Flight Physiology

Question 1

Boyle’s Law

Answer 1

Volume is inversely proportional to the pressure
-Think balloons
Pressure increases, volume decreases
Pressure decreases, volume increases

Cuffs, MAST, GI, ETT, IABP

Question 2

Charles Law

Answer 2

Gas expands when heated

Question 3

Gay Lussac’s Law

Answer 3

Volume directly proportional to its absolute temperature
-Every 1,000ft of altitude, temperature decrease 1C (330ft=1F)

Question 4

Henry’s Law

Answer 4

Decompression sickness

Question 5

Hypoxic Hypoxia

Answer 5

Inadequate ambient oxygen
Common in flight (altitude hypoxia)

Question 6

Hypemic Hypoxia

Answer 6

Reduced capacity of blood to carry oxygen

Question 7

Stagnant Hypoxia

Answer 7

Inadequate blood flow causes insufficient tissue oxygenation
-Shock

Question 8

Histotoxic Hypoxia

Answer 8

Cell unable to use oxygen
-Cyanide and CO poisoning

Question 9

Stages of Hypoxia

Answer 9

Indifferent (90-98%)
Compensatory (80-89%)
Disturbance (70-79%)
Critical (60-69%)

Question 10

Supplemental Oxygen must be worn by pilot

Answer 10

> 12,500 MSL for >30 minutes
14,000 MSL for “required minimum flight crew”
15,000 MSL must be worn by everyone on board (or must be pressurized)

Question 11

Time of useful Consciousness (TUC)

Answer 11

Slow loss of pressure at 30,000ft: 90 secs
Rapid depressure at 30,000ft: 45 secs

Question 12

Rotor-wing pilot required hours

Answer 12

2000 hours
1000 PIC
100 hours at night

Question 13

“Bottle to throttle” time

Answer 13

At least 8 hours

Question 14

Rules of flight

Answer 14

• Sterile cockpit during critical phases of flight
• 15 minutes max between communication center during flight
• 45 minutes max while on ground

Question 15

Rotor-wing shut off sequence

Answer 15

“TFB”
Throttle
Fuel
Battery

Meet at 12 o’clock position

Question 16

Survival sequence

Answer 16

Shelter
Fire
Water
Food

Question 17

FARS

Answer 17

Part 91: no passenger
Part 135: passengers (14 hours max for pilots)

Question 18

Local flying area determined by

Answer 18

Certificate holder

Question 19

Cell phones prohibited

Answer 19

While airborne

Question 20

Three killers of ventilator patients during flight

Answer 20

Pericardial tamponade
Tension pneumothorax
Hypovolemia

Question 21

Medical director not required to

Answer 21

Live in same state

Question 22

Intubation requirement

Answer 22

Quarterly

Question 23

Live intubation required during training

Answer 23

5

Question 24

Specialty team response time

Answer 24

45 minutes

Question 25

Pilot area orientation day/night

Answer 25

5 hours day/ 2 hours night

Question 26

Helipad required to have

Answer 26

2 paths, security

Question 27

Fixed wing twin engine time

Answer 27

500 hours

Question 28

Ambulance fuel requirement

Answer 28

175 miles

Question 29

ELT set off at

Answer 29

4gs

Question 30

Uniform fit

Answer 30

1/4 in space between body and uniform

Question 31

Dalton’s law

Answer 31

Tissue swelling, hypoxic hypoxia, O2 available at altitude

Question 32

Grahams law

Answer 32

Cellular gas exchange, diffusion Gas moved from high to low concentration

Question 33

Effects of altitude worsen with

Answer 33

Cold upper latitudes

Question 34

Universal law

Answer 34

Combines Boyles and Charles laws

Question 35

Volume of gas in GI expands thrice at what altitude?

Answer 35

25,000 feet

Question 36

What law affects GI the most?

Answer 36

Boyles law

Question 37

ELT frequency

Answer 37

121.5

Question 38

Confirm ELT working

Answer 38

Tune it in and listen

Question 39

Twin engine required offshore

Answer 39

Raft, vest

Question 40

Rotor wing minimum ceiling/visibility

Answer 40

Day/local: 500 ft (ceiling) and 1 mile visibility -xcountry: 1,000 ft and 1 mile Night/local: 500 ft (ceiling) and 2 mile visibility - xcountry: 1,000 ft and 3 mile visibility

Question 41

Number 1 cause of air medical crashes

Answer 41

Controlled flight into terrain, pushing the weather

Question 42

O2 adjustment calculation to maintain saturation at altitude

Answer 42

% oxygen patient is already on x pressure at departure Divided by: Pressure at altitude Ex. FiO2 .40 Depart: 681 Altitude: 565 Answer: 48%

Question 43

Boyle’s law ascent

Answer 43

Barodontalgia (toothache) Barosinutis can occur on ascent Bariobariatrauma (obese) - nitrogen in fat cells cause the “bends” -High flow O2 15 minutes prior to lift off

Question 44

Boyle’s law descent

Answer 44

Barotitus media (middle ear)

Question 45

Night vision lost at

Answer 45

5,000 MSL

Question 46

Stressors of flight

Answer 46

Third spacing Fatigue G-forces Noise Vibration Hypoxia Dehydration Temp changes Barometric pressure changes

Question 47

Personal factors affecting stressors of flight

Answer 47

DEATH Drugs Exhaustion Alcohol Tobacco Hypoglycemia

Question 48

Dalton’s law

Answer 48

Sum total of partial pressures equal to total atmospheric pressures (Dalton’s gang) Ex. Tissue swelling, altitude hypoxia, hypoxic hypoxia This is why O2 is needed at altitude

Question 49

Newtons Laws

Answer 49

First law: object in motion stays in motion Second law: force = mass x acceleration Third law: every action has = and opposite reaction

Question 50

Efficient Zone

Answer 50

0 - 12,500 ft

Question 51

Physiologically deficient zone

Answer 51

12,500 - 50,000 ft

Question 52

Partial Space equivalent zone

Answer 52

50,000 ft - 120 miles

Question 53

PAVE Checklist

Answer 53

Pilot Aircraft enVironment External pressures

Question 54

FAR 121.542/135.100

Answer 54

Sterile cockpit

Question 55

CAMTS Survival Standards

Answer 55

The transport vehicle must be equipped with survival gear