night vision goggles, but it will be able to link up with the F-35's advanced sensors, which goggles cannot connect to.
VSI is looking at March of 2013 for that improvement to be functioning.

The third and final issue with the helmet – image latency:
The third challenge to the HMDS' functionality, image latency, demands a more collaborative approach because it requires improvements to a variety of systems on the F-35, not only the helmet....

'''It appears then, that all three issues are solvable. Once done, they will provide an advantage to the F-35 that legacy aircraft don’t enjoy:..."

BEST to go to the BLOG post to read the entire article so don't just read these excerpts and expect to understand 'HOW THE FIX IS IN!" Fanks. Very Happy

Fixed URL
http://whythef35.blogspot.com.au/2012/05/f-35-helmets-jitter-problem-should-be.html

Technology bridges past and future at Pax by Doug Abbotts NAWCAD Public Affairs

http://www.dcmilitary.com/article/20120 ... ure-at-pax

"...In the Operator Vehicle Electro-optics and Habitability Branch, the Helmet Mounted Displays Lab is developing helmet displays to allow an F-35 pilot's head angle to direct air-to-air and air-to-ground weapons seekers or other sensors to target. This would allow “targets to be designated with minimal aircraft maneuvering, minimizing the time spent in the threat environment, and allowing greater lethality, survivability and pilot situational awareness,” Strategic Initiatives Manager Joe Notaro said...."

http://www.dcmilitary.com/storyimage/DC ... 319889.jpg

SUBJECT: F-35 Joint Strike Fighter Program
WITNESS STATEMENT OF: Vice Admiral David J. Venlet | Program Executive Officer F-35 May 8, 2012

http://armed-services.senate.gov/statem ... -08-12.pdf

“...The pilot’s helmet for the F-35 is a major technological advance and a design challenge. Three helmet technical risks affecting the original helmet design are night vision acuity, stability of the symbology or frame “jitter”, and the latency of the displayed information. The second generation of the original helmet is the desired solution for its capability to display all information on the visor, day and night, without goggles. As a result of testing, the program now understands the measured latency that is acceptable for pilot tasks and this understanding is leading to cost effective system adjustments. Improved night vision acuity will be evaluated with new camera technology and visor symbology jitter will be evaluated with small inertial measurement units embedded in the helmet itself. As risk reduction, the program has funded development of a night vision goggle-based alternative helmet solution. The goggle-based helmet development will continue until we see demonstrated improvement in the three risk areas. A system-level design review will occur in the Fall of 2012 where the program will evaluate the development performance of both helmet designs....”

WRITTEN TESTIMONY FOR THE SENATE ARMED SERVICES COMMITTEE SUBCOMMITTEE ON TACTICAL AIR AND LAND FORCES UNITED STATES SENATE

Last edited by spazsinbad on Jun 06, 2012 - 11:49 AM; edited 1 time in total

oops - wrong thread... Embarassed

Last edited by spazsinbad on Jun 06, 2012 - 11:52 AM; edited 1 time in total

OOps wrong thread. Something weird happens when clicking through with 'search' to then enter text on the search thread. Oh well... Don't use search or sumpin...

F-35 pilots' equipment and training match the jets' technology 05 June 2012 Justin Heinze

http://www.individual.com/storyrss.php? ... 1b3ada912b

"EGLIN AFB, Jun 05, 2012 (Northwest Florida Daily News - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX)...

...At the 33rd Fighter Wing's Pilot Fit Facility, Navy Cmdr. David Dorn stared ahead as a circular metal scanner was lowered over his face, droning ominously.

"Not gonna squish me, is it?" he laughed, a latex mold pulled over his face and neck.

The scanner was reading the contour of his face and skull, one of the first steps in the custom design of helmets for F-35 pilots.

"There is no heads-up display (in the F-35) like in an F-16 or F-18," said Dorn, the executive officer for the Navy's VFA-101 training squadron at Eglin. "All the information is displayed on the visor of the helmet. Such a high level of precision is required because the display has to maintain an alignment to each eye of the pilot."

The fitting process takes two days. The first day involves measurements of the pilot's head, including an "interpupilary" measure between the pilot's eyes. On the second day, the pilot sits in a chair for up to 3 1/2 hours in a process called "laser etching."...

More about 'ceiling wax and other fancy stuff' at the URL! Rolling Eyes

OK now I got it - on page 7 of THIS thread [http://www.f-16.net/f-16_forum_viewtopic-t-16223-postdays-0-postorder-asc-start-90.html ] there is a 'neptune' query about chute descent... At least this is practised in a VR environment.

F-35 pilots' equipment and training match the jets' technology 05 June 2012 Justin Heinze

http://www.individual.com/storyrss.php? ... 1b3ada912b

"EGLIN AFB, Jun 05, 2012 (Northwest Florida Daily News - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX)...

...A little later, Dorn climbed into a metal frame-supported harness of the parachute descent trainer, which allows pilots to practice post-ejection safety. Wearing a virtual reality helmet which simulated an actual ejection, Dorn's goal was to navigate his parachute to the ground.

"We run through scenarios where we create different malfunctions, Air Force Chief Master Sgt. Shawn King said. "His ropes will be mixed up or something will be wrong."

Dorn's progress in his virtual environment was displayed on a large TV screen mounted on the wall...."

[quote="spazsinbad"][b]F....The fitting process takes two days. The first day involves measurements of the pilot's head, including an "interpupilary" measure between the pilot's eyes. On the second day, the pilot sits in a chair for up to 3 1/2 hours in a process called "laser etching....quote]

Wow, this is a bit more than being issued a size "L" and cinching up the chin strap, till it's snug! Smile

'neptune' my first helmets in a Winjeel and Vampire were a cloth inner helmet with radio earphones and an outer helmet of cardboard and shellac; with cotton webbing on top (underside) as a cushion - all easily adjustable as you mention. Sea Venom was more robust but similar. The A4G helmet was even more solid, made of plastic or similar I think; but it had foam plastic bits on the inside cut/shaped to fit. When it was wrong it was just the worst kind of torture - to be fixed - adjusted as best one could manage instantly when back on the ground. There was no kind of inner helmet. And with the Skyhawk roll rate, when in the back seat of the TA-4, you really needed it whilst getting banged around by the front seater. Very Happy

Page 12 [ http://www.f-16.net/f-16_forum_viewtopi ... t-165.html ] of this thread does not explain quite as clearly perhaps the location of the forward camera as this item...

F-35 Testing Progresses; UK Rethinks Switch to F-35C AIN Defense Perspective 16 Mar 2012

http://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/ ... itch-f-35c

"...The Block 2A software is now flying on the aircraft, three months behind schedule. Lockheed Martin vice president of F-35 customer engagement Steve O’Bryan noted that Block 2 contained seven million lines of code, and there “had not been a single abort” of an F-35 flight due to software.

O’Bryan said that the jitter and latency problems in the VSI helmet-mounted display are being solved. The helmet’s night vision deficiency will be fixed by relocating the camera from the top of the helmet to the exterior of the aircraft, just forward of the canopy. The transonic buffet issue can be addressed through changes to the flight control system software. The fuel dump problem on the F-35B will probably be solved by a tighter seal on the flaps that will prevent dumped fuel from pooling in that area. The arrestor hook on the F-35C is being sharpened at the shank, and the hold-down damper is being modified. This combined solution should ensure that the hook catches the wire, O’Bryan said. But the hook problem has probably delayed the first F-35C test flights on a carrier from late 2013 into 2014, he added...."

Forum: F-35 Avionics

Helmet-mounted displays