Dr Tony Segal wrote a series of six articles for Gliding & Motorgliding International commencing Issue 12/2000 where he was afforded the following introduction:
*Tony started gliding at Lasham, England, in 1956 and has worked as a family doctor for 30 years. On retiring he took a six months� course for the Diploma in Aviation Medicine at the Royal Air Force Institute of Aviation Medicine. He is now carrying out experimental work on pilot safety at the Centre for Human Sciences, DERA, Farnborough, with the help of Les Neil. Tony, who has recently been elected a Fellow of the Royal Aeronautical Society, is dedicated to finding ways pilots can protect themselves from injury by taking simple precautions in the cockpit.* This thread has already addressed his recommendation on seat cushions. "A soft foam seating cushion should not be used. It will store and then release energy quickly, thus increasing the load on the spine in an accident. Sitting directly on the seatpan is acceptable for tall pilots who have restricted head room under the canopy, although it will be uncomfortable on a long flight. It is best to use an energy absorbing cushion. There are many different types on the market. I happen to have tested Sunmate (Dynafoam) at Qinetiq, Farnborough, England. The test used a 1 inch Dynafoam cushion, with an impact of 17*g* and an impact velocity of 21mph (9.4m/s). Using a medium weight male dummy, with no seat cushion, the impact force was 8.993kN. With the 1 inch Dynafoam seat cushion, the impact force was 7.520kN." There has been no mention of his other recommendations though: 1. "The back of the pilot should be fully supported by the seat back and by the parachute pack. If necessary, any gaps between the seat back and the parachute pack should be filled with a firm, non-compressible material. The parachute pack should be thin, flexible, and have a soft lower border. If the parachute pack has a hard lower border and ends part of the way up the spine, a stress concentration will be present at this level, and a spinal fracture may occur on accident impact. A suitable lumbar back pad will increase the strength of the spine against longitudinal compression loading, and increases pilot comfort during a long flight. Maintaining the normal lumbar spinal curvature results in the adjacent faces of the intervertebral bodies meeting squarely and so spreading an impact load. The facet joints will also engage with each other, so providing a second load pathway. I recommend a lumbar pad made of a firm material such as Sunmate (Dynafoam) foam. My pad measures 10 1/2 inches x 4 inches x 1 inches, with the long edges next to the pilot chamfered off. However, it can be shaped to suit the individual pilot by using an electric carving knife. It can be covered with denim or thin canvas, and held in place around the waist by a thin webbing belt with the ends fastened by Velcro. This pad is, of course, worn *under* the parachute. I do not recommend air filled bladders, although they are very convenient. They will cause a rebound movement under accident loading. Incidentally, they will become harder at altitude." And to protect against whiplash: "4.77 *Headrests* 4.771 A headrest must be provided for each occupant. 4.772 Each headrest must not be less than 250mm wide, must be faced with energy absorbing material, and must be capable of withstanding an ultimate load of 3kN acting normal to its face. 4.773 Each headrest must be located at eye-level, and such that it protects the occupant whether wearing a parachute or not, and that it does not foul the parachute during an emergency exit. Note: It is recommended that where possible headrests are mounted integrally with seatbacks." Kind regards, Daryl 0427 174 285 On 7 April 2014 13:11, rolf a. buelter <[email protected]> wrote: > Didn't read quote thoroughly first time - $ 120.- is for 20 mm, $ 150.- > same size but 25 mm, both plus GST plus postage & handling. > > Rgds - Rolf > > ------------------------------ > From: [email protected] > To: [email protected] > Subject: RE: [Aus-soaring] confor foam > Date: Mon, 7 Apr 2014 15:08:32 +1000 > > > Just got a quote from Specialty Foams, $ 120.- for a piece 500 mm X 1,000 > mm plus postage & handling. Forgot to ask colour or hardness though. > > Rgds - Rolf > > ------------------------------ > From: [email protected] > To: [email protected] > Date: Mon, 7 Apr 2014 13:59:57 +1000 > Subject: Re: [Aus-soaring] confor foam > > Yeah, Paul Remde of Cumulus Soaring makes exactly the same point on his > web site about the hardness of the green (CF-47) foam. > > > > One other (practical) point. You can shape this stuff with a band-saw or > jig-saw. An electric carving knife is extremely handy for applications > where the other two saws won’t do, or won’t fit, eg like tapering the > thickness. > > > > If you don’t have these tools – or can’t be bothered - maybe Speciality > Foams in WA would shape the foam for you (at an extra cost), if you sent > them a template of the shape you require. > > > > Gary > > > > *From:* [email protected] [mailto: > [email protected]] *On Behalf Of *Ian Mc Phee > *Sent:* Monday, 7 April 2014 1:08 PM > *To:* Discussion of issues relating to Soaring in Australia. > *Subject:* Re: [Aus-soaring] confor foam > > > Well explained Gary. Yes green is the most dense and have bought same > from WA at John Vineys suggestion. In cold green can be a bit of a solid > board. Mr demo is usually 1inch of blue (green works as well) on a brick > wall and drive my fist with full strength and it never ever hurts. > In confor it goes green, blue, pink, yellow & or white. Only the first two > pass my test if 1 inch thick. > Yellow is too soft but may work if 2 inch thick.?? Aldi had such pads last > week but it is only for comfort & not for crash back protection I believe. > I am yet to see a local foam product (except green from WA) meet my fist > test thus order the correct product & you have back insurance for LIFE for > $50. > Ian mcp > (a baby with a helmet band arrangement of confor can fall head first one > to cement floor without damage) > > > > On 07/04/2014 11:29 AM, "Gary Stevenson" <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > These people get the foam in a large billet, and will cut you a piece to > the > > size and thickness required. From memory, their price was NOT > competitive, > > but that was years ago - maybe they now do a better deal? > > > > Confor is a brand name, and other manufacturers (in the USA), make > similar > > products. Note the plural in products: As well as different thicknesses > the > > foam is made in different densities, which are usually colour coded. For > > Confor, green is the way to go. I think the blue product that Ian refers > to > > MAY be produced by another manufacturer. Ian?? > > > > To the best of my knowledge this type of foam is not manufactured in > > Australia. Can anybody prove me wrong/advise of an Australian > manufacturer? > > > > I note that Cumulus Soaring in the States is also a retail supplier. > > > > GFA on its old web site had a useful discussion on the product, but I do > not > > know if this information was carried across to the new site. Tim > Shirley, do > > you know? > > > > As a matter of interest the impact absorbing foam (Confor etc), can be > > layered with other products too. I bought a layer of memory foam (as used > > for comfort on some wheel-chairs), but never got around to actually > making > > it up and using it with the Confor in my glider cushion. > > > > Regards, > > Gary > > > > > > > > -----Original Message----- > > From: [email protected] > > [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of > > [email protected] > > Sent: Monday, 7 April 2014 9:58 AM > > To: Discussion of issues relating to Soaring in Australia. > > Subject: Re: [Aus-soaring] confor foam > > > > Doesn't necessarily need to come from the States, though I am not sure of > > their pricing. > > > > http://specialtyfoams.com.au > > > > > > > > Regs > > Ben > > > > > > On Mon, Apr 7th, 2014 at 9:42 AM, Ian Mc Phee <[email protected]> > wrote: > > > > > On Saturday at Chris Thorps GFA safety seminar at Archerfield I gave a > > > demo > > > of 1 inch blue confor memory foam. Some people there obviously did > not > > > know about confor foam and recently a friend of mine is a southern > state > > > was involved in a ground loop in ASK 13 caused by long grass catching > one > > > wing and other wing gaining extra lift and whole glider lifted in the > > > air. > > > He was dumped from about 1metre leaving him with injured back for 2 or > > > so > > > months. He knew nothing of confor foam' and did not have same. Glider > > > was > > > all but undamaged. > > > > > > Here is the link to confor foam > > > > > > > http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/cmpages/conForFoan.php?clickkey=5944 > > > > > > It does cost $US23.50 for BLUE PAD 1 inch think (is all you need for > > > protection) and post per pad will be say $20 but that is minor to > > > injuries > > > it may prevent. > > > > > > Personally I will not sign a form 2 unless the glider is equipped with > > > confor foam or they get a long talk that they have to order it NOW. > > > > > > We wear seat belts in gliders and cars always so why not have confor in > > > all > > > gliders we fly and costs a lot less than a parachute and is equally > > > important I believe. $50 is the cheapest one off insurance policy you > > > will > > > ever buy in gliding. > > > > > > If you want more proof go to the BGA web site for article on its use > and > > > the front cover will be a photo of a Swift glider crashing and pilot > > > walks > > > away. The video or is it a series of still photos of the crash. > > > > > > Thanks to Jenny Ganderton most of the gliders at Keepit have confor in > > > almost all gliders. > > > > > > Personally I think GFA should mandate the use of confor instead of > highly > > > recommending it but at least that is a start.. > > > > > > Ian McPhee > > > > > > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > > Aus-soaring mailing list > > [email protected] > > To check or change subscription details, visit: > > http://lists.internode.on.net/mailman/listinfo/aus-soaring > > > > > > ----- > > No virus found in this message. > > Checked by AVG - www.avg.com > > Version: 2014.0.4355 / Virus Database: 3722/7309 - Release Date: 04/06/14 > > > > _______________________________________________ > > Aus-soaring mailing list > > [email protected] > > To check or change subscription details, visit: > > http://lists.internode.on.net/mailman/listinfo/aus-soaring > > _______________________________________________ Aus-soaring mailing list > [email protected] To check or change subscription > details, visit: http://lists.internode.on.net/mailman/listinfo/aus-soaring > > _______________________________________________ > Aus-soaring mailing list > [email protected] > To check or change subscription details, visit: > http://lists.internode.on.net/mailman/listinfo/aus-soaring > -- Kind regards Daryl Mackay
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