“Aircrew Equipment – Performance with Protection”
Thursday 19th November 2015
Lecture Starts at 7.30 pm
Speaker: Dr Michael Trudgill, Head of Aircrew Equipment & Integration Group, RAFCAM
Location: Lecture Theatre ‘0’, Cambridge University Engineering Department, Trumpington Street, Cambridge CB2 1PZ.
Lecture Synopsis
In this presentation Dr Michael Trudgill will discuss recent advances in personal protective equipment for military aircrew including body armour, fire protective clothing and life preservers. These three areas have been particularly challenging in the last 5 years. The requirement for body armour increased as battlefield helicopters routinely faced small arms fire, but this came at the cost of performance both physiologically and psychologically. Fire has always been an aviators nemesis and in this area fabric technology and clothing design enhanced protection whilst improving garment utility and comfort. Tough choices were made in a bid not to overprotect the user and extensive flame mannequin testing provided the science behind the design. Finally, Dr Trudgill will discuss life preservers, time permitting, and our struggle to meet maritime standards with integrated escape, evasion, ballistic and survival vests!