Training helps aircrew deal with emergencies

ASTC offers numerous courses to train aircrews on the physiological hazards associated with flying. Some of these include: hypoxia, hyperventilation, sensory physiology, stress, human performance, spatial disorientation, G-Forces, aviation life support systems, emergency egress and basic first aid.

New and refresher students go through a variety of courses based on what type of aircraft they fly. "We cover all types of aircraft - helos, jets, props and they get training on every kind of scenario. Depending on what type of aircraft you fly, the training is tailored to that specific classification," said ASTC Director Lt. Cmdr. Sue Jay. "If you fly jets or props, you'll get parachute training and ejection seat training. If it's helos, you'll go through the underwater egress (dunker) scenarios."

Classes last two or three days and include a series of classroom lectures, dynamic training such as parachute descent procedures, ejection seat, decompression chamber and water survival training.

The students give a thumbs up signaling they are ready for the decompression testing to begin.

For 18 pilots and aircrew participating in the low pressure chamber exercises Feb. 13, they not only became qualified, but also became local celebrities as the training was portrayed on First Coast News by news anchor Joy Purdy, who interviewed staff members and students.

As the students entered the chamber, they were given oxygen masks and seated on both sides of the chamber as several instructors helped them try on their gear. Once the thumbs-up was given the chamber was sealed, oxygen masks were removed and they began a simulated ascend to 20,000 feet.

"They are required to go through this training to help them recognize signs and symptoms of hypoxia and learn how to treat them. By using this chamber, we can do it safely on the deck so if anyone passes out, we can treat them," said Jay. "We want them to get hypoxic so they can see what it feels like and they know what to do and can recognize it in others. We've had people pass out, get nauseous, euphoric and belligerent. It affects everyone in different ways."

Aviation Survival Training Center Jax Director Lt. Cmdr. Sue Jay checks for signs of hypoxia as a group of students ascend to 20,000 feet in the decompression chamber. Photos by Kaylee LaRocque

"They can only remain off oxygen for a short time before the symptoms of hypoxia set in. The longest they are allowed to remain off oxygen at 20,000 feet is 18 minutes. It would push the limits to where it's safe after that amount of time," stated HM2 Michael Armbruster, an instructor at ASTC.

"We level the chamber off at 20,000 feet at which time they are required to recognize their hypoxia symptoms themselves and treat themselves accordingly. We have them do a writing demonstration as a diversion tactic to keep them occupied so they don't concentrate on their symptoms then we give them simple tasks to do such as touch their fingers to their noses and play pattycake. You can see the coordination gets more difficult as hypoxia sets in."

As they continued to ascend, one by one the students put on their oxygen masks. "We've had people pass out, rupture their ear drums, loose their fillings and damage their sinuses.

Ensign Thomas Sculthorpe of VP-30 and other student pilots test their thinking and writing skills while being ascended to 20,000 feet without oxygen in the decompression chamber at Aviation Survival Training Center Jax Feb. 13.

Any type of oxygen emergency at a high altitude could become potentially fatal if that aviator is not able to recognize the symptoms," said Armbruster. "It happened with golfer Payne Stewart many years ago. They think they had a decompression problem and the signs weren't recognized and they all perished. Today, our students are in a chamber and we have staff to help them if they need it, but when they are actually flying, that won't be the case. It's a real eye opening experience."

As the students stepped out of the chamber after the training exercise, most seemed a little worn out.

"It was tiring but not past my normal physical actions during the day like lifting weights. My arms got a little tired," stated Ensign Emile Hawkins, a student pilot at VP-30 who was the last to don his oxygen mask.

"As we ascended in altitude, you could feel the different pressure and watch the balloon inside start expanding. As we started ascending, you could actually see where the humidity was evaporating and there was a mist like on a foggy lake coming up," recalled AW3(NAC) Jonathan Norrod, a radar operator at VP-30.

"As we got up to altitude and started doing different skills, I was trying to look at the eye chart, I think I did alright, but when we started doing the hand movements, it was a little difficult remembering what the sequences where that they were calling out. A lot of my job is memorization so I was trying really hard to do everything right," he continued.

Ensign Jamie Blatter, left, of VP-30 and Lt. Darren Randolph of VP-8 play a game of Pattycake, Pattycake in the decompression chamber at 20,000 feet in a test to help the pilots recognize signs of hypoxia.

"Of course, with the pressure changing in the chamber you are watching for how the changes affect you. When you are in the P-3 you aren't sitting there watching for these things you are doing your job. But you have to know what signs to look for. The first thing I noticed were that my fingertips were turning blue. I also had a slight headache and had a slight twitch in my hands. Towards the end it also got harder to hear what the instructors were saying. By going through this training, it helps you look for those signs. If I was on the aircraft and I saw that my fingertips were turning blue, I would immediately put on my oxygen mask."

The low-pressure chamber consists of three separate chambers made of three-quarter-inch steel with thick glass windows.

"It will actually stand pressures up to 100,000 feet although we don't take students up that high. The majority of our flight students go to 20,000 to 25,000 feet and every so often, 35,000 feet. Any higher than that and you would need a pressure suit because your blood could actually start to boil because of the nitrogen in the body. Aviators can suffer from decompression sickness just like SCUBA divers," added Armbruster.

First Coast News Anchor Joy Purdy interviews Ensign Emile Hawkins, right, and AW3(NAC) Jonathan Norrod, both of VP-30, about their experience in the decompression chamber at the Aviation Survival Training Center.

By knowing what to do in case of depressurization to prevent hypoxia while flying is crucial for all aircrews.

"It's extremely important to go through this training in case the cabin pressure inside the aircraft changes and we have to use oxygen. You can never put a price tag on training; good training is great training. I've never had a situation happen where I've needed to use my training and hopefully I won't, but I'm prepared just in case," said Hawkins.