Influence of Pilot Incapacitation on Low Speed and Hovering Flight

Very little quantitative information exists as to survivability of a lone or surviving helicopter pilot who is incapacitated by wounds received during a mission. Since the pilot normally uses all four limbs, his ability to maintain control of an otherwise flyable aircraft is expected to be impaired. A safe, yet realistic approach to the investigation was to physically restrain single hands, limbs, etc. of Army aviators hovering a DHT-1 Whirlymite Trainer-- a semitethered but otherwise genuine single-place helicopter. The relative accuracy with which subjects followed a prescribed flight path under the restraints was the primary means of comparison. Statistical analysis of integrated error scores showed that the only effective restraints were those involving an entire limb. Since this investigation only involved hovering flight, recommendations included further work in cruise considerations in favor of multiple-limb restraints.