Helicopter Flight Performance With Head-Supported Mass

Helmets worn by modern U.S. Army helicopter aviators have evolved into a mounting platform for advanced technologies such as night vision goggles (NVGs), head-up display (HUD), and forward looking infrared (FLIR) displays. The increased helmet load relative to the head and neck center of gravity (CG) adds biomechanical stress to the neck and upper body of the pilot, which ultimately may lead to decrements in performance. In this study, nine rated U.S. Army Aviators performed four 2-hour simulated flights while wearing helmets that varied in mass and CG locations. The pilots were given standardized maneuvers to perform. The deviation from the targets was recorded and scored. Multivariate analysis showed there were significant differences between mass and CG location conditions. Analyses were performed for each maneuver. Post-hoc analyses showed that mass was the critical factor in performance degradation during stable flight elements, and CG location was the critical factor during nap-of-the-earth flight.