{"id":7090,"date":"2019-02-04T03:25:09","date_gmt":"2019-02-04T03:25:09","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.styledeals.co.uk\/blog\/raf-pilots-get-new-g-force-training-centre\/"},"modified":"2019-02-04T03:25:09","modified_gmt":"2019-02-04T03:25:09","slug":"raf-pilots-get-new-g-force-training-centre","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.styledeals.co.uk\/blog\/raf-pilots-get-new-g-force-training-centre\/","title":{"rendered":"RAF pilots get new G-force training centre"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\n
<\/p>\n

\"TheImage copyright<\/span>
\n Thales<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n<\/figure>\n

Fast jet pilots have begun training at a brand new test facility to help them cope with the physical effects of accelerating at top speeds in mid-air manoeuvres.<\/p>\n

The \u00a344m centrifuge officially opens on Monday at RAF Cranwell in Lincolnshire. <\/p>\n

It has a built-in simulator to enable aircrew to practice missions under high levels of G-force. <\/p>\n

Global aerospace and technology giant Thales and its Austrian contractors AMST built the centre.<\/p>\n

Thales UK has the contract to maintain the building over the next three years and train hundreds of RAF and Royal Naval pilots.<\/p>\n

The facility, owned by the Ministry of Defence, replaces the current RAF’s High G trainer in Farnborough, which dated from the 1950s and was little more than a seat at the end of a large spinning arm.<\/p>\n

The new centrifuge accelerates from zero to 9 G (about 60mph) in just one second, spinning 34 times a minute.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Image copyright<\/span>
\n Thales<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n<\/figure>\n

In the gondola, a virtual cockpit can be reconfigured to allow pilots to fly Typhoon combat aircraft, Hawk jet trainers or the new F35 vertical landing Lightning jet.<\/p>\n

Wearing G-trousers which inflate to help push blood back towards the brain, pilots are also taught G-strain drills during their tests in the centrifuge. <\/p>\n

These are physical exercises and breathing techniques to ensure they stay conscious during high levels of G-force acceleration.<\/p>\n

The BBC’s Susannah Streeter was allowed in the centrifuge to experience first-hand what it’s like to cope with very high levels of G.<\/p>\n

\n

The challenge of G-force <\/h2>\n

Susannah Streeter, BBC business presenter<\/strong><\/p>\n

Dealing with the effects of G-force acceleration is a formidable physical and psychological challenge.<\/p>\n

I was flown in many different aircraft as a RAF Reserve officer but never in a fast jet and until I was spinning in the gondola of the centrifuge, I had not fully appreciated the effects high levels of G-force can have on the body.<\/p>\n

As the acceleration began, I was subjected to an intense level of pressure. The special inflatable G-suit I was wearing mitigated some effects, by stopping blood pooling in my feet and legs. <\/p>\n

Tensing my glutes, thighs, calves and my abdomen also displaced blood away into the arms, chest and brain. <\/p>\n

The breathing technique is also key to withstanding the pressure, which involves rapid exhalation followed by holding the breath and tensing the chest for three seconds at a time. <\/p>\n

Such G-strain manoeuvres are potentially life-saving for pilots, who are at risk of losing consciousness at very high levels of acceleration and deceleration.<\/p>\n

I was subjected to 4.5 G for 15 seconds at a time, the maximum allowed for a civilian in such circumstances, but pilots in the new F35 Lightning will have to cope with double that on future combat exercises and operations.<\/p>\n

The new centrifuge can go from 0 to 9 G in just one second and simulate real-time missions, so it will be an invaluable part of their training programmes.<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n


\n
Source<\/a> by [author_name]<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Image copyright Thales Fast jet pilots have begun training at a brand new test facility to help them cope with the physical effects of accelerating at top speeds in mid-air manoeuvres. The \u00a344m centrifuge officially opens on Monday at RAF Cranwell in Lincolnshire. It has a built-in simulator to enable aircrew to practice missions under … <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":0,"featured_media":7091,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-7090","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-general"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.styledeals.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7090","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.styledeals.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.styledeals.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.styledeals.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7090"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.styledeals.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7090\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.styledeals.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/7091"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.styledeals.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7090"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.styledeals.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7090"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.styledeals.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7090"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}