Flight Head and Hearing Protection System

Aircrew on the E 2D Advanced Hawkeye are being challenged by exceptionally high head vibration and acoustic noise. This compromises crew safety, voice communications, and mission success. The aircrew need help. Research by the Navy and Creare shows that the aircrew helmet resonates at the aircraft’s blade pass frequency (BPF), thereby exacerbating the vibration and noise experienced by the aircrew. Fixing the helmet should help the aircrew complete their mission. Creare proposes a two-part modular retrofit to the E 2D aircrew helmet. To address helmet vibration, we add passive vibration absorbers. To further reduce the acoustic noise, we replace the ear cups with a high-volume, low-profile (HVLP) design that includes modern ear seals. These provide much better low-frequency noise attenuation in the helmet. Together, these two upgrades should reduce aircrew fatigue and communication challenges, which will enhance mission endurance and mission success.