Lab Rats: Fit to Fly

Synopsis

A series of four 30-minute programmes in which four volunteers undergo a range of physical and psychological experiments. Cut off from the outside world and confined to a laboratory for twenty-four hours, the participants surrender their minds and bodies in the name of scientific research, with every move closely monitored by scientists.

Mike Leahy and Zeron Gibson compete for a ride in an F-16 US Air Force fighter plane that can manoeuvre at a terrifying 9g. With a force 9 times their own bodyweight pushing down through their heads, all their blood rushes to their feet. If they do nothing, their brains will be starved of oxygen. They have to learn a special breathing technique just to remain conscious. Their training starts at the stunt flying school run by Red Arrow pilot, Andy Cubin. Dramatic flying and stomach-churning spins in gyroscopes make the Lab Rats doubt whether the F-16 is a prize they want to win. They then go to New Mexico to face the military centrifuge training that all fighter pilots must pass before they can fly. The Lab Rats must survive a bone-crushing 9g spin. "At 9gs, it’s like having an elephant on your chest" says centrifuge tutor, Lt Vikki Thompson.


NB The four programmes from the series are only available on a combined DVD

Series

Lab Rats, Xso14 Series

Language

English

Country

Great Britain

Year of release

2004

Year of production

2004

Notes

Broadcast on BBC3 on 23/4/2004

Subjects

Biology

Keywords

centripetal force; gyroscopes; physiology - human; scientific research; fighter pilot training

Online availability

URI

http://www.ouwcb.co.uk/viewerdefault.asp?CompID=12327&Baudrate=0

Price

£34.99

Delivery

Download

Distribution Formats

Type

DVD

Format

Region 2 PAL

Availability

Sale

Production Company

Name

Open University

Distributor

Name

Open University Worldwide

Web

http://www.ouw.co.uk External site opens in new window

Phone

+44 (0) 1908 274066

Address

Walton Hall
Milton Keynes
MK7 6AA

Notes

NB. As of May 2016 Open University Worldwide are no longer distributing DVDs. They have posted this message on their website: ‘Unfortunately Open University Worldwide Limited has decided that product sales are no longer viable given the reduced funding to Higher Education institutions and diminishing demand for the products we have traditionally stocked. At present the Open University Students Association (OUSA) will continue to sell the "Good Study Guide", and we are in discussion with other possible distributors to continue to make The Open University’s products available for purchase. As soon as we have any information on other channels of distribution we will update this notice’. Some products are still available via second hand dealers on Amazon.co.uk