UNDERWATER EGRESS TRAINING

In a survivable water crash sequence, the body relies on basic instincts and training to survive. Without recent practical training in underwater egress and survival techniques, your chances of survival are limited at best.

In this issue of Night Vision Insights™ we take a look at Underwater Egress/Survival Training at night with use of night vision goggles.

FEATURED CONTENT: EMERGENCY WATER LANDING...WILL YOU SURVIVE?

Imagine yourself flying in a night, overwater mission with NVGs. You encounter a major system emergency that requires you to put the aircraft into an auto-rotative descent. You're not going to make it back to shore at this rate. Your brain just got its first big shot of adrenaline and your focus narrows to your instructions.

A warning light flashes and you hear the audible alarm "pull up" in your headset. You look out in time to see the water rushing up to you and you pull with all your might. Slam! The belly of the helicopter impacts the water and your seats stroke downward.

The blades slap into the water and disintegrate. You've never felt a more violent shaking than the out-of-balance rotor system is giving you right now. The cold water rushes in through breached chin bubbles and cargo windows. Your aircraft rolls inverted and now you have so much adrenaline coursing through you that gross motor skills are the only physical abilities that remain. Your Night Vision Goggles black out when the water interrupts the power circuit, leaving you jolted, disoriented and terrified. You don't know where up is anymore and you can't find the door jettison. Water pressure crushes in as you begin to sink and your lungs are now burning through that last gulp of air you were able to take in. WOULD YOU SURVIVE?

Aviation companies should provide the tools and training necessary for their pilots to handle all emergency situations. Providing NVG Underwater Egress/Survival Training gives aircrews and passengers the confidence and skills needed to survive an accident in the water at night. Pilots should insist on receiving this type of training as individuals who care for the reputation of their company, the welfare of their colleagues, and their own survival.

Contributed by: Dan Cerkan, Vice President BOLO3 Group

Featured Product: NVG UNDERWATER EGRESS/SURVIVAL COURSE

The NVG Underwater Egress/Survival Course teaches critical life saving skills that help pilots, crewmembers and passengers get out of a submerged aircraft after a survivable crash.

Water Survival Training teaches the skills needed for the survivors of a crash to continue to live once out of the aircraft. Some of these skills are survival swim techniques, drown-proofing, life raft training, and what to expect when the rescue team arrives.

The advanced training covers what to expenct when underwater and NVGs are still in front of your eyes, or have been knocked off and are now an entanglement issue. Training features practical application with real NVGs attached to your helmet and the helmet communication cord attached to the SWET chair. This "outside the box" training provides a hands-on, practical application to what has only been discussed before.

This course is given by BOLO3 Group in strategic partnership with Night Flight Concepts, Inc. Taught by former members of the U. S. Military Special Operations Forces and U. S. Navy Aviation Survival Training Centers, these instructors have taught thousands of aviators and passengers how to survive a waterborne accident.

Read more about Underwater Egress/Survival NVG Training Course

EVENTS CALENDAR

• NightCon 2013: September 18th – 20th in Dallas, Texas
• Air Medical Transport Conference: October 21-23, Virginia Beach, VA
• Heli-Expo 2014: February 25-27, Anaheim Convention Center, CA (Booth #217)