Extreme Cold Weather Aviation System Boots

Boots are an important part of aviation garment systems, as they provide protection from operating environment risks and natural conditions. They must meet weather condition ratings for their corresponding garment system, be flame resistant and slip resistant, and meet standards for integration and safety. As part of a broader system, the boots must be compatible with the balance of equipment comprising the system along with other equipment such as the aircrew survival vest, and lowering harness, and aircrew ejection seat. While the cold weather aviation system boot has been successfully tested and approved as of May 2017, there exists a gap in protection for operations in extreme cold weather between -20F and -49F. To realize the Air Force’s objectives for an Extreme Cold Weather Aviation System (ECWAS) Boot, Mantel and its partners propose a Phase I effort that will investigate a combination of passive and active approaches to thermal management.