HIGH TECH

Personal air conditioning units for helicopter crews.

Engineers designed the units with temperatures of 125 degrees and 14 percent relative humidity in mind.

“In other words, the desert,” said lead engineer Rich Luechtefeld, who joined the telephone interview with Bippen.

The cooling systems come in three parts: Each crewmember needs a 13-pound, shoe-box-sized device that works like a refrigerator and is anchored to the aircraft, a washable, 100 percent cotton vest embedded with tiny PVC tubes and a connecting “umbilical cord.”

The vest “cools your torso very effectively,” according to Luechtefeld, who has personally tested the system. “Testers’ comments have been really favorable.”

Air Warrior officials have decided that the first helicopters to get the coolers will be OH-58D Kiowa Warriors, he said.