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Altitude chamber conducts final operations

U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Nazareth Oliver, 18th Aerospace Medicine Squadron aerospace and operational physiology flight NCO in charge of maintenance, inspects a face mask in the altitude chamber on Kadena Air Base, Japan, June 11, 2013. The altitude chamber is designed to familiarize service members who fly in aircraft at high altitudes of the symptoms related to a lack of oxygen, and trains them on how to correct and recover from those symptoms. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Hailey R. Davis/Released)

Altitude chamber conducts final operations

U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Nazareth Oliver, 18th Aerospace Medicine Squadron aerospace and operational physiology flight NCO in charge of maintenance, adjusts a face mask in the altitude chamber on Kadena Air Base, Japan, June 11, 2013. The chamber on Kadena recently conducted its final operations. Instead, the aerospace and operational physiology flight will switch to a reduced oxygen breathing device in July, which will be used for refresher training for individuals whose flight qualification currency will expire in the future. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Hailey R. Davis/Released)

Altitude chamber conducts final operations

U.S. Air Force Capt. Anthony Francisco, 18th Medical Group executive officer and aerospace and operational physiology flight officer in charge, prepares to "fly" the altitude chamber while U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Nazareth Oliver, 18th Aerospace Medicine Squadron aerospace and operational physiology flight NCO in charge of maintenance, briefs students within the chamber on Kadena Air Base, Japan, June 11, 2013. The altitude chamber is designed to simulate students flying to 25,000 feet in altitude and familiarize them with the symptoms associated with a lack of oxygen. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Hailey R. Davis/Released)

Kadena altitude chamber conducts final operations

Published June 11, 2013
By Airman 1st Class Hailey Davis
18th Wing Public Affairs

KADENA AIR BASE, Japan -- The 18th Aerospace Medicine Squadron's aerospace and operational physiology flight altitude chamber recently conducted its final operations.

"We're shutting down the chamber and transitioning to the reduced oxygen breathing device, which we're going to start using in July," said Master Sgt. Eric Kerr, 18th AMDS AOPT flight chief. "We can operate more cost efficiently (with this system), and there is no need to put the students at an increased risk of decompression sickness or sinus issues."

This doesn't mean flyers will not be able to receive their required hypoxia familiarization. Pilots and aircrew required to fly, due to the nature of their job, will receive initial altitude chamber training in the U.S., and will be able to accomplish refresher training via the ROBD.

"The ROBD simulates hypoxia, which is what you'd get at 25,000 feet (in altitude), so we'll be able to simulate that with the ROBD rather than exposing them to altitude," Kerr said.

The ROBD also offers a safety component the chamber didn't originally have.

"Our goal is still hypoxia familiarization but we can accomplish it by changing gas percentage instead of pressure," said Maj. Timothy Stout, 18th AMDS aerospace and operational physiology flight commander. "We eliminate the risk to pressure change, evolved gas (and other effects)."

With the ROBD, only the ability to initially train individuals will be lost.

"It won't affect any of our current fliers," Stout said. "We'll be able to provide refresher training, and the only thing we'll not be able to accomplish is initial aircrew training simply because the requirement remains to go through a hypobaric altitude chamber experience the first time. For the parachutist on island, our training capability will not change, as the lead component senior medical officer, (U.S. Special Operations Command Surgeon General), has approved the use of the ROBD for both initial and refresher High Altitude Parachutist training."

With this requirement, those aircrew and/or operational support flyers needing initial training will need to accomplish that training prior to departing the U.S. This will also save money due to reduced manning and equipment.