Back Pain in Rotory Wing Community

[xnvyflyer]

I was wondering how many of you guys, specifically the helicopter pilots, have chronic back pain. I'm flying the MD-500D, MD-500E and MD-530F and to be honest, I think MD is trying to cripple helicopter pilots. I don't think it would be that difficult for the engineers to design an ergonomically correct helicopter and still maintain structural integrity and crashworthy helicopter.

It is a constant effort to maintain correct posture while flying.

I am 6 feet tall, 40 years old, in good shape, and put in between 3-6 hours flight time daily, right now, with trainee, about 70 hours a month. The bird doesn't vibrate all that bad compared to the big navy birds so in my opinion, it's primarily the seat cushion and the ergonomics.

Wearing NVGs is a whole different can of worms I didn't want to address in this thread.

I'll be doing training on this topic this Wednesday.

Thanks.

 

[HH-60H]

I was wondering how many of you guys, specifically the helicopter pilots, have chronic back pain. I'm flying the MD-500D, MD-500E and MD-530F and to be honest, I think MD is trying to cripple helicopter pilots. I don't think it would be that difficult for the engineers to design an ergonomically correct helicopter and still maintain structural integrity and crashworthy helicopter.

It is a constant effort to maintain correct posture while flying.

I am 6 feet tall, 40 years old, in good shape, and put in between 3-6 hours flight time daily, right now, with trainee, about 70 hours a month. The bird doesn't vibrate all that bad compared to the big navy birds so in my opinion, it's primarily the seat cushion and the ergonomics.

Wearing NVGs is a whole different can of worms I didn't want to address in this thread.

I'll be doing training on this topic this Wednesday.

Thanks.

I had back pain all the time in the Jet Ranger, but as soon as I moved to the 60 I had no problems.

 

[squorch2]

If I recall correctly, BUMED and NAVAIR did a study some years ago that revealed 50% more back issues (time lost, back-related disability after getting out) amongst helo bubbas than their fixed-wing counterparts. I think the article was in Approach... I'll see if I can find it when I have faster innanets.

 

[MasterBates]

I never had back pain in 1100+ Jet Ranger hours in COMCIVHELO.

HTs, some minor pain after double bags. I think the good seat cushions we had in the Civ world were the difference.

60B, if I flew for more than 3 hours at a shot, or 5 hours total in a day, my back would hurt.

I'm 6'3-6'4 and 240 pounds.

I end up with the seat all the way back, and most of the way up. I end up hunched over when flying. With the way the controls are laid out, I don't see that changing. My inside shin was always jammed into the corner where the instrument panel meets the doghouse.

Most 60 guys over 6' I knew had similar issues. Most HT instructors I know, seem to have issues to some point.

 

[NozeMan]

Hmmmmm, are the -57 and -60 designed for someone thats 5'9" and 150????


Things are looking bright in the rotary world!

 

[Swanee]

Sounds like you guys need one of these:

 

[Gatordev]

I had some pain in the -57 as well, from time to time, but for the most part, no issues in the -60. The two times I would have a tired, stiff back would be goggles (but like you said, different animal), and when one of my det birds decided to pickup a vibe. For two days I'd come back pretty sore. The second day, while flying, I asked the other two crew if they were having sore backs as well, and they both did.

My OIC didn't appreciate rolling into the hangar the next morning to find that one of his aircraft had been hard-downed, but after tearing the thing apart, sure enough, we found a bunch of maintenance that hadn't been done previously (before we owned the aircraft). Once it was back together and flying, it was smooth as silk.

 

[hscs]

Never had an issue -- even with the kevlar seats. Don't use a seat cushion. I sit all the way back and just about all the way up. I must be doing something different than all of the other tall guys -- as I am 6'3"/190 lbs and had a significant back injury from a car accident as a teenager.

 

[xnvyflyer]

Thanks all for the good responses to my question. I like them all so much that I think I will include them in my training. Anybody else want to chime in?

hscs, what airframe were you or are you flying?

 

[phrogpilot73]

Phrog guy here with chronic back pain... It wasn't bad in the TH-57, moving on to the Phrog still wasn't bad, unless we went over 3 hours (more than one back of gas). Then it was painful...

 

[Gatordev]

(more than one back of gas).

You're so clever.

 

[insanebikerboy]

I guess I'm with hscs on this, granted it's only the -57. I'm 6'3 and about 240 and I can sit all of the way back in the seat and still reach the cyclic no problem (none of the "hunch").

I do wear my belts locked and tight the whole time (very little wiggle room) so that might make a difference since I don't move much, if any, at all during the flights. I've yet to have any soreness or any other problems.

 

[hscs]

^^ I think that is what saves me -- I keep the straps tight and locked most of the time when I have been flying the H60. I also take every opportunity to get up and walk around (on hot pumps).

 

[FLY_USMC]

If I recall correctly, BUMED and NAVAIR did a study some years ago that revealed 50% more back issues (time lost, back-related disability after getting out) amongst helo bubbas than their fixed-wing counterparts. I think the article was in Approach... I'll see if I can find it when I have faster innanets.

I'd be curious to see that, I guess to believe it really. The unfortunate fact of the matter is it seems very few, if any, seats in the military have any sort of comfort in mind.....I guess the question should they is a big one. I've flown some pretty cush civilian stuff with VERY nice seats, but even that side of the world has it's utter downfalls.

 

[phrogpilot73]

I knew I read an Approach article about it recently:

http://www.safetycenter.navy.mil/me...06/Back_Pain_in_the_Rotary-Wing_Community.htm