# Military's top-heavy helmets a pain in the neck to pilots



## McG (11 Sep 2004)

*Military's top-heavy helmets a pain in the neck to pilots*
The Canadian Press
Printed in Edmonton Journal 09 Sept 04
OTTAWA

The high-tech gadgets the military keeps sticking onto the helmets of its pilots are starting to be a literal pain in the neck.   More than 80 per cent of the pilots flying Canada's Griffon helicopters say they've suffered neck pains from having to wear the heavy Darth Vader-like headgear, a new survey shows.   â Å“We think there's a problem out there,â ? aid Lt.-Col. Steve Charpentier, the military's top helicopter pilot.   â Å“We want ... the scientific community to come up with a fix.â ?

The Defence Department has launched three-year, $900,000 study to document the problem and come up with solutions before more pilots book off sick with stiff necks and related headaches.   Charpentier experienced the problem first-hand in 1996 when he first started flying Griffon helicopters.

The air force had introduced helmets with night-vision goggles attached, adding more than three kilograms to the total weight.   The goggles make it possible to fly and spot targets in the black of night. After wearing the supersized helmet, and constantly twisting his head to see the computer console at his side, Charpentier wound up with debilitating neck pains and had to undergo physiotherapy.

â Å“I couldn't move my head for a week,â ? he said from Winnipeg.   Since then, he has met at least two fellow pilots who have also temporarily booked off flying because the helmets hurt their necks. The air force has since surveyed Griffon pilots, among the first in the Canadian military to use night- vision goggles regularly, and found at least 80 per cent of them complained about neck pains. There were no statistics on how many pilots were unable to fly as a result.

The problem is not unique to Canada, and is spreading as more pilots around the world are required to wear cyborg headgear.   â Å“Just about any military on the planet is using some form of night-vision goggles,â ? Bill Fraser, a Defence Department scientist in charge of the three-year study.   â Å“Everyone is starting to see this (problem) around the world.â ?

The technology will eventually become widespread in Canada's military aircraft fleets, from fighter jets to transport planes. Solutions could include requiring pilots to do specific neck exercises or having some helmet weight transferred to the shoulders through braces:

But it's unlikely there'll be any reduction in the load on pilots' necks. The Canadian military is already planning to increase the total weight by adding a device known as a heads-up play, which would project cockpit controls onto a helmet visor.

The technology would add a few doze grams to the total headgear load. Scientists are also designing a next generation night-vision goggle system that would widen the field of vision and also likely add weight.
Fraser and Charpentier both cautioned that neck-pain research is still in its infancy and solutions maybe difficult. â Å“I don't know if we can solve the problem,â ? acknowledged Fraser, who is regularly consulting with allied forces in the United States, Australia and Britain about the helmet dilemma.


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## Da_man (11 Sep 2004)

I guess an ejection with such a helmet would snap your neck


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## greydak (11 Sep 2004)

Da_man said:
			
		

> I guess an ejection with such a helmet would snap your neck


First you hace to be able to eject from a Griffon helicopter!

Perhaps the problem isn't with the weight of the helmets, but with the strength of or pilots bodys?


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## Zoomie (12 Sep 2004)

greydak said:
			
		

> Perhaps the problem isn't with the weight of the helmets, but with the strength of or pilots bodys?



Have you ever worn the helmet in question?   How strong are your neck muscles?  Plse remember that these pilots are not passengers - ie their head is constantly in motion and not just looking forward.

When you are in the prone position with your Kevlar - isn't it a pain in the neck looking up constantly - I know for me it was.  Imagine this kind of discomfort to a tenth degree.

Good day


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## Inch (12 Sep 2004)

Let me put it this way, since I've started wearing a flying helmet, my neck has gone from 16" to 17" and I haven't flown with the NVGs yet.   I think that proper neck exercises will solve 90% of the problems. I used to wrestle and because of that I've always had a strong neck and have never experienced neck problems with a helmet. Still though, further to Zoomie's comment, that is an awful lot of weight to have on your head while constantly looking around, and that's at 1G, you look around more in turns and you also pull more G, so a 8lb helmet would weight 16lbs in a 2G turn.   Imagine a fighter pulling 6G, that same 8lb helmet is going to weigh *48lbs*. Imagine having a kid on your head while moving your head in every direction, I think you get the idea.     It's just like the effects of any weight added to the body, it takes time to build the muscles required to carry the load. I guarantee an infanteer that carries a rucksack on a regular basis will not have as many problems on a ruck march as most other people would.   Neck exercises aren't stressed and therefore when you first put that additional weight on, you can expect problems. If there's a emphasis on neck exercises from the get go, you'll see a large reduction in neck problems.

Cheers


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## SeaKingTacco (15 Sep 2004)

Hi guys-
I'm new here- this is my first post!   

I flew a SAR mission in the Gulf in 2000 from HMCS CALGARY as a Sea King Tacco.   The mission lasted 6 hours (we hot-fuelled off an Arleigh Burke in the middle of the night during a sandstorm- a war story for another time), during which I wore NVGs for about 2.5 hours while acting as a spotter in the backdoor (Sea King pilots are not yet authorized to wear NVGs, but the TACCOs and AESOPs are).   When we finally called it a night, I took the googles off and my head snapped back into an ackward "chin-up" position for about 30 minutes until the muscles in my neck relaxed enough for me to get my head back into a normal position.   As a Nav, I don't wear googles alot, but I sure have alot of respect for those people who those who do.

Cheers.   (I hope that I didn't make too many mistakes, or violate any etiquette by posting so soon)


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## Zoomie (15 Sep 2004)

SeaKingTacco said:
			
		

> (I hope that I didn't make too many mistakes, or violate any etiquette by posting so soon)



Nonsense - Welcome to Army.ca - it is always good to have another "boy in blue" on the site.  Your experience in operational Airforce matters may very well prove to be a benefit to our discussions.  Please take the time to fill in more information in your Personal Profile (names not required - just tell us what you do)


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## Jarnhamar (15 Sep 2004)

As a little corporal this just goes over my head.




> More than 80 per cent of the pilots flying Canada's Griffon helicopters say they've suffered neck pains from having to wear the heavy Darth Vader-like headgear



Which lead to



> Since then, he has met at least two fellow pilots who have also temporarily booked off flying because the helmets hurt their necks.



As I understand it, because of the current weight, some pilots are needing to book off flying time because of the damage being done.
In answer to this;



> The Defence Department has launched three-year, *$900,000* study to document the problem and come up with solutions before more pilots book off sick with stiff necks and related headaches.



Taking the above factors into consideration, the military does the following



> But it's unlikely there'll be any reduction in the load on pilots' necks. The Canadian military is already planning to increase the total weight by adding a device known as a heads-up play, which would project cockpit controls onto a helmet visor.



How about NOT addingmore weight to the helmet for starters.


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## Righty (15 Sep 2004)

Boo freaking hoo


Don't make me oint out my captain avatar.... ^-^


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## Jarnhamar (15 Sep 2004)

Great post righty.   I'm sure these pilots have nothing on you and your "lots" of experience. Are you actually going to add something to the conversation or just make stupid comments?


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## stukirkpatrick (15 Sep 2004)

According to "Captain" Righty's previous posts, he is a 16 year old high school student who finished a co-op basic in the reserves just this year.   Don't let his words or title get to you   

- excuse my ignorance, but how many Gs can helicoptors pull, and does it greatly affect the pilot/crew/passengers?   Or is it more of a fixed-wing jet concern?

I may yet be a griffon passenger some day...


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## Inch (15 Sep 2004)

Anytime you do a 60 degree banked turn you pull 2g, that's the only way you can stop from descending.  The limits on most helos are in the neighbourhood of 0g to +3g, it's mostly dependant on the rotorhead design.  The Jet Ranger for instance has g limits of +0.5g to +2.5g, any less than +0.5g and your rotor will depart the fix and you become a piece of metal falling towards the earth, any more and you risk bending or breaking rotor blades. Some helos can go to 0g but I don't think you'll find many that can go less than 0g.

2g is nothing, it's no worse than an amusement park ride.  You don't get into G-LOC until you're pulling more than 3. It also depends on the speed of the G onset and how long you pull. I went for a Snowbird ride and in one maneuver we went from -2g to +5g, and increase of 7g and I almost G-LOC'd. Your body will build a tolerance to it over continued exposure and there are methods of increasing your tolerance. As far as helos go, if you G-LOC in a Griffon, you should probably get more salt and greasy burgers into your diet to get your blood pressure into the normal range.

Cheers


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## chief_of_da_fence (16 Sep 2004)

a friend of mine is a A1 tudor pilot hi neck is screwed up he seems to always be in pin or re injuring his neck.


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## Bruce Monkhouse (16 Sep 2004)

_QUOTE FROM GHOST,
As I understand it, because of the current weight, some pilots are needing to book off flying time because of the damage being done.
In answer to this;


Quote
The Defence Department has launched three-year, $900,000 study to document the problem and come up with solutions before more pilots book off sick with stiff necks and related headaches.

Taking the above factors into consideration, the military does the following


Quote
But it's unlikely there'll be any reduction in the load on pilots' necks. The Canadian military is already planning to increase the total weight by adding a device known as a heads-up play, which would project cockpit controls onto a helmet visor.

How about NOT addingmore weight to the helmet for starters. 
_ 
..or spending the $900,000 on new helmets.


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## chief_of_da_fence (16 Sep 2004)

Here is an idea for hi performance jet pilot helmets.( un mand  robotic aircraft) no need for helmets or pilots. ;D


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## Zoomie (16 Sep 2004)

chief_of_da_fence said:
			
		

> a friend of mine is a A1 tudor pilot hi neck is screwed up he seems to always be in pin or re injuring his neck.



I don't understand what you are trying to say in this post - what is an A1 Tudor?

Spell check please


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## chief_of_da_fence (16 Sep 2004)

Zoomie said:
			
		

> I don't understand what you are trying to say in this post - what is an A1 Tudor?
> 
> Spell check please


sorry the tudor is a navy bar in Vic

i meant CT-114 Tutor and A1  is a pilot Instructional Category.


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