Ch 8 - Human Factors Flashcards
What are the 4 types of Hypoxia?
- Hypoxic - interrupts flow of O2 into the lungs. High altitudes.
- Hypemic - prevents blood from carrying O2. Anemic, carbon monoxide, smoking, prescription drugs
- Stagnant - prevents blood from going into cells. Heart failure, shock, G-force
- Histotoxic - prevents using O2 in the cell. Alcohol, drugs, cyanide.
Symptoms of Hypoxia
Lack of alertness, judgement, memory, ability to make calculations. Headache, dizziness, drowsiness, sense of well-being or belligerence.
What makes a pilot more susceptible to hypoxia?
Alcohol, certain drugs like antihistamines and sedatives that are depressants render the brain more susceptible.
Extreme heat/cold, fever, anxiety require more O2, hence more susceptible.
What is hyperventilation?
Abnormal increase in the amount of air breathed in or out. Caused by stress. Lack of CO2 in the body.
Symptoms of hyperventilation
light headed, drowsy, suffocation, tingling in extremities. Can react with more hyperventilation. Leads to incoordination, muscle spasms, unconsciousness.
What is ear block?
Cannot equalize. Often if have congestion or allergies, then descend. Can lose hearing and last several hours or days.
Prevented by swallowing, tensing muscles in throat, plugging nose and breathing out. Or not flying when congested.
What is spatial orientation?
Orientation - know the position of the aircraft relative to a point, object, place etc.
Spatial disorientation - unaware of aircraft’s position relative to something else.
Caused when human senses malfunction when exposed to the forces of flight. Visual, vestibular (inner ear motion sensing), postural (nerves, muscles, joints)
What is the cause of motion sickness?
Continued stimulation of the inner ear, which maintains balance. Symptoms: perspiration, headache, drowsiness, vomiting. Pilot can become incapacitated.
Response: open vents, loosen clothing, use O2 if available, look at fixed point outside plane. Terminate flight as soon as possible.
How can heat be lost from the body?
Conduction - primary. Loses heat when comes in contact with something colder
Respiration - cold air enters, warm air exits
Radiation - mainly through head
Convection - warm air is blown away faster than it is produced
Evaporation - sweat, moisture evaporated and takes heat
Optical illusions during landing
Runway width: Narrow runway - fly too low and land hard, or wide and opposite
Runway and Terrain Slopes: up or downslope runway can seem closer or further away
Featureless terrain: water, snow. Seems aircraft is higher than it is.
Rain, haze and fog illusions
Rain (water refraction) - horizon seems lower, flies low approach
Haze - illusion of being great distance from runway, flies low approach
Fog - illusion of pitching up. Can steepen approach abruptly
Limits after scuba diving
Below 8,000
- 12 hours if dive did not have controlled ascent
- 24 hours if controlled ascent
Above 8,000
- 24 hours
Allows body to get rid of excess nitrogen absorbed while diving. If not, can lead to decompression sickness.
Impacts of over the counter medications when flying
Changes in atmospheric gases in blood can change the effects of medication. Consult the FAA list of medications.
What are the 5Ps to practice SRM?
Plan
Plane
Pilot (IMSAFE)
Passengers
Programming
This is a scheduled review of key variables - preflight, pretakeoff, every hour or midway point, predescent, prelanding
Steps of decision making process
- Define problem
- Choose course of action
- Implement
- Evaluate
3Ps plus evaluate (perceive, process, perform, evaluate)
