The Civil Aerospace Medical Institute (CAMI) developed an Aerospace Medical Equipment Needs (AMEN) program in 2009 tailored toward upgrading outdated research equipment. Estrella Forster (AAM-600) was instrumental with the acquisition and installation of the AMEN program. Forster expressed that “approximately 127 out of estimated 1,000 pieces of laboratory equipment were in need of technology refreshment.” As a result, two of CAMI’s research facilities (the Impact Facility and the Aircraft Cabin Research Facility) received major equipment upgrades.
The Van Gowdy Impact Facility (so named in honor of a former employer who served as a biodynamics researcher) was renovated into a state-of-the-art computer-operated sled on a 110-foot track. This high acceleration sled allows researchers to gather data that will aid in increasing safety measures during impacts. The previous facility’s sled had to be manually operated and prepared which took a long time to setup, sometimes requiring one or two days. Now, thanks to the new computer controlled system, setup requires merely a software change, allowing researchers to focus more of their time on actual research instead of equipment preparation. Currently, no other U.S. Government lab has such crash simulation capabilities.
A pneumatic actuator accelerates the sled to impact velocity while braking is computer-controlled. The new technology allows for higher accelerations and more reliable and repeatable impact simulations. The payload capacity has even increased to 6,600 pounds.
The main emphasis of this research facility is to improve crash safety provided by aircraft seats and restraint systems. As noted by Rick DeWeese, a research biomedical engineer that manages the sled “we’re now poised with the right people and the right equipment to make great strides in safety.” The new sled components and control software were purchased from the world’s leading manufacturer of impact facilities, Seattle Safety, LLC.
The Aircraft Cabin Research Facility (ACRF) also benefitted from the AMEN program, as it transformed from a 1960’s U.S. Air Force C-124 Globemaster fuselage into a state‐of‐the art flexibly designed simulator, appropriately named the “FlexSim.” The simulator can imitate multiple transport airplane types, from the narrow regional size to a large single‐aisle, narrow‐bodied aircraft. It can accommodate up to 120 passengers and is equipped with lavatories, galleys, overhead bins and passenger service units.
The windows are equipped with high-definition video display terminals that be used to create a variety of environmental situations (fires, smoke, vehicles approaching). An electro-mechanical scissor lift positions the aircraft to different heights and angles above the ground, while the exit can be fitted to a variety of inflatable escape slides. The simulator is maneuverable so that research subjects can quickly evacuate the aircraft in various landing configurations. Stadium lighting systems project both day and nighttime scenarios, aiding in the flexibility of the types of research conducted.
The simulator is 85 feet long with walls that can be reconfigured to simulate different fuselage structures. It contains 4 floor level exits, 4 over‐wing exits, wing stubs with functional flaps, and a control room for managing research scenarios and data acquisition. The system was designed and manufactured by Newton Design, a company located in Catoosa, Oklahoma.
Updating these facilities enables CAMI and the FAA to efficiently develop test procedures ensuring expected levels of safety are reached or exceeded. For information about CAMI’s Impact Sled contact Rick DeWeese (ext. 4-7529) and for information about the Aircraft Cabin Research Facility, contact Mac Mclean (ext. 4-5518).
