N131-014 TITLE: Efficient Cargo and Personnel Handling System

TECHNOLOGY AREAS: Air Platform, Human Systems

ACQUISITION PROGRAM: PMA-231

RESTRICTION ON PERFORMANCE BY FOREIGN CITIZENS (i.e., those holding non-U.S. Passports): This topic is "ITAR Restricted". The information and materials provided pursuant to or resulting from this topic are restricted under the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), 22 CFR Parts 120 - 130, which control the export of defense-related material and services, including the export of sensitive technical data. Foreign Citizens may perform work under an award resulting from this topic only if they hold the "Permanent Resident Card", or are designated as "Protected Individuals" as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3). If a proposal for this topic contains participation by a foreign citizen who is not in one of the above two categories, the proposal will be rejected.

OBJECTIVE: Develop and demonstrate an efficient cargo and personnel handling system that requires minimal labor effort by the crew to operate.

DESCRIPTION: Aircraft cargo and personnel handling systems have traditionally utilized a combination of roller rails on the floor and troop seats mounted along the wall facing inward. However, traditional cargo and personnel handling systems are not capable of supporting carrier borne cargo aircraft during catapults and traps.

The cargo and personnel handling system in the C-2 Greyhound is functionally behind most cargo capable aircraft in the US military. The current cargo and personnel handling system utilized on the C-2 requires enormous manpower efforts to load and unload the rear of the aircraft. In addition to the structural requirements of the seat, side facing wall mounted seats would not allow the C-2 to transport 28 passengers, thus the seats face rearward and cargo loads forward of passengers. Depending on the size of cargo, passenger seating must be removed and lifted out of the way in order to load the aircraft and then reinstalled to load passengers. Except for extremely heavy packages, all packages are hand carried into the aircraft, which has resulted in numerous back injuries.

An innovative, efficient cargo and personnel handling system that minimizes crew labor effort, improves crew member safety, and reduces time required onboard carriers is sought. The cargo and personnel system approach shall be capable of carrier take-offs and landings. Increasing the C-2 handling system functionality will improve C-2 mission capabilities and bring carrier aircraft capabilities on par to the land based and rotary wing cargo and personnel aircraft.

PHASE I: Develop an innovative approach for cargo and personnel handling system that requires minimal labor effort by the crew to operate. The cargo and personnel system approach shall be capable of carrier take-offs and landings and not reduce current aircraft capabilities. Demonstrate the feasibility of applying the developed approach in a laboratory environment.

PHASE II: Finalize solution and demonstrate practical implementation of a production scalable prototype cargo and personnel handling system. Evaluate the prototype system through demonstration testing on the replica of a military aircraft cargo compartment.

PHASE III: Transition the approach to the fleet and other candidate platforms.

PRIVATE SECTOR COMMERCIAL POTENTIAL/DUAL-USE APPLICATIONS: An innovative and more efficient cargo and personnel handling system capable of carrier operations can be transitioned into other nations airframes or be utilized in future design ideas, which will improve capabilities, safety, and reliability.

REFERENCES:
1. MIL-STD 1791, Designing for Internal Aerial Delivery in Fixed Wing Aircraft

2. SD-551-1-3 Rev 1, Detail Specification for C-2A Procurement of COD Aircraft

KEYWORDS: safety; Survivability; Cargo; Personnel; Seats; Efficency

** TOPIC AUTHOR (TPOC) **

DoD Notice:   Between 16 November, 2012 through 16 December 2012, you may talk directly with the Topic Authors (TPOC) to ask technical questions about the topics. Their contact information is listed above. For reasons of competitive fairness, direct communication between proposers and topic authors is not allowed starting 17 December, 2012, when DoD begins accepting proposals for this solicitation.

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