Besides complacency, the lack of adequate training and educational resources have been part of the reason all pilots and especially certified flight instructors are not acquainted with, let alone knowledgeable about, flight physiology, hence this textbook. This text is tailored for the beginning pilot, although many civilian pilots are still “beginners” when it comes to flight physiology education. The pilot readers will not only become knowledgeable about the physiology of flight but will also be able to explain why certain things happen to the mind and body in flight, often only in flight.
When learning to fly, simply knowing how to move the stick and rudder does not make a pilot safe or proficient. The more the pilot recognizes why the stick and rudder work, along with airfoils, engines, weather, hydraulics, and the like, the better and safer that pilot will be. The same holds true with understanding how the body and mind can be affected in flight as well as why they are affected in flight.
The chapters are organized to lead the reader from the basics of physiology and physics of flight into the rigors of flight that require a healthy, competent, proficient, and “airworthy” pilot. There is obviously much crossover between the topics. Furthermore, it is common for many physiological situations to be occurring at the same time, which is not a very comforting thought if the pilot isn’t even aware of what’s happening.
The text is not meant to be a comprehensive explanation of all topics. This is not a medical text. After all, medical doctors require many years of education and training just to learn basic medicine. Furthermore, there are many opinions on the same subject. The opinions stated in this text are those shared by many, but there will always be exceptions or disagreement. When there is disagreement or what is stated doesn’t ring true with what you feel is correct, then look for other resources to confirm your interpretation. This is medicine; it’s not an exact science, it’s the “practice of medicine.”
The objective for the reader is to get a clear understanding and overview of the many and varied physiological situations that can interfere with safe flight. Bookshelves are full of supplemental resources to further elaborate on any given topic.
Take hypoxia; the basics of atmospheric physics coupled with the essentials of the body’s circulation system will give the pilot enough information to be respectful and knowledgeable about hypoxia. Further information on the atmosphere to better quantify how hypoxia can severely affect the body is easily found in weather books. The same is true about the circulatory system. This opens the door for expansion on any topic covered in this text; additional references are listed in the recommended reading appendix.
The military has long been the expert in flight physiology and in providing effective training aids. This text is not meant to “reinvent the wheel” and therefore uses some material already presented in military publications. Civilian pilots are constructed the same as military pilots, so the information is somewhat generic. This text presents the material in a logical order for the classroom and concentrates on the situations that arise in civilian operations.
The reader will also find various “reviews” of flight physiology in many books on human factors, basic flying “how-to,” and aviation medicine. Many good articles also appear in trade magazines; however, none seem to take these subjects in depth and relate them to flight for the beginning pilot. Beyond this basic overview of flight physiology, there will be a continuing need to access resources as every pilot matures in flying. This text is also meant to be a resource in a pilot’s personal flying library for future situations dealing with human factors and flight physiology. Time constraints in commercial training do not always adequately reinforce the importance of these essential issues. It’s often up to the pilot to search out the information that will prevent impairment and reduce the risk of a human factors–related incident or accident.
Flight will be more enjoyable and the pilot will be more confident when he or she knows more about how the body and mind function in flight and the many ways that flying skills and safety can be compromised through unintentional, but controllable, abuses of health and fitness to fly.
Contents
1 Human factors defined
- Cause and effect
- Accident or incident
- Definitions of human factors and flight physiology
- The “SHEL” model
- Incapacitation/impairment
- Flight surgeons and aviation medical examiners (AMEs)
2 Basic human anatomy
- The nervous system
- The musculoskeletal system
- The gastrointestinal (GI) system
- The metabolic system
- The circulatory system
- Respiration
3 The atmosphere
- Composition of the atmosphere
- Physical characteristics of the atmosphere
- Gas laws
- Divisions of the atmosphere
- Physiological divisions of the atmosphere
- General effects on the human body
4 Situation awareness
- Situation awareness defined
- Components of situation awareness
- Causes and clues of lost situation awareness
- Prevention of lost situation awareness
5 Altitude physiology
- The physiology of oxygen in the body
- Review of respiration physiology
- Carbon monoxide and ozone
- Decompression of cabin altitude
- Trapped gases
- Evolved gas disorders
6 Hearing and vibration
- Anatomy and physiology of the ear
- Definition of sound
- Definition of noise
- Perception of sound
- Measurement of hearing
- Noise and hearing loss
- Other types of hearing loss
- Hearing conservation
- Vibration
7 Vision
- The light spectrum
- Anatomy of the eye
- Optics and physics of light
- Correction of acuity
- Correction without glasses or contacts
- Night vision
- Factors affecting visual acuity
- Visual scanning
- Visual illusions and misperceptions
- Black holes and whiteouts
- Sunglasses
- Ultraviolet radiation
8 Orientation
- Disorientation
- Definition of disorientation
- Types of disorientation
- Visual illusions
- Tolerance to disorientation and illusions
- Flicker vertigo
- Motion sickness
9 Self-imposed medical stresses
- Self-diagnosis
- Over-the-counter medications
- Caffeine
- Miscellaneous abuses
- Physical condition
- Alcohol and drugs
- It only takes one
10 Environmental stresses
- Basic physics of heat
- The body’s temperature control system
- Coping with heat extremes
- Coping with cold extremes
- Dehydration
- Radiation
- Cabin air quality
- Toxic chemicals and fumes
11 Sleep, jet lag, and fatigue
- Sleep
- Circadian rhythms
- Fatigue
12 Acceleration
- Types of acceleration
- Common situations in civilian flying
- Symptoms of G forces
- Tolerance to G forces
- Negative G forces
13 Crew resource management (CRM) and stress management
- Definitions in CRM
- Resources
- Management
- Skills learned in CRM
- Training in CRM
- Deterrents to good CRM
- Stress management
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
14 Human factors of automation
- Cockpit automation defined
- Information processing
- Physiological impairments
- Quantifying impairment
15 Inflight medical emergencies
- First aid
- On board medical kits
- Transporting ill passengers
- Basic survival techniques
- A reminder
16 Health maintenance program
- Nutrition and diet
- Hypoglycemia
- Exercise
- The medical examination
- FAA and company flight physicals
17 Medical standards, regulations, and certification
- Definitions
- Typical certification scenario
- Preferred certification scenario
- Denial
- Re-certification and special issuance
Glossary
Recommended resources for aerospace medicine and flight physiology
Index
Book Details
- Hardcover: 311 pages
- Publisher: McGraw-Hill Professional; 3 edition
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 007149488X
- ISBN-13: 978-0071494885
- Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 7.4 x 0.9 inches
List Price: $59.95 
There are three principal approaches to learning medicine and keeping abreast of new developments: the printed word, in the form of textbooks and journals; the spoken word, in the form of lectures and audiotapes; and the picture, in the form of atlases, slides, and video and computer images. Each approach has its place in the educational armamentarium, and each lends itself to imparting certain facts, ideas, and concepts best. Many aspects of internal medicine require the visual approach. How better to describe a rash, a management algorithm, an echocardiogram, or the appearance of a duodenal ulcer?
