Aeromedical and Human Factors Flashcards
(32 cards)
What is Hypoxia
Lack of oxygen
4 types of hypoxia
hypoxic
hypemic
stagnant
histotoxic
Hypoxic Hypoxia
Insufficient oxygen available to the body. At altitude, reduced partial pressure increases distance between oxygen molecules.
Hypemic Hypoxia
The blood is not able to take up and transport a sufficient amount of oxygen to the cells in the body.
Examples:
CO poisoning (smoking)
Blood donation
Stagnant Hypoxia
Restricted blood flow.
ex: excessive Gs.
Histotoxic Hypoxia
Cell inability to receive oxygen from the blood.
ex: drugs or alcohol
Spacial Disorientation
lack of orientation with regard to the position, attitude, or movement of the airplane in space
Where to find equipment requirements specific to aircraft model?
Comprehensive Equipment List (172R)
Back of Section 6 (Weight and Balance)
Kinds of Operation Equipment List (KOEL) for different modes of flight.
Master Minimum Equipment List (MMEL) list of inoperative equipment allowed for flight
Master Equipment List (MEL)
Operator-specific document that allows for the operation of an aircraft with certain inoperative equipment, as authorized by an approved Letter of Authorization (LOA)
Hyperventilation
a condition characterized by rapid and deep breathing, which can lead to a reduction of carbon dioxide in the blood
Vestibular system
organs found in the inner ear that
sense position by the way we are balanced
Otolith organ
Semicircular canals
Somatosensory system
nerves in the skin, muscles, and joints that, along with hearing, sense position based on gravity, feeling, and sound (seat of pants)
The Leans
most common illusion during flight and is caused by a sudden return to level flight following a gradual and prolonged turn that went unnoticed by the pilot
Coriolis Illusion
occurs when a pilot has been in a turn long enough for the fluid in the ear canal to move at the same speed as the canal. A movement of the head in a different plane, such as looking at something in a different part of the flight deck, may set the fluid moving, creating the illusion of turning or accelerating on an entirely different axis.
Graveyard Spiral
a pilot in a prolonged coordinated, constant-rate turn may experience the illusion of not turning. During the recovery to level flight, the pilot will then experience the sensation of turning in the opposite direction causing the disoriented pilot to return the aircraft
to its original turn.
Somatogravic Illusion
Acceleration can give sense of nose up attitude, causing pilot to push nose down.
Deceleration causes opposite effect.
Inversion Illusion
An abrupt change from climb to straight-and-level flight can stimulate the otolith organs enough to create the illusion of tumbling backwards. Pilot may push nose down, intensifying the illusion.
Elevator Illusion
An abrupt upward vertical acceleration, as can occur in an updraft, can stimulate the otolith organs to create the illusion of being in a climb. The disoriented pilot may push the aircraft into a nose-low attitude. A downdraft could cause the opposite effect.
False Horizon illusion
confusion with objects (cloud layer) as the horizon
Autokinesis
staring at an object or light with no other references can lead to it appearing like it is moving.
Prevention: keep scanning
Wait time after SCUBA
Up to 8000’ flights:
12 hours - no controlled ascent req.
24 hours - controlled ascent req.
Above 8000’ flights:
24 hours
Types of vision
Photopic - cones
Mesopic - mix
Scotopic - rods
Day Blind Spot
Optic nerve has no rods or cones.
Not a problem with binocular vision
Night Blind Spot
Concentration of cones in the fovea.
Off-center viewing and proper scanning at night to mitigate.
Dark Adaptation
Can take approximately 30 minutes to fully adapt.
