The Free Flight Physiology Project (FFPP) is a new group set up by CASE Medicine, who are based at the ISEH by Research Fellow Dr Matt Wilkes and Dr Lucy Hawkes, a lecturer at the University of Exeter. The FFPP aims to study the physiology of free fliers (paragliders, hang gliders, sailplane and wingsuit pilots) to improve performance and safety, gain insights into hypobaric hypoxia and explore the use of novel telemetry in extreme settings.
Their first project looks at high altitude paraglider flight, recording baseline physiology including heart rate (HR), heart rate variability (HRV), respiratory rate (RR), body temperature and skin conductance and oxygen saturation (SpO2) mapped to altitude, accelerometry, flight time and subjective symptoms. They will then go on to study specific aspects of cognition and performance using our baseline data.
Paragliding is an air sport that has developed over the last 40 years into one of the most widely practiced forms of free flight. Flights of over 100km across country are regularly made, using dynamic (soaring) lift and thermal updrafts, with the current open distance record standing at 514km in a single flight. Paraglider pilots have flown from the summit of Everest and ascended in thermals to over 8,000m. Paragliding was shortlisted as a potential new event for Tokyo 2020 and there is an active cross country and acrobatic competition scene. These competitions have historically been dominated by Northern European countries, but British pilots have an impressive track record and are now regularly holding their own amongst the best.
The FFPP have completed much of their preliminary testing and their first high altitude subject, Red Bull pilot Thomas de Dorlodot, successfully flew to 7,450m over the Karakorum in July. Tom carried the FFPP'S telemetry package and brought home some fascinating results and they hope there will be much more to follow!
More information about FFPP
Photo: FFPP’s Dr Matt Wilkes, completing early testing in the dry air over Algodonales in Spain.