An examination of how load and impulse generated during the jettisoning of a simulated S-92 push-out window are related to performance success

King, Thomas Samuel (2016) An examination of how load and impulse generated during the jettisoning of a simulated S-92 push-out window are related to performance success. Masters thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

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Abstract

Each year worldwide, helicopters transport millions of oil and gas workers to ocean-based oil platforms. While the vast majority of these flights are successful, helicopter ditchings do occur every year. When a helicopter ditches, passengers must egress from the fuselage through either a designated emergency exit or an in-cabin push-out window. Striking the in-cabin push-out window with a hand or elbow requires the generation of sufficient power, impulse, and force to successfully jettison the window. This study undertook an analysis of a secondary dataset to determine how load and impulse, generated during a jettison attempt, influenced the likelihood of successfully jettisoning a simulated in-cabin push-out window. The window simulated the Sikorsky S-92, a transport helicopter used to fly passengers to offshore installations. Participants attempted to jettison the simulated window in three different simulator conditions (in air in normal orientation, in water at 120˚ orientation and in water at 180˚ orientation). During the testing, three independent variables were controlled: seat type (normal [N], stroke [S], or aisle [A]), window strike location (lower near [LN], lower far [LF], upper near [UN] or upper far [UF]), and strike type (static hand [SH], dynamic hand [DH], or dynamic elbow [DE]). A total of six unique combinations were tested in all three conditions. The results indicated that load was significantly different between the dry and wet conditions for the NUFDH, SUNDH, NLFDE, and ALNDH. Impulse data also revealed that there was a significant difference between the dry and wet conditions for the NUFDH, SUNDH, NLFDE, SLNDE, and ALNDH. It was concluded that the magnitude of the load and impulse applied to the simulated window are important determinants of performance success.

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