Journal of the Ergonomics Society of Korea (대한인간공학회지)

Ergonomics Society of Korea (대한인간공학회)
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Factors Affecting the Recovery of Pilots +Gz Tolerance

  • Park, Myunghwan (Republic of Korea Air Force Academy, Department of Computer & Information Science) ;
  • Jee, Cheolkyu (Agency for Defense Development, The 7th R&D Institute-2) ;
  • Kim, Cheonyoung (Agency for Defense Development, The 7th R&D Institute-2) ;
  • Seol, Hyeonju (Chungnam National University, School of Integrated National Security)
  • Received : 2017.08.31
  • Accepted : 2017.10.12
  • Published : 2017.10.31
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Abstract

Objective: This study was designed to identify factors affecting pilots' +Gz tolerance recovery from +Gz induced exhaustion. Background: +Gz tolerance of pilots has been considered as a crucial factor to fly the modern high performance fighter aircrafts. However, the factors affecting pilots' G-tolerance recovery from +Gz induced exhaustion have not been examined in the acceleration research community. Method: A centrifuge profile consisting of a high +Gz run for pilot's exhaustion and a low +Gz run for pilot's recovery and another high +Gz runs for pilot's second exhaustion was designed. The subjects' +Gz tolerance recovery ratio was measured by ratio of second high +Gz run time to the first high +Gz run time. The subjects' +Gz tolerance recovery rate was measured by dividing the subjects' +Gz tolerance recovery ratio by the low +Gz run time. The subjects' G-tolerance recovery rate was analyzed with respect to the subjects' personal factors including subjects' anthropometric and physiologic characteristics, flight time, flying aircraft type and so on. Results: The subjects' previous three-month flight hours (r=-0.336, p=0.039), six-month flight hours (r=-0.403, p=0.012) and one-year flight hours (r=-0.329, p= 0.044) correlated with the subjects' G-tolerance recovery rate. Conclusion: The subjects' G-tolerance recovery rate is clearly related to the subjects' previous flight hours. However, the subjects' anthropometric and physiologic characteristics do not show any statistically significant correlation with the subjects' G-tolerance recovery rate. Application: This research provides a safety critical insight to aviation community by identifying the factors to affect the gravity-induced loss of consciousness (GLOC) of pilots.

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References

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