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PRELIMINARY
MEASUREMENTS
Several
anthropometric dimensions were measured on all subjects.
Click on ANTHROPOMETRY for descriptions of these
body dimensions.
These, and some additional reach-related measurements, were made on
smaller subjects.
All measurements were made on semi nude subjects to standardize results.
They were made before proceeding with measurements of cockpit
accommodation.
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Early
in the development of these procedures, it was discovered that, in any given
aircraft model, especially older ones, ejection seats do not necessarily adjust
to the same full-up or full-down position relative to the rest of the cockpit.
Apparently, as maintenance is performed on the seat, there are
adjustments that can be made that affect where the seat stops on the rails.
After taking seat/cockpit measurements on 12 T-38A aircraft, it was
discovered that up to one inch of variability existed in the relationship
between the seat and the canopy. Pilots,
then, with large Sitting Heights might strike their heads on the canopy with the
seat full-down in some aircraft, but not others of the same model. For pilots with small Eye Height Sitting values, vision over
the nose would be better in some aircraft than others. To ensure against the inadvertent use of a "worst
case" cockpit to establish accommodation limits, selected measurements
should be taken in a number of aircraft of the same model. A data form for taking cockpit geometry dimensions can be
found in the Appendix.
Each
of the following sections begins with a statement of Purpose and a Discussion to
provide background information for the Procedure section.
An Analysis and Results section frequently includes selected accommodation values
obtained by the investigators on USAF aircraft.
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