![]() ![]() ![]() Radios are inspected to ensure they can contact all frequencies required and that their batteries can hold charges. Inspections for helmets include an oxygen test to guarantee the seal is intact and that air can flow from the aircraft to the crew. Annual inspections for life vests and life rafts ensure functionality and that no air can escape. They carefully check thousands of pieces of equipment budgeted at over seven million dollars to provide mission-ready equipment for the wing. We make sure that their equipment is good to go and that we can fix any issues that might come up with that gear prior to preparing them for their missions,” said Armit.ĪFE’s inspection processes are rigorous. “Aircrew use their helmets, survival vests, and radios every day. There is also specialty equipment including gunner’s belts and night vision goggles for night flying operations. This equipment can include radios, helmets, vests, and life preservers for flights over water. The AFE team takes part in the daily building, preserving, and examining over 110 pieces of aircrew flight gear that consist of all equipment issued to crew members. Edward Armit, 920th OSS aircrew flight equipment craftsman. “We work on the all the gear that the aircrew wear on their daily flights so that they can use it in any situation, weather that’s aircraft evacuation, landing in enemy territory, or contacting help for rescue,” said Technical Sgt. The customers of AFE include the wing’s two flying squadrons the 301st Rescue Squadron, which operate the HH-60G Pave Hawk, and the 39th Rescue Squadron, which operate the C-130J Combat King II. To outfit them with the right gear, the 920th Operations Squadron aircrew flight equipment team answers that call to deliver an important part of what is needed for any rescue mission.ĪFE is a team of 27 Airmen whose main role is to maintain, test, and inspect the flight gear used by all aircrew. More information about AirVenture is available at By Frederick A.When 920th Rescue Wing aircrew take off they require a specific type of equipment that will keep them safe and allow them to accomplish their missions successfully. Uenking says video-game savvy kids often do best at the synthetic vision simulator.ĪirVenture 2004 is a major annual aviation event that attracts thousands of airplanes and as many as 800,000 visitors. The hands-on NASA display is staffed by the Synthetic Vision Systems General Aviation Team from NASA Langley and the University of Iowa. The Gulfstream's system also uses sensors and database integrity monitoring equipment to compare the outside world to the generated pictures as a check on accuracy. With the pilot's windscreen obscured to simulate instrument conditions, NASA evaluated an integrated version of synthetic vision including a bird's eye view of terrain, a voice recognition system, a runway incursion prevention system with an airport moving map as well as software to predict and send an alarm about possible runway incursions. The week before AirVenture 2004, a NASA Langley test crew used a Gulfstream GV at Reno/Tahoe International Airport to evaluate an advanced synthetic vision suite operated by FAA, industry, and airline pilots as well. Michael Uenking, who came from NASA Langley Research Center to showcase the synthetic vision display, said an operational system that works like the simulator could import global positioning system (GPS) signals to map any airport or en route terrain feature, using a notebook computer with a photo-realistic database to generate images in a simplified glass cockpit. The tabletop simulator has been popular with children at AirVenture, and should be readily workable by non-pilots with a little practice. Image right: AirVenture visitor Elijah Ronning coached earnest Olivia Ronning on the use of NASA’s tabletop Cessna 172 simulator featuring a synthetic vision display. By keeping a circle on the screen passing through the green squares as the Juneau runway approaches, the pilot can bring the aircraft clearly to decision height for landing. Visitors may take the controls and thread the imaginary Cessna through a series of green boxes superimposed like a beckoning tunnel on a convincing computer-generated approach to Juneau, Alaska. The industry has developed synthetic vision equipment to create a pilot's eye view of obscured terrain NASA is adding ideas to the discussion.Īn example is showcased in a tabletop flight simulator mimicking a Cessna 172 equipped with synthetic vision, and located in the back of the NASA exhibits building at AirVenture 2004 in Oshkosh, Wis., July 27 through August 2. Part of NASA's commitment to making air travel safe and convenient for more Americans at more locations is the development of instrument flight gear that is intuitive to use. ![]()
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