Evening star., 1950-08-04
Goggles, Oxygen Mask
Combined in Helmet
Navy Flight Surgeons Devise
SineIe-Pieee Heodgeor
By Thomos R. Henry

A combined helmet. goggles and oxy-
gen mask is being devised by Navy flight
surgeons.
It is probable that in the near future,
says Capt. j. r. Poppen, director of the
Navy's Aero Acceleration Laboratory at
townsville, Pa, there will be q single
piece headgear which completely will
enclose the head. It will be an extension
of the present helmet-visor combination
with enough room to accommodate an
oxygen mask of minimal size and
weight. The shell Of such q headgear
may be extended downward to the shoul-
ders to transmit forces to the body with
out causing undue pressure on the spine.
The problem has been difficult for the
Navy to solve. The introduction Of fast
planes has emphasized the need for head
protection. In test flights 1t Is not un-
usual for the pilot to find himself jostled
about in the cockpit with his head
banged against the sides. This has re-
quired use Of helmets, now usually made
Of some light. plastic material. But the
helmet and the oxygen mask do not fit
together. It also interferes with wear
ing the necessary goggles.
Greatest Problem.
Oxygen masks pose the greatest prob
lem. 1t now is proposed to wear the
mask attached to light helmet. The
major protective helmet will be worn
over this. According to Capt. Poppen.
this type has been tested successfully in
a wind blast of more than 500 miles
an hour.
Still further in the books Is q plan
to combine helmet and earphones. The
eventual objective is that everything
worn on the head. from oxygen mask to
face mask for protection against the
extreme cold Of high attitudes, shall
consist of only one piece.
An emergency parachute Jump has o
IS per cent chance of complete success.
Twenty five per cent of such bail-outs
result fatally, or In more or less serious
injuries.
These are the figures from five years Of
such jumps in the Navy, made necessary
by mid-air collisions. engine failures and
the like. During the period studied, $50
emergency bail-outs were reported. In
AIT of these cases there were no injuries
at all, and 1874 were killed. Seventy-fiye
were seriously injured
Comparing the injuries with the yari-
GUS attitudes at the time of jumping it
was found that most of the fatalities oc-
CURED when exits were made under 500
feet. Sixtytwo per cent of these jumpers
were killed. On the other hand, only
eight per cent of those bailing out be-
tween 500 and 1000 feet were killed.
Twelve per cent were killed when the
jump was made from above $4,000 feet.
Between 1000 and $4,000 feet the rate
was about 10 per cent. The highest bail
out reported was from 10000 feet.
Seven Per Cent Made at Night.
About seven per cent of the bail-outs
were made at night. The overall fatal
rate for night jumps was 10 per cent, but
there were only eight per cent Of serious
injuries.
A total of 1873 landed on the water. OF
this group II per cent were drowned.
Several. however, had received other
serious injuries and might have died any.
way. Sixty-f1ve struck the tail section OF
the plane. OF these, AZ per cent were
killed and about so per cent were seri.
ously injured.
Navy scientists believe the study in
dicates there are too many unnecessary
fatalities and injuries from bail-outs.
The remedy, they say. is education Of
both pilots and crews in the proper
techniques and especially education to
eradicate the fear Of jumping when it
is indicated. This fear leads to inde-
cision and has killed many people who
waited too long and then became pan
icky and did eyerythinr wrong