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Haynes RAF Technical Innovations Manual
Got this excellent book for Christmas. One of the many things that stuck me was how much the RAF has moved on since I left the Jaguar Forces in 1983. Reading the articles on Striker II helmets, the Typhoon Aircrew Equipment Assembly and NVG I just wonder how older pilots would get on with all that stuff. Whereas I'm sure I could have coped with the Hunter or Hawk well into my 50s, I certainly would not have managed with the Typhoon. Additionally, I'm told that a Striker II helmet costs in the region of £35,000 (bit more than my Mk 1 bonedome), so no slinging the bone dome in the corner of your locker.
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While I'm too old to have seen the end product, I was always impressed that those developing EFA made an effort to speak to other aircraft project offices who were working on new helmet designs. I recall British Aerospace coming to see us in 1995 on noise reduction, and to Lynx on 360 deg audio warnings. Very often helmets are an afterthought. £35k is a little more than a Mk4 (!), but I assume they followed suit and all helmets are now made-to-measure. In 1996 a basic Mk4A was about a grand. M2M increased that a little, but in practice the travel and subsistence to the factory cost more. Decent transducers would add about £3k. Price soon builds up.
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The HMD and NVDs are actually an aid to situational awareness and so will assist the older ones that have more experience but potentially slower reactions. However, the biggest problem for the over 50s is strapping a jet on your back that can sustain 9g+ and then go and do that every other day. As ever, there are some exceptional types that can and then some that can’t. Also, don’t forget very few continually serve on the FL into their 50s anyway - they either promote into staff/exec roles or reinvent themselves onto another type well before that; or even the medics make that decision for them. I seem to recall during the last pension design that it stated that fewer than 5% of the entire Service population serve into their 50s anyway. edit - looking at the stats then fewer than 1% of all RAF personnel are over 55 and around 5% are between 50-55. http://researchbriefings.files.parli...0/CBP-7930.pdf |
Apart from the physical demands as above one of the problems is the “menu based” buttons that control all the displays and most of the radio / weapons / link etc. These seem to come to “modern yoof” by instinct but those of us that did not grow up with an I phone in our hand need to learn the routines. Or be reduced to pushing buttons at random until you get a recognisable result! |
Having worked on the developnent AEA for Typhoon in the mid nineties, well before it was called Typhoon, I'd be interested to see what stuck and what changed.
I've had a look at the kit at airshows so I know the FCAGTs stayed. I wonder if the inflatable socks are still used or the inflatable bladder in the helmet. Or was that Combat Edge? Can't recall. |
Originally Posted by Tashengurt
(Post 10345157)
Having worked on the developnent AEA for Typhoon in the mid nineties, well before it was called Typhoon, I'd be interested to see what stuck and what changed.
I've had a look at the kit at airshows so I know the FCAGTs stayed. I wonder if the inflatable socks are still used or the inflatable bladder in the helmet. Or was that Combat Edge? Can't recall. |
IIRC the inflatable socks were for EFA ( that's going back a bit) Pilots to wear on sea drills. The idea was to out 'prima donna' the Harrier mates. Simply put, a visible inflation tube protruding from a flying boot 'out trumps' a little leather flap for covering the boot laces..... �� |
PS: Happy new year ladies! |
Having stitched more than quite a few pairs of flaps to boots during my Harrier time, I’m quite glad the inflatable boot was quietly shuffled off before my Typhoon tour (edit: the sock remained). Thankful BBMF didn’t have any such footwear related malarkey (apart from needing heels, but that could have been a Jag mate special request...). Happy New Year! |
Stitchbitch,
I was just an inflatable immersion suit sock. Not a high maintenance item. Somehow I didn't think they'd last long in service though. Minimal gains for hot feet. |
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