Human Factors Flashcards
What is the atmosphere made up of?
78% nitrogen, 21% oxygen, 1% trace gases
What is barotrauma?
Gases trapped in our bodies expanding due to the decrease in pressure with altitude. These trapped gases can cause pain.
What is decompression sickness?
Excess nitrogen in the blood bubbling out into the muscles and joints; this is called the bends.
After scuba diving how long should you not fly for?
4 hours after diving if no decompression stops were needed.
12 hours if the session was LESS than four hours with decompression stops.
48 hours if the session was MORE than four hours duration with decompression stops.
How long would you need to wait before flying if you were diving with no decompression stops?
4 hours
If you were diving for 3 hours and required decompression stops how long would you have to wait to fly?
12 hours. As the diving session was less than four hours and you required decompression stops.
If you were diving for 5 hours and required decompression stops how long would you have to wait before flying?
48 hours as the diving session was more than four hours and required decompression stops.
How deep do you dive to require decompression stops?
10m (33ft)
What is hyperventilation?
Over breathing resulting in the alteration of the body’s acid balance.
What is hypoxia?
Insufficient oxygen available for the body to function. At high altitudes, this is due to insufficient partial pressure of oxygen.
What are the symptoms of hypoxia?
Blue discoloration of the fingernails and lips, warmth, wellbeing, overconfidence, giddiness, light headedness, failure of vision, eventual loss of consciousness.
What does a blue discoloration of the fingernails and lips indicate?
Hypoxia; blue discoloration is cyanosis.
What is the difference between Hypoxia and Hyperventilation?
Cyanosis; blue discoloration.
What is a blackout and what is the threshold for this?
A blackout is caused by pulling positive Gs at an average of 4.7G; the range is 2.7 to 7.8G.
What are the different types of stress?
Physical, physiological, emotional.
What is Acute fatigue?
Occurs due to physical or mental exhaustion, usually cured by a good night’s sleep or a couple of days rest.
What is Chronic Fatigue and why is it a problem?
Fatigue that has built up over weeks, months, or even years. Can be caused by difficult rosters, work or social pressures, or problems at home. The only cure is attending to the underlying issues.
What are threats, and what are the 2 types of threats?
Any situation or event that has the potential to impact negatively on flight safety; it promotes the opportunity for pilot error. The two types are internal and external.
What are internal threats?
Threats brought on by the crew: pilot fatigue, language/cultural barriers, pilot experience and personality, teamwork, health and fitness.
What are external threats and what are the three types?
Threats from the outside environment. Expected: weather, traffic, unfamiliar aerodromes. Unexpected: distractions from passengers, in-flight diversions, and missed approaches. Latent (hidden): poor cockpit design, company policy.
What are expected threats?
An expected threat is a type of external threat, e.g., adverse weather, heavy traffic, unfamiliar aerodromes.
What are unexpected threats?
Unexpected threats include distractions from passengers, in-flight diversions, and missed approaches.
What is an Error and what kind of errors are there?
An error originates from a pilot’s actions or inactions that have the potential to adversely affect the safety of the flight. There are aircraft and handling errors, procedural errors, and communication errors.
What is a mishandled error defined as?
One that leads to a further error or an undesired aircraft state.
What is a procedural error?
Not following procedures, not using checklists, flying incorrect circuit directions.
What are the three types of handling errors?
Systematic, Random, Spiritic.
What is a systematic error?
Errors that occur with a definite pattern.