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Aviation Human Factors 🎀 > Module 2: AVIATION PHYSIOLOGY > Flashcards

Module 2: AVIATION PHYSIOLOGY Flashcards

1
Q

What is Aviation Physiology?

A

Is one of the founding disciplines in Human Factors. It deals with the physical and mental effects of flight on air crew personnel and passengers.

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2
Q

What is respiration?

A

Respiration it is the exchange of gases between an organism and its environment, its also the process of absorption of oxygen from the atmosphere and the elimination of carbon dioxide from the body.

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3
Q

What is the main concern of the circulatory system?

A

The circulatory system is concerned with the transportation of blood throughout the body.

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4
Q

What is the function of blood circulation?

A

Is to transport oxygen and other nutrients to all the organs and tissues in your body. It also works to remove carbon dioxide and other waste products.

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5
Q

What is the percentage of oxygen as altitude increases?

A

A constant 20% at all altitudes

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6
Q

What are the places within the body where oxygen and carbon dioxide are exchanged?

A
  1. atmosphere/lungs: external respiration
  2. lungs/blood: internal respiration
  3. blood/body cells: cellular respiration
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7
Q

What is the respiratory system?

A

Respiration is defined as the exchange of gases between an organism and its environment.

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7
Q

What is the circulatory system?

A

The circulatory system is concerned with the transportation of blood throughout the body.

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8
Q

What does the blood carries?

A

Carries food, oxygen, and water to the tissues and waste materials from the tissues. It also has the function to maintain body heat.

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9
Q

What is blood oxygen saturation?

A

Is the ability of hemoglobin to carry oxygen.

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10
Q

What is the normal level of blood oxygen saturation at sea level?

A

At sea level, it normally 95 to 98 percent.

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11
Q

What is hypoxia?

A

Hypoxia is an oxygen deficiency in the blood and affects every cell in the body, especially the brain and nervous system.

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12
Q

What are the four types of hypoxia?

A
  1. Hypoxic Hypoxia
  2. Hypemic hypoxia
  3. Stagnant Hypoxia
  4. Histotoxic Hypoxia
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13
Q

How are hypoxia reactions classified?

A

Hypoxia reactions can be classified into two types: signs of hypoxia, and symptoms of hypoxia.

Signs of hypoxia can be detected in an individual by an observer or other crewmembers.

Symptoms of hypoxia are the sensations perceived by the crew member.

Certain hypoxic reactions can be classified as both signs and symptoms.

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14
Q

What are some of the signs of hypoxia?

A
  • An increase in depth and rate of
    breathing.
  • Cyanosis, a bluing effect of the skin most noticeable on the lips and the fingernail beds.
  • Delayed reaction time.
  • Poor judgment.
  • Loss of muscle coordination.
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15
Q

What are some of the symptons of hypoxia?

A
  • Air hunger, feeling of not enough breathable air.
  • Feeling of apprehension or anxiety
  • mental confusion.
  • Fatigue
  • Nausea
  • Headache
  • Fizziness
  • Hot and cold flashes.
  • Tingling mainly in the extremities.
  • Visual impairment, with respect to color vision, night vision, blurred and tunnel vision.
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16
Q

What does Hypoxic Hypoxia do?

A
  • Interrupts the flow of O2 into the lungs.

Examples include drowning, choking or lung diseases.

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17
Q

What does Hypemic Hypoxia do?

A
  • Interrupts the flow of O2 into the lungs.
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18
Q

What does Stagnant Hypoxia do?

A
  • Interferes with the normal circulation of the blood arriving to the cells.

Examples include heart failure and shock.

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19
Q

What does Histotoxic Hypoxia do?

A
  • Interferes with the normal utilization of O2 in the cell.

Examples: Drug and alcohol abuse, which interfere with proper O2 use.

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20
Q

What is Carbon Monoxide?

A

Carbon monoxide is a gas produced when carbon does not completely burn and oxidize into carbon dioxide. The colorless and odorless gas is found in
exhaust fumes when fuel does not burn cleanly.

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21
Q

What are some examples of where carbon monoxide may be found?

A
  • Fireplaces
  • Heaters
  • Car mufflers
  • Charcoal grills
  • Car engines
  • Portable generators
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22
Q

What is Carbon Monoxide Poisoning?

A

Carbon monoxide poisoning occurs when carbon monoxide builds up in the blood. When too much carbon monoxide is in the air, the body replaces the oxygen in the red blood cells with carbon monoxide.

This can lead to serious tissue damage, or even death.

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23
Q

What are the typical symptoms of Carbon Monoxide?

A
  • Weakness
  • Nausea
  • Dull headache
  • Vomiting
  • Dizziness
  • Confusion
  • Difficulty breathing
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24
Q

Can Carbon Monoxide poisoning cause death? Why or why not?

A

Yes, exposure to large amounts of carbon monoxide makes your body replace the blood in the oxygen with the poisonous gas. A person might faint if this happens, while prolonged exposure to hazardous levels of carbon monoxide can lead to death.

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25
Q

What is Hyperventilation?

A

Hyperventilation is a condition where the rate and depth of breathing is abnormally increased. This causes an excessive loss of carbon dioxide from the
body creating a chemical imbalance in the blood.

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26
Q

What is the average breathing cycle for a healthy adult?

A

The average adult breathing cycle is 12 to 16 breaths per minute.

Breathing a faster rate than normal is a state of hyperventilation.

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27
Q

What causes Hyperventilation?

A

The main cause of hyperventilation in a pilot is an emotional reaction; meaning anxiety, fear, anger or stress.

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28
Q

What are some of the common symptoms of Hyperventilation?

A
  • Poor judgment
  • Impaired memory
  • Performance impairment
  • Delayed reaction time
  • Muscle incoordination

If chemical imbalance is not reversed quickly unconsciousness may occur.

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29
Q

How can a pilot treat Hyperventilation?

A

If a pilot suspects a problem with hyperventilation, they should:
- Put on their oxygen mask and check the oxygen regulator is turned on 100% and that all connections are secured
- Slow down the rate and depth of breathing until symptoms clear
- Breathing rate can be slowed by breathing into a paper bag or talking out loud.

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30
Q

What are the four areas in the body where trapped gas can occur?

A

The four areas in the body where trapped gas can occur are:
- The middle ear
- Sinuses
- Stomach
- Intestines

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31
Q

Mention food examples that can cause excees gas.

A
  • Carbonated beverages (soda, sparkling water).
  • Chewing gum
  • Cauliflower
  • Broccoli
  • Pumpkin
  • Cabbage
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32
Q

What can be done to relieve trapped gas problems in the stomach or intestines?

A
  • Treat as soon as the symptom appears
  • Relieve internal pressure by belching or passing gas
  • Massage affected area
  • Descend if problems continue.
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33
Q

What problems are associated with descents and trapped air in the middle ear? (SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS)

A
  • A sensation of fullness
  • Minor hearing loss
  • Discomfort
  • Ringing in the ears
  • Pain
  • Dizziness
  • Nausea
  • Eardrum rupture
34
Q

How can a pilot relieve the internal pressure cause by trapped air in the middle ear?

A
  • Yawning
  • Swallowing
  • Chewing
  • Performing a Valsalva
  • If none of these actions work, the pilot should ascend to relieve pressure and then make a more gradual descend.
35
Q

According to Boyle’s Law a gas would what?

A

A gas will expand when the pressure around that gas is reduced.

36
Q

What is Decompression Sickness (DCS)?

A

Decompression sickness is a condition that results when too rapid decompression causes nitrogen bubbles to form in the tissues of the body.

Also called caisson disease.

37
Q

What are the four types of DCS?

A
  • The Bends
  • Skin Manifestations
  • The Chokes
  • Neurological Manifestations
38
Q

What are some common DCS symptoms?

A
  • Muscle pain
  • Cramps
  • Nausea
  • Visual disturbances
  • Fatigue
  • Joint pain
  • Numbness
  • Headaches
  • Weakness
  • Paralysis
39
Q

What factors can make a person more susceptible to DCS?

A
  • Scuba diving less than 24 hours before flight
  • Repetitive exposure to altitudes above 18,000 feet within a short period of time - Rate of ascend; the faster the rate, the greater the risk
  • Time at altitude; the longer you are at altitude, the greater the risk
  • Age
  • Previous injury (joint injury; the bends)
  • Exposure to very cold temperatures
  • High ratio of body fat
  • Physical activity when flying above 18,000 feet MSL
  • Alcohol consumption (dehydration)
40
Q

What steps should be taken if there is a suspected case of DCS?

A
  • Use 100% oxygen (if available)
  • If possible, minimize movement of the affected part of the body
  • Declare an emergency and land as soon as possible
  • Even if symptoms disappear, a pilot should land and seek professional medical attention (FAA AME, military flight surgeon, hyperbaric medicine specialist)
41
Q

What is the retina?

A

The retina is the inner layer of the eyeball that contains photosensitive cells called rods and cones.

42
Q

What are rods use for?

A

Rods are used for low light conditions or night vision. They are involved with our peripheral vision to detect position references, including objects, both fixed and moving. They cannot be used to detect detail or perceive color.

43
Q

Where are rods located?

A

The rods are mainly located in the periphery of the retina, an area that is more than 10,000 times more sensitive to light than the fovea.

44
Q

What is the night blind spot and why does it occur?

A

The night blind spot appears under conditions of low ambient illumination due to the absence of rods on the fovea and involves an area 5 to 10 degrees wide in the center of the visual field.

If an object is viewed directly at night, it may go undetected or it may fade away after initial detection.

45
Q

What are the types of vision?

A
  1. Photopic Vision
  2. Mesopic Vision
  3. Scotopic Vision
46
Q

How does Photopic Vision occurs?

A

Occurs during daytime or high intensity artificial illumination conditions.

47
Q

How does Mesopic Vision occurs?

A

Occurs at dawn, dusk, or under full moonlight levels, and is characterized by decreasing visual acuity and color vision.

48
Q

How does Scotopic Vision occurs?

A

Occurs during nighttime, partial moonlight, or low intensity artificial illumination conditions.

49
Q

What are some of the factors affecting vision?

A
  • Object size, ambient illumination, contrast, viewing time, and atmospheric clarity
  • Time of day
  • Obscuring of the horizon or surface references (smoke, fog, haze, etc.)
  • Excessive ambient illumination
  • Presence of uncorrected eye disorders (myopia, astigmatism, etc)
  • Self-imposed stress, self medicating, alcohol and tobacco
50
Q

What is dark adaptation?

A

Dark adaptation, or night vision adaptation, is the process by which the eyes adapt for optimal night visual acuity under conditions of low ambient illumination.

51
Q

What is Spatial Disorientation?

A

Spatial disorientation is the loss of your orientation in relation to the Earth’s surface.

It is caused by a lack of visual vestibular or proprioceptive sensory inputs to the brain, or by misinterpretation of these inputs of all of the senses of the human body

52
Q

What are some of the factors that cause landing illusions?

A
  • Runway width and/or length
  • Runway slope
  • Surrounding terrain
  • Fog and haze
  • Smooth solid surfaces
  • Runway lighting
53
Q

What is the Blackhole Approach?

A

Is an approach during a dark night with no stars or moonlight, no lights before the runway, and city lights or rising terrain beyond the runway.

54
Q

Why is the Blackhole Approach dangerous?

A

Because it may produce a visual approach of being too high on the glide path.

If a pilot believes this illusion, they may respond by lowering the nose to decrease glidepath and may result in landing short of the runway.

55
Q

What is the False Visual Reference Illusion?

A

The false visual reference illusion may cause a pilot to orient their airplane in relation to a false horizon.

56
Q

How is the False Visual Reference Illution caused?

A
  • Flying over a banked cloud
  • Night flying over featureless terrain with ground lights that are indistinguishable from a dark sky with stars
  • Night flying over featureless terrain with a clearly defined pattern of ground lights and a dark starless sky
57
Q

What are some keys to avoid visual illusions?

A
  • Obtain and maintain proficiency in aircraft control by reference to instruments.
  • Use and rely on your flight instruments when flying at night or in reduced visibility conditions.
  • Do not attempt visual flight when there is a possibility of being trapped in deteriorating weather.
58
Q

What are some Visual Illusions?

A
  • Aerial perspective illusions
  • Autokinetic illusion
  • False visual reference illusion
  • Vection illusion
59
Q

What are Vestibular Illusions?

A

Vestibular illusions are disorders of the inner ear that affect one’s sense of motion and orientation.

60
Q

What causes vestibular illusions?

A

Vestibular illusions can be caused by head movements, visual, cues, or gradual turns.

61
Q

What are some Vestibular Illusions?

A
  • Coriolis effect
  • Somatogrycillusion
  • Somatogravisillusion
  • The leans
62
Q

What are Proprioceptors?

A

Proprioceptors provide information about body positions and movements by sensing points of physical contact between body parts and the surrounding environment.

63
Q

From what bodily sources the Propioceptors provide information?

A
  • Skin
  • Muscles
  • Tendons
  • Joints
64
Q

How can you protect yourself against Spatial Disorientation?

A

The best way to protect yourself against spatial disorientation is to educate yourself about the sensory illusions and recognize your limits as a pilot.

Take the opportunity to personally experience sensory illusions in a Barony chair, a gyro, or virtual reality spatial disorientation demonstrator.

65
Q

What is Motion Sickness?

A

Is a response to when you are exposed to an environment that’s characterized by unfamiliar motion and orientational clues.

66
Q

What are some symptoms of Motion Sickness?

A
  • Increased salivation and swallowing
  • Stomach awareness
  • Cold sweats
  • Apathy
  • Increased yawning
  • Nausea
  • Vomiting
  • Dizziness
  • Headaches
  • Drowsiness
67
Q

Should a pilot use anti-motion sickness over-the-counter medicine? Why?

A

A pilot should not use any over-the-counter anti-motion sickness medicine because such medication can cause a temporary deterioration of navigational skills and can hamper other tasks that demand keen judgement.

68
Q

What are some of the factors that increase susceptibility to Motion Sickness?

A
  • Fatigue
  • Alcohol or drug use
  • Medications
  • Stress
  • Illness
  • Anxiety
  • Fear
  • Insecurity
69
Q

How can a pilot alleviate motion sickness when flying?

A
  • Opening the air vents
  • Loosening any tight-fitting clothing
  • Use supplemental oxygen
  • Keep your eyes focused on a point outside the airplane
  • Place your head against the headrest
  • Try to avoid any unnecessary head movements when possible
70
Q

What is Stress?

A

Is defined as the sum of biological reactions to any adverse stimulus, be it physical, mental, emotional, internal, or external, that tends to disturb the body’s natural balances.

71
Q

What are two types of stress?

A

Acute Stress
Chronic Stress

72
Q

What is Acute Stress?

A

The most common form of stress; it is experienced in response to an immediate perceived threat either physical, emotional, or psychological.

The threat can be real or imagined; it is the perception of the threat that triggers the stress response.

73
Q

What is Chronic Stress?

A

Is the result when stress response occurs all too frequently and keep the body in a constant state of perceived threat and stress.

74
Q

What are the three types of stressors?

A
  1. Physical stressors
  2. Physiologicalstressors
  3. Psychologicalstressors
75
Q

What is the relationship between stress and performance?

A

Stress is often influenced by the way we perceive it; either as being a positive change or a threatening change.

76
Q

What are some Positive stress effects?

A
  • Energizing Effect
  • Increases Motivation
  • Rejuvenates from boredom
77
Q

What are some Negative effects of stress?

A
  • Performance suffers
  • The ability to become calm, rational and controlled becomes lost.
  • Thoughts become easily distracted, concentration becomes difficult.
78
Q

What are some tips to manage stress?

A
  • Hold discussions among crew members.
  • Open communications among all team members.
  • When flying alone, verbalize aloud your plan.
  • Make other people aware of your intentions.
  • Review standard operating procedures.
  • Use a checklist.
79
Q

What is Self-Imposed Stress?

A

Self-imposed stress is any stress factor that we know we can control.

80
Q

What are some factors we as people, can control? (Controllable Factors)

Topic: Self-Imposed Stress

A
  • Alcoholconsumption
  • Self-medication
  • Drug use
  • Tobaccouse
  • Inadequatediet
  • Psychologicalstress
  • Fatigue
  • Poor physical fitness
  • Dehydration
81
Q

What are some effects of excessive alcohol consumption?

A
  • Impairments in reaction time, reasoning, judgement, and memory. - Decrease in the brain’s ability to make use of oxygen.
  • Eye muscle imbalance, leading to double vision.
  • Difficulty focusing
  • Dizziness
  • Decreased hearing
82
Q

Which two alcocholic beverages contain the highest percentage of alcohol content?

A

The two alcoholic beverages with the highest percentage of alcohol content are spirits (40% to 50% by volume) and liquors (15% to 30% by volume).

83
Q
A

Aviation Human Factors 🎀 (2 decks)

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