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Human Centrifuge

AATC in collaboration with Military Institute of Aviation Medicine (WIML) in Warsaw, Poland is organizing a training course on the state-of-the-art Human Centrifuge. This centrifuge is the very same device used by fighter pilots for g-load training. It is one of the most modern centrifuges in the world, built in 2014 and modernized in the summer of 2023 to accommodate the F-35 cockpit layout.

Availability

There are no fixed dates for centrifuge training. We arrange dates depending on your availability and the centrifuge's schedule.

However, before you sit in the cockpit of a centrifuge, we need to submit a formal request to the Polish Military Counterintelligence Agency to perform a background check on you and to issue a security clearance. For that, we will need a scan (or photo) of the personal information page from your passport. This process takes at least 30 days and cannot be expedited.

We do not initiate the procedure without upfront payment.

What is this centrifuge?

The Dynamic Flight Simulator (DFS), a crucial component of the Polish Human Training Centrifuge, offers numerous opportunities for operational, training, and diagnostic purposes. It facilitates intensive pilot training to ensure proper performance of anti-G maneuvers and familiarization of aircrews with the effects of high accelerations, including longitudinal time and push-pull phenomena. Additionally, the centrifuge provides a safe alternative to raise aircrew awareness of unwanted effects of accelerations, such as G-LOC (loss of consciousness) or spatial disorientation. Centrifugal training allows for the restoration and maintenance of optimal G-tolerance, even when performing tasks in the air is impossible or unnecessary. The costs of such training are significantly lower than the potential expenses associated with using modern combat aircraft, not to mention the value of human life.

The gondola of the centrifuge is mounted on an eight-meter-long arm and enables Z-axis accelerations in the range from –3G to +16G, with a maximal gradient of accelerations increasing to 14.5 G/s. Additionally, the gyroscopic suspension of the gondola allows for X-axis and Y-axis accelerations in the range of ±10G and ±6G, respectively.

The human centrifuge is dedicated to surveying and training candidates for military pilots and pilots flying highly maneuverable aircraft, such as combat, acrobatic, and sport planes, as well as for experimental technical tests. The interchangeable parts of the centrifuge gondola enable the functional projection of cockpit equipment from the Polish Air Force's basic multi-purpose aircraft, such as the F-16 Block 52+ and MiG-29.

Technical Performance Characteristics

  • Main arm length: 8 m,
  • Gondola payload: 250 kg and 350 kg in the experimental configuration,
  • Cross section point (3 axes): head level,
  • Gz acceleration range from -3 G to +16 G,
  • Gy acceleration range from -6 G to +6 G,
  • Gx acceleration range from -10 G to +10 G,
  • Roll and pitch angle: ±360°,
  • Maximum roll and pitch angular acceleration: 8 rad/s2.

Source

Medical Monitoring System

Based on digital PCM transmission technology and using state-of-the art sensor and amplifier technology, typical biomedical parameters can be measured and recorded:

  • ECG,
  • ENG,
  • EMG,
  • heart rate,
  • auricular pulse,
  • body temperature,
  • blood pressure (NIBP),
  • oxygen saturation,
  • breathing frequency,
  • breathing volume,
  • possible to measure and record: EEG, etc.

Payment

Payment for human centrifuge training differs from our other programs. We need to submit a formal request to the Polish Military Counterintelligence Agency to conduct a background check and issue a security clearance. To initiate this process, we require a scan or photo of the personal information page from your passport. The background check takes at least 30 days, and it is not possible to expedite the procedure. We do not commence the process without upfront payment.

In the summer of 2023, the cockpit of the centrifuge was updated to an F-35 layout, resulting in an increase in training costs. Although we currently lack specific details, we anticipate a rise of around 20-25% to accommodate inflation, increased electricity prices, and new upgrades. It is important to note that the final price may change, and you may be required to pay the difference. The cost of centrifuge training and the price list are beyond our control. Additionally, once the background check process begins, we cannot offer a refund.

If you need more information, email us at info@astronaut.center