Cold Protection and Manual Performance Assessment of Aircrew Gloves

Military aircrew of rotary-wing aircraft often report cold and dysfunctional hands during cold-weather flying. Therefore, the cold protection and manual performance of in-service gloves was quantified in a laboratory study to support cold-weather advice to aircrew and glove procurement activities.

There were 8 civilian men who undertook a 60-min thermal test simulating the metabolic cost of rear crew physical tasks and wearing representative clothing on 15 occasions, where 3 main glove types (Cape leather, C; Cape + silk liner, C + S; Gunner, G) and 5 air temperatures (TA; +20, +10, 0, -10, -20°C) were assessed. Physiological (including mean finger skin temperature, TFSK), subjective thermal, and manual performance (including bare-hand and gloved finger/hand dexterity) measures were obtained.

At a TA of 0°C, mean TSKF was 15.2 (C), 17.9 (C + S), and 22.4°C (G). Finger cold discomfort occurred at a TA of 0°C in C, and at -10°C in C + S and G. Gloved finger/hand dexterity was impaired relative to bare hands by 46/4 (C), 56/14 (C + S), and 73/44% (G). There was no relationship between TSKF and dexterity performance.

The performance of aircrew gloves has been baselined for male aircrew. Cape leather gloves are limited to a TA of +10°C. Adding silk liners and wearing the Gunner glove extended exposure down to a TA of 0°C but imposed considerable impairment on dexterity performance. Solutions are required to enhance cold protection at a lower cost to manual performance, which must demonstrate applicability to both male and female aircrew. Weller AS, Boyd JWR. Cold protection and manual performance assessment of aircrew gloves. Aerosp Med Hum Perform. 2026; 97(3):160-168.