UK Military Experience of Rotary Aircraft Fires and Equipment Provided to Mitigate this Risk

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1 UK Military Experience of Rotary Aircraft Fires and Equipment Provided to Mitigate this Risk Dr Michael J A Trudgill MB BCh MRCGP Dip IMC RCS(Ed) DAvMed DOcc Med FRAeS

2 Outline Overview of Rotary Aircraft fires UK Military experience Recent UK ensemble testing

3 Rotary Aircraft Fires All Rotary aircraft Dramatic and frequently tragic Hydraulic Electrical Mechanical Fuel fires UK experience

4 UK Rotary Accident Fires Data reviewed from (15 Years) 44 Rotary Accidents 7 Fires (16%) 5 Post crash fires (11.5%) 2 In flight fires (4.5%)

5 Aircraft Control Measures Crashworthy fuel systems Fuel tanks/seams/crash valves/engineering design Hot surface ignition Anti mist kerosene Inert gases Extinguishers (US Army statistics-heliono reduction in post crash fire)

6 Personal Protective Equipment Fire proof clothing Reduces rate of tissue heating allowing wearer time to escape Flame resistant shell Insulating layer

7 Operational Conflicts Non Signature Low thermal burden Integration and Comfort Ground pattern Nomex flight suit Boots Undergarments

8 Compromise FR CS 95 developed Education Ongoing commitment to develop FR low burden AEA

9 BTTG BURN TRIALS Burn trials of current operational clothing ensembles to ISO Clearance of new UBACS Test a range of Head mounted equipment Test a range of trousers- JSFAW

10 Test Conditions 4 or 5 second burn duration 1200 deg C propane flame from 12 burners Heat Flux 84kW/m2 Behaviour during burn Behaviour post burn Subsequent equipment condition Heat transfer

11 Measurements 150 thermistors across manikin Measure at 10, and 90 seconds Heat flux used to estimate skin burn Takata and Stoll skin model Skin burn results plotted on a dermatome type map

12 Results

13 Further Analysis Body divided into regions relating to items of equipment Torso- Survival vest Arms- UBACS Legs-Trousers and long johns Head-Helmets, masks and head over's Small number of thermistors Small number of burns Data susceptible to equipment positioning

14 Head Protection Effect of flash fire on various helmets Visors Visor covers Masks Face shields Scarf (shemag) Head over

15 Helmets

16 Shemag and Head over

17 Helmets and Headover

18 Head Protection Predicted Head and Neck Burns Burn Severity HEAD B4L+HEADOVER 4B4L+HEADOVER 4B4L+FACEMASK 4B4L+FACEMASK 10R+PQ MASK ALPHA EAGLE+FACEMASK Head and Neck equipment Worn ALPHA EAGLE APACHE HELMET 4A+SHEMAG

19 Torso Burns Effect of layers Adequacy of minimal ensemble Molle System Jacket functionality Effect on survival aids Fragmentation vest Ballistic plates

20 Torso TORSO BURN Burn Score Front Back M 61M+UBACS 61M+UBACS 61M UBACS TUCKED IN 61M+FRAG VEST 61M+FRAG VEST+CERAMIC PLATES 60M+DYNEMA PLATES+COLLECTOR 60M No plates or survival aids 61M+FRONT AND REAR CERAMIC PLATES

21 Results More layers better Frag vest good protection Molle system survives Jacket pockets protect survival aids?ammo Dynema Plate undamaged Ceramic plate undamaged! Plate rear cover-cordura Decisions regarding layers on UBACS vest vindicated

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23 Arms Double sleeve Single sleeve Neoprene inserts

24 Single sleeve vs double

25 Arms ARM BURNS Burn Severity RIGHT ARM LEFT ARM CAM UBACS 1a MK16 FR 2 CAM UBACS 1b CAM UBACS 1c CAM UBACS 4 GROUND UBACS 5 CAM UBACS 6 PECOC 7 no neoprene PECOC 8 plus neoprene Garment Worn

26 Neoprene Minimal welding to overlying fabric Provides additional protection

27 Trousers Comparison of various ensembles Kermel viscose FR Rayon 65%,Aramid 25%,Nylon 10% 90% Nomex Kermel and cotton undergarments Repairs and AVTUR

28 TROUSERS

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30 AVTUR, REPAIRS AND HOMEGROWN

31 TROUSER BURN Burn Severity Right leg Left leg KERMEL LONGJOHNS+FR CS95 MK16A+COTTON LONG JOHNS KERMEL LONGJOHNS+FR CS95 KERMEL LONGJOHNS+FR CS95 COTTON LONGJOHNS+FR CS95 ARMY ELEMENT PANT(COLD WEATHER,NO UNDERGARMENT) COTTON LONGJOHNS+FR CS95 AV TUR LEFT LEG COTTON LONGJOHNS+US FR COMBAT TROUSER ANTI MICROBIAL SHORTS+FR CS95 Garment Worn

32 Questions