The Support of Air Operations Under Extreme Hot and Cold Weather Conditions

Abstract : Extreme temperatures, both hot and cold, can severely restrict the ability of aircrew and support personnel to accomplish their missions. Under emergency conditions of bail-out, ejection and ditching of fixed or rotary-wing aircraft on land or in water, the survival rate of aircrew and passengers is also affected by the intensity of thermal stress experienced and the duration of exposure to the thermal stress. This has all recently been borne out by the experience of intense air operations in the Gulf War. This symposium reviewed the operational conditions experienced under extreme hot and cold weather. The papers presented at this Symposium highlighted recent advances in thermal physiology, clothing sciences, personal flying equipment, and microclimate cooling. Emphasis was placed on the potential applications of these advances in situations where thermal stress, or the expectation of thermal stress, may confound the efficient achievement of mission objectives