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Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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At least 19 records
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NASA NTRS1960

Centrifuge Study of Pilot Tolerance to Acceleration and the Effects of Acceleration on Pilot Performance

A research program the general objective of which was to measure the effects of various sustained accelerations on the control performance of pilots, was carried out on the Aviation Medical Acceleration Laboratory centrifuge, U.S. Naval Air Development Center, Johnsville, PA. The experimental setup consisted of a flight simulator with the centrifuge in the control loop. The pilot performed his control tasks while being subjected to acceleration fields such as might be encountered by a forward-facing pilot flying an atmosphere entry vehicle. The study was divided into three phases. In one phase of the program, the pilots were subjected to a variety of sustained linear acceleration forces while controlling vehicles with several different sets of longitudinal dynamics. Here, a randomly moving target was displayed to the pilot on a cathode-ray tube. For each combination of acceleration field and vehicle dynamics, pilot tracking accuracy was measured and pilot opinion of the stability and control characteristics was recorded. Thus, information was obtained on the combined effects of complexity of control task and magnitude and direction of acceleration forces on pilot performance. These tests showed that the pilot's tracking performance deteriorated markedly at accelerations greater than about 4g when controlling a lightly damped vehicle. The tentative conclusion was also reached that regardless of the airframe dynamics involved, the pilot feels that in order to have the same level of control over the vehicle, an increase in the vehicle dynamic stability was required with increases in the magnitudes of the acceleration impressed upon the pilot. In another phase, boundaries of human tolerance of acceleration were established for acceleration fields such as might be encountered by a pilot flying an orbital vehicle. A special pilot restraint system was developed to increase human tolerance to longitudinal decelerations. The results of the tests showed that human tolerance of longitudinal deceleration forces was considerably improved through use of the special restraint system.

Creer, Brent Y.↗
NASA NTRS1960

Physiological Effects of Acceleration Observed During a Centrifuge Study of Pilot Performance

An investigation was conducted by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Ames Research Center, and the Naval Air Development Center, Aviation Medical Acceleration Laboratory, to study the effects of acceleration on pilot performance and to obtain some meaningful data for use in establishing tolerance to acceleration levels. The flight simulator used in the study was the Johnsville centrifuge operated as a closed loop system. The pilot was required to perform a control task in various sustained acceleration fields typical of those that Might be encountered by a pilot flying an entry vehicle in which he is seated in a forward-facing position. A special restraint system was developed and designed to increase the pilot's tolerance to these accelerations. The results of this study demonstrated that a well-trained subject, such as a test pilot, can adequately carry out a control task during moderately high accelerations for prolonged periods of time. The maximum levels of acceleration tolerated were approximately 6 times that of gravity for approximately 6 minutes, and varied slightly with the acceleration direction. The tolerance runs were in each case terminated by the subject. In all but two instances, the cause was extreme fatigue. On two occasions the subject terminated the run when he "grayed out." Although there were subjective and objective findings involving the visual and cardiovascular systems, the respiratory system yielded the more critical limiting factors. It would appear that these limiting factors were less severe during the "eyeballs-out" accelerations when compared with the "eyeballs-in" accelerations. These findings are explained on the basis of the influence that the inertial forces of acceleration have on the mechanics of respiration. A condensed version of this report was presented at the Annual Meeting of the Aerospace Medical Association, Miami Beach, May 5-11, 1960, in a paper entitled "Ability of Pilots to Perform a Control Task in Various Sustained Acceleration Fields."

Smedal, Harald A.↗
NASA NTRS1947

Acceleration Characteristics of R-3350 Engine Equipped with NACA Injection Impeller

Qualitative investigations have shown that use of the NACA injection impeller with the R-3350 engine increases the inertia of the fuel-injection system and, when the standard fuel-metering system is used, this increase in inertia results in poor engine acceleration characteristics. This investigation was therefore undertaken to determine whether satisfactory acceleration characteristics of the engine equipped with the injection impeller could be obtained by simple modifications to the fuel-monitoring system. The engine was operated with two types of carburetor; namely, a hydraulic-metering carburetor incorporating a vacuum-operated accelerating pump and a direct-metering carburetor having a throttle-actuated accelerating pump. The vacuum-operated accelerating pump of the hydraulic-metering carburetor was modified to produce satisfactory accelerations by supplementing the standard air chamber with an additional 75-cubic spring. The throttle-actuated accelerating pump of the direct-metering carburetor was modified to produce satisfactory accelerations by replacing the standard 0.028-inch-diameter bleed in the load-compensator balance line with a smaller bleed of 0.0225-inch diameter. The results of this investigation indicated that both carburetors can be easily modified to produce satisfactory acceleration characteristics of the engine and no definite choice between the types of carburetor and accelerating pump can be made. Use of the direct-metering carburetor, however, probably resulted in better fuel distribution to the cylinders during the acceleration period and reduced the backfire hazard because all the fuel is introduced through the injection impeller.

Hickel, Robert O.↗