Flight Physiology Flashcards
Boyle’s Law
Volume is inversely proportional to the pressure
-Think balloons
Pressure increases, volume decreases
Pressure decreases, volume increases
Cuffs, MAST, GI, ETT, IABP
Charles Law
Gas expands when heated
Gay Lussac’s Law
Volume directly proportional to its absolute temperature
-Every 1,000ft of altitude, temperature decrease 1C (330ft=1F)
Henry’s Law
Decompression sickness
Hypoxic Hypoxia
Inadequate ambient oxygen
Common in flight (altitude hypoxia)
Hypemic Hypoxia
Reduced capacity of blood to carry oxygen
Stagnant Hypoxia
Inadequate blood flow causes insufficient tissue oxygenation
-Shock
Histotoxic Hypoxia
Cell unable to use oxygen
-Cyanide and CO poisoning
Stages of Hypoxia
Indifferent (90-98%)
Compensatory (80-89%)
Disturbance (70-79%)
Critical (60-69%)
Supplemental Oxygen must be worn by pilot
> 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)
Time of useful Consciousness (TUC)
Slow loss of pressure at 30,000ft: 90 secs
Rapid depressure at 30,000ft: 45 secs
Rotor-wing pilot required hours
2000 hours
1000 PIC
100 hours at night
“Bottle to throttle” time
At least 8 hours
Rules of flight
- Sterile cockpit during critical phases of flight
- 15 minutes max between communication center during flight
- 45 minutes max while on ground
Rotor-wing shut off sequence
“TFB”
Throttle
Fuel
Battery
Meet at 12 o’clock position
Survival sequence
Shelter
Fire
Water
Food
FARS
Part 91: no passenger
Part 135: passengers (14 hours max for pilots)
Local flying area determined by
Certificate holder
Cell phones prohibited
While airborne
Three killers of ventilator patients during flight
Pericardial tamponade
Tension pneumothorax
Hypovolemia
Medical director not required to
Live in same state
Intubation requirement
Quarterly