This Request for Information is issued by the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center Simulators Division, AFLCMC/WNS, to solicit information from industry that will aid the SPO in assessing capabilities to replace every glass window in the Hypobaric Altitude Chamber Training Systems employed by the US Air Force with acrylic windows that meet the requirements of ASME PVHO-1 Safety Standard for Pressure Vessels for Human Occupancy. The United States Air Force (USAF) began altitude chamber development in the late 1940s. The current USAF altitude chambers are over 65 years old and were procured during the Korean War era. Currently, the Air Force houses 13 altitude chambers at 11 locations. The objective of this RFI is to determine the cost and feasibility of replacing the glass windows of all 13 Hypobaric Altitude Chambers Training Systems with acrylic in accordance with ASME PVHO-1 standards. The 13 fielded Hypobaric Altitude Chambers Training Systems employed by the Air Force were built by three (3) different manufacturers, and there are five (5) different models. The term - chamber does not simply refer to a steel tank with airtight doors, motors, pumps, and pipes providing for decompression. In its fullest sense, it means a great number and variety of instrumentation and devices installed in various configurations to meet specific mission purposes. All altitude chambers are equipped with air conditioning, intake coolers, oxygen regulators, manifolds, rapid decompression systems, aircraft instrumentation, aircraft intercom systems, power supplies, emergency backup, manual override controls, additional ancillary subsystems which supply electricity, vacuum, oxygen, and compressed air to the chamber, as well as other safety features which maintain or foster human welfare during normal operations. Although the altitude chambers vary in size, shape, and configuration, the principles of operation and intended purpose are similar. The altitude chambers provide a locale for practical instruction in the physiology of flight in controlled and safe but realistic high-altitude conditions. The altitude chambers provide the environment where aircrew members learn to handle hypoxia, hyperventilation, mechanical gas expansion, and pressure breathing. All of these stresses occur during high altitude flying and an aircrew member's survival depends on how well prepared they are to handle them.
