Prediction of Aircrew Performance Under Different Environmental Conditions

If thermal problems are to be avoided in both military and commercial aviation, a rational procedure is required for evaluating the effect of various environmental parameters on the condition of aircrew members. In this paper, the authors describe a computer model which has been shown to predict accurately human thermal responses over a wide range of conditions. The model allows one to evaluate the effect on aircrew members of important parameters, such as the work profile, regional and temporal variation in windspeed, temperature, and solar load, and the type of garment worn. It is also possible to simulate the use of liquid cooled garments to reduce thermal stress, and the effect of immersion in cold water. Representative applications involving three different situations are presented in the paper.