CA.I.H Human Factors

Question 1

You notice your passenger’s lips appear to be turning blue. What is this called, and what is the concern here?

Answer 1

Cyanosis, which are symptoms of Hypoxia.

Question 2

Define hypoxia.

Answer 2

A state of oxygen deficiency in the body sufficient to impair functions of the brain and other organs.

Question 3

What effect does alcohol have on hypoxia?

Answer 3

Pilot is more
susceptible to hypoxia by alcohol disrupting the body’s absorption of oxygen.
At high altitudes, there are fewer oxygen molecules available for the body to access, and with alcohol involved the body struggles to use the oxygen it does manage to access.

Question 4

What are some common types of medications that can make pilots more susceptible to
hypoxia?

Answer 4

Any medications that depress the nervous system, such as sedatives (sleep aids)
or antihistamines (allergy/motion sickness drugs)

Question 5

Name the 4 different types of hypoxia.

Answer 5

Hypoxic
Hypemic
Stagnant
Histotoxic

Question 6

What is Hypoxic hypoxia?

Answer 6

Caused by insufficient oxygen available to the body as a whole. Classic scenario is operating at high altitudes without supplemental oxygen.

Question 7

What is Hypemic hypoxia?

Answer 7

Occurs when the blood - or specifically, hemoglobin - is not able to take up and transport a sufficient amount of oxygen to the cells in the body.
E.g. carbon monoxide (CO)
poisoning, or recent blood donation

Question 8

What is Stagnant hypoxia?

Answer 8

Occurs when oxygen-rich blood in the lungs, can’t move sufficiently to the tissues that need it.
E.G. Pulling excessive Gs (GLOC), or extreme cold temperatures, or a constricted artery.

Question 9

What is Histotoxic hypoxia?

Answer 9

The inability of cells/tissues to effectively use oxygen due to
the cells/tissues being poisoned, usually by drugs or alcohol.

Question 10

Although symptoms vary, what are considered common FIRST symptoms of hypoxia?

Answer 10

Euphoria and a carefree feeling.

Question 11

What are some common symptoms of hypoxia?

Answer 11

Finger tips or lips turning blue, headache, increased reaction time, impaired judgment, visual impairment, drowsiness, lightheaded or dizzy sensation, tingling or numbness.

Question 12

You notice your passenger is breathing more and more rapidly - what’s the concern here and what would you do?

Answer 12

Hyperventilation.
Talk to them and try to get them to deliberately slow their breathing rate. Additionally, have them breathe into a
paper bag or talk out loud.

Question 13

What is hyperventilation?

Answer 13

Heavy breathing that leads to an excessive loss of carbon dioxide
from the blood.

Question 14

You wake up with a cold - you’re congested. Would you continue with your flight as
planned?

Answer 14

No, flying could lead to middle ear and sinus problems.

Question 15

Why do descents tend to inflict more discomfort on the ear drums than climbs?

Answer 15

Equalizing lower pressure air inside the middle ear becomes more difficult due to a vacuum effect that tends to constrict the walls of the Eustachian tube.
This vacuum effect on the Eustachian tube doesn’t happen with climbs.

Question 16

What can pilots do to remedy uncomfortable air pressure building up in the middle ear
during climbs and descents?

Answer 16

Valsalva maneuver (pinch nose and blow), swallow, chew gum, and/or yawn

Question 17

What three sensory systems does the body use to stay spatially oriented?

Answer 17

● Visual
● Somatosensory: nerves in the skin, muscles, and joints that, along with hearing, sense position based on gravity, feeling, and sound.
● Vestibular: inner ear (semicircular canals) that sense position by the way we are balanced.

Question 18

List the 8 types of visual illusions.

Answer 18

ICEFLAGS stands for:
Inversion
Coriolis
Elevator
False Horizon
Leans
Autokinesis
Graveyard Spiral
Somatogravic

Question 19

Explain what happens when a pilot experiences The Leans?

Answer 19

An abrupt correction of a banked attitude stimulates the motion sensing system in the inner ear. Creates the illusion of banking in the opposite direction.

Question 20

What is the Coriolis illusion?

Answer 20

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, 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. This action causes the pilot to think the aircraft is performing a maneuver it is not.

Question 21

What is a Graveyard Spin?

Answer 21

A proper recovery from a spin that has ceased stimulating the motion sensing system can create the illusion of spinning in the opposite direction. The
disoriented pilot will return the aircraft to its original spin.

Question 22

Explain a Graveyard Spiral

Answer 22

An observed loss of altitude during a coordinated constant‐rate turn can create the illusion of being in a descent with the wings level. The disoriented pilot will pull back on the controls,
tightening the spiral and increasing the loss of altitude.

Question 23

Explain the Somatogravic illusion.

Answer 23

Rapid acceleration during takeoff can create the illusion of
being in a nose-up attitude.
The disoriented pilot will push the aircraft into a nose-low, or
dive attitude.
Rapid deceleration can have the
opposite effect, with the disoriented pilot pulling the aircraft into a nose-up, or stall
attitude.

Question 24

Explain the Inversion Illusion

Answer 24

An abrupt change from climb to straight and level flight can create the illusion of tumbling backwards.
The disoriented pilot will push the aircraft abruptly into a
nose-low attitude.

Question 25

Describe what happens when a pilot experiences the Elevator Illusion.

Answer 25

An abrupt upward vertical acceleration, usually by an updraft, can feel like being in a climb. The disoriented pilot will push the aircraft into a
nose-low attitude. An abrupt downward vertical acceleration, usually by a downdraft,
has the opposite effect, with the disoriented pilot pulling the aircraft into a nose-up
attitude.

Question 26

What happens when a pilot experiences the autokinesis illusion.

Answer 26

Imagine you’re flying at night, and there’s a stationary light in the distance. If you fix your gaze on this light for more than a few seconds, it can start to move – on its own!

Question 27

Describe the runway width illusion?

Answer 27

A narrower‐than‐usual runway can create the illusion that the
aircraft is at a higher altitude than it actually is. Pilot runs the risk of fly a lower approach.
A wider‐than‐usual runway can have the opposite effect, with the risk of leveling out high and landing hard or overshooting the runway.

Question 28

Flying through turbulence, you notice your passenger is sweating and looks pale. What do you think the problem is?

Answer 28

Motion sickness.
Open the fresh air vents, tell them to focus on an object
outside the aircraft.
Provide them with a sick bag.
Try to find an altitude with
smoother air.

Question 29

You turn the heater on in flight and minutes later start feeling the onset of a headache and
just generally feel weak. What is your concern?

Answer 29

CO poisoning.
Turn off the heater, open the cabin air and fresh air vents and windows, use supplemental oxygen if available.
Consider declaring an emergency, and land as soon as practical.

Question 30

What sort of symptoms would you expect to experience if suffering from CO poisoning?

Answer 30

Headache, blurred vision, dizziness, drowsiness, and/or loss of muscle power.

Question 31

Symptoms wise, what distinguishes CO poisoning from hypoxic hypoxia?

Answer 31

When suffering from CO poisoning, expect to feel all-around crummy – whereas usually (but not always),
hypoxic hypoxia leads to more carefree, euphoric sensations.

Question 32

What type of stress triggers the “fight or flight” response?

Answer 32

Acute stress: short term - involves an immediate threat
that is perceived as danger.

Question 33

What is the sub-type of acute fatigue is especially detrimental to pilot performance?

Answer 33

Skill fatigue.
Biggest effects are 1) timing disruption, where tasks seem to be performed slightly off, and 2) disruption of the perceptual
field, where attention becomes concentrated upon movements or objects in the center of vision, neglecting those in the periphery.

Question 34

What are the alcohol regulations that apply to pilots?

Answer 34

1) 8 hours bottle to throttle,
2) can’t be under the influence (hangover included)
3) can’t fly with .04 alcohol concentration (in breath
or blood) or higher.

Question 35

How long does the FAA recommend waiting between dosing intervals before flying after taking any medication that has potentially adverse side effects?

Answer 35

Five maximal dosing
intervals
e.g. A dosing interval of 5 to 6 hours would require you to wait 30 hours.

Question 36

What type of decompression sickness involves getting bubbles in the lungs?

Answer 36

The Chokes

Question 37

What type of decompression sickness involves getting bubbles in the joints?

Answer 37

The Bends

Question 38

How would you respond to a passenger suffering from decompression sickness?

Answer 38

Give them supplemental
oxygen if available.
Begin an emergency descent and land ASAP.
Tell them to keep the
affected area still (don’t try to shake out the pain).
Request assistance from a medical professional.

Question 39

Your charter passenger is returning from a deep scuba diving trip, that involved a controlled ascent. Can you take them?

Answer 39

Must wait at least 24 hours after the dive, no matter the flight altitude.

Question 40

Your charter passenger is returning from a scuba diving trip, that did not involve a controlled ascent. Can you take them?

Answer 40

BELOW 8,000ft flight altitude, wait at least 12 hours after the dive.
ABOVE 8,000 ft, must wait 24 hours after the dive.

Question 41

What are the five hazardous attitudes to flight? And what are their antidotes?

Answer 41

Anti-authority –>
“Follow the rules. They are usually right.”

Impulsivity —>
“Not so fast. Think first.”

Invulnerability —>
“It could happen to me.”

Macho —>
“Taking chances is foolish.”

Resignation —>
“I’m not helpless. I can make a difference.”

Question 42

Describe the FAA’s self assessment checklist to determine fitness for flight.

Answer 42

IMSAFE
Illness, Medication, Stress, Alcohol, Fatigue, and Eating/Emotion,