The manually-adjusted tethers currently used as the primary restraints for non-seated crew members on rotary wing platforms have several deficiencies, including: the need for manual slack monitoring and adjustment; hindrance of movement due to nuisance locking; annoyance loads on the occupant; and, inconvenient or unrealistic access to the airframe-mounted control points of the systems. The proposed program includes the development of a lightweight aircrew-mounted tether system that addresses these deficiencies by: taking up tether slack, either automatically or upon user initiation; reduces nuisance locking by incorporating an inertia lock that is insensitive to aircraft influences; and, locates user control points at readily accessible locations on the aircrews endurance survival vest. Safes proposed program utilizes several prototype build phases for hands-on assessment of functionality of the system. A functional prototype will be presented at the end of the Phase I Base program, and the Phase I Option includes visits to multiple end-user locations early in the program to solicit feedback for design refinement during the remainder of the Option program.
Benefit: This effort will benefit the Navy by providing an increased level of safety for non-seated aircrew. By eliminating the operator-perceived annoyances associated with the currently fielded aircrew tethers the proposed tether increases the likelihood of proper use. A safer environment that is directly perceivable by the warfighter yields greater effectiveness and efficiency in mission duties. In addition to the U.S. military market, the product that will result from this development program has direct commercial applications in foreign militaries. Additionally, a derivative design of the product can bring increased safety to the construction and maintenance industries that utilize fall arresting systems during daily tasks.
Keywords: inertia reel, inertia reel, Fall Arrest, Mobile Aircrew, Gunners Belt, restraint, automatic, tether, Fall Protection
