A Test of the American Safety Flight Systems, Inc. Prebreather/Portable Oxygen System
Abstract
In response to a request from the Aviation Life Support Equipment Product Manager (ALSE-PM) of the Aviation Systems Command (AVSCOM), the U.S. Army Aeromedical Research Laboratory (USAARL) conducted an investigation and evaluation of the Prebreather/Portable Oxygen System (P/POS) manufactured by American Safety Flight Systems, Inc. A test of the P/POS was conducted in the hypobaric chamber at the U.S. Army School of Aviation Medicine. Four crews of four subjects each and one crew of three (the last crew had only three because one subject had a middle ear infection) prebreathed 100 percent chamber oxygen for 30 minutes. Then they switched to the P/POS while the chamber was depressurized to 18,000 feet MSL at a rate of 500 fpm. They remained at this altitude pressure until they reduced the P/POS pressure from 1800 psi to 200 psi. Following this, the chamber was repressurized to sea level at a rate of 4000 fpm. Mission durations, percent oxygen saturation and cognitive performance were measured for each subject. The average mission duration was 2 hr 28 min with a standard deviation of 13.9 min. The study indicated the P/POS will meet the needs of all helicopter missions for the Army that do not require prebreathing.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jan 01, 1991
- Accession Number
- ADA232723
Entities
People
- Francis S. Knox
- Robert A. Mitchell
- Robert L. Stephens
- Vadankumar M. Patel
Organizations
- United States Army Aeromedical Research Lab