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At least 91 records · Page 5Linked to original sources
PubMed2005

Prevalence and an analysis of noise--induced hearing loss in army helicopter pilots and aircraft mechanics.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Hearing impairment from noise exposure has been reported in fix-wing pilots, especially in civilized countries. However, there are few studies on rotary wing aviators and aircraft mechanics, especially in developing countries whose hearing conservative program is not well established. The present study, therefore, was done to evaluate the prevalence of noise induced hearing loss and the contributing factors that may effect both groups of noise-exposed population. MATERIAL AND METHOD: Report questionnaires were reviewed and physical examination combined with audiometric records of 34 pilots and 42 mechanics in the Royal Thai Army Aviation Center, Lobburi, were examined. Hearing loss was studied using four categories of significant threshold shift (STS). Amplitude of noise radiated by aircraft was also measured at different distances. RESULTS: No significant difference was found in prevalence of hearing loss in aviators (32.4%) and aircraft mechanics (47.6%), but in the aircraft mechanics group there were more damage of frequency involvement including speech frequency and high frequency and more decibels loss than aviators. The type of hearing protection and smoking index were strongly correlated with hearing loss. Age, flight time and alcohol habit had no significant effect and ninety percent of the subjects had no self awareness of hearing loss. CONCLUSION: Aircraft mechanics had more severity on hearing loss than aviators. Types of noise protector and cigarette smoking had significant association with hearing loss.

Adult↗
PubMed2006

Perception of cockpit environment among pilots on commercial aircraft.

UNLABELLED: Impaired cockpit environment may influence both well-being and performance of pilots. OBJECTIVE: To study the perception of cockpit environment among pilots, in relation to demographic factors, and type of aircraft (B767-300, B737-600, DC9/21-41, MD 81/90 series). METHODS: A standardized questionnaire was mailed to all pilots in one airline company; 81% participated (n = 622). All flights were non-smoking flights and the B767 was the only aircraft operated on intercontinental flights. The DC9 was the only aircraft without air recirculation. Multiple logistic regression analysis was applied, controlling for age, gender, smoking, perceived psychosocial work environment, and type of aircraft. RESULTS: Younger age and a history of atopy and stress due to excess work were the main predictors of symptom and environmental perceptions. The most common symptoms were fatigue (14%), facial dermal (10%), and nasal symptoms (9%). Common complaints on cockpit environment were dry air (53%), dust and dirt (48%), noise (46%), and inadequate illumination (34%). Using the DC9 as a reference category, Boeing 767 pilots had more fatigue (OR 19.5; p < 0.001), throat symptoms (OR = 4.40; p < 0.05), complaints on dry air (OR = 2.93; p < 0.01), stuffy air (OR = 4.60; p < 0.01), static electricity (OR = 6.39; < 0.05), and dust (OR = 2.01; p < 0.05). Boeing 737 pilots had more complaints on noise (OR = 4.01; p < 0.001) and dust (OR = 1.81; p < 0.05). MD 81/90 pilots had more complaints on dry air (OR = 1.76; p < 0.05), dust (OR = 1.92; p < 0.05), and inadequate illumination (OR = 2.08; p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Complaints on the cockpit environment were common and differed between different types of aircraft. This indicates a need to optimize the cockpit environment, e.g., increase the cleaning and relative air humidity.

Adult↗
PubMed2006

Fatigue and related human factors in the near crash of a large military aircraft.

INTRODUCTION: During approach to a remote island location, a U.S. Air Force heavy-airlift aircraft was flown into an aerodynamic stall, resulting in the loss of more than 4000 ft of altitude, with the crew recovering the aircraft just before impact would have occurred. METHODS: An analysis of the mishap was conducted through a review of non-privileged USAF mishap data, cockpit voice recordings, flight data records, and interviews of the aircrew involved. A thorough examination of fatigue-related factors was conducted, including computerized fatigue modeling. RESULTS: The crew traveled over 11,000 mi in a westward direction over a 6-d period. They had been on duty for nearly 21 h on the day of the mishap, with minimal in-flight rest. The pilots were late beginning their descent for landing, and a minor aircraft malfunction distracted the crew, contributing to channelized attention and degraded situational awareness. A breakdown in crew communication and failure to adequately monitor and interpret true aircraft state culminated in loss of aircraft control. Analysis of the crew's work/rest schedule confirmed that multiple elements of fatigue were present during this mishap, including acute and cumulative fatigue, circadian disruptions, and sleep inertia. Additionally, reduced situational awareness and spatial disorientation, exacerbated by the underlying fatigue, were causal in this mishap. DISCUSSION: This mishap highlights the importance of maintaining a high degree of situational awareness during long-haul flights with a continuing need to address issues regarding spatial disorientation, proper application of human engineering principles in modern cockpits, and mitigation of aircrew fatigue factors.

Accidents, Aviation↗
PubMed1989

Investigation of incidents of terrorism involving commercial aircraft.

Deaths resulting from terrorism involving aircraft have occurred incident to hijackings as well as bombings. Passengers or groups of passengers have been chosen by terrorists as the recipients of violence based on citizenship, religion, and political beliefs. They have usually been segregated from other passengers and subsequently mistreated and/or murdered. Thorough documentation of the injuries of victims is essential to the investigation of such atrocities; a medicolegal autopsy correlated with a scene investigation is of paramount importance. Aircraft bombings can create extremely sensitive political situations and public demands for quick resolution. The autopsy of victims in such circumstances, if properly conducted, can yield invaluable trace evidence leading to the identification of the explosive device. The examination of any surviving victims as well as the aircraft is also critical in reconstructing the event. Deaths occurring as the result of in-flight aircraft bombings can produce injuries by five different mechanisms, viz. blast, shrapnel, decompression, impact with the aircraft, and ground impact.

Aircraft↗
PubMed1989

Chemical hazards in aeromedical aircraft.

Several potentially hazardous chemicals are required to make modern military aircraft fly. With each airevac mission, the possibility exists for structural failure of a fluid system, resulting in contamination to flight/medical crews, patients, and passengers. Aeromedical Evacuation Crewmembers (AECMs) need to be aware of the hazardous chemicals used in aircraft and areas where there is an increased risk to those in and around the aircraft. This study identified potential areas for chemical leakage, such as refuel receptacles, hydraulic reservoirs, hydraulic motors, doors, ramps, engines, and more. Further, it identified the basic first aid procedures to perform on people contaminated with jet fuel, hydraulic fluid, engine oil, fire extinguisher agents, LOX and other fluids. First aid procedures are basic and can be performed with supplies and equipment on a routine aeromedical evacuation mission, AECMs trained in a basic awareness of hazardous aircraft chemicals will result in crews better prepared to cope with the unique risks of transporting patients in a complicated military aircraft.

Aerospace Medicine↗
PubMed1988

Health profile of U.S. Navy pilots of electronically modified aircraft.

This study compared hospitalization rates of pilots who primarily flew electronically modified aircraft (n = 1,063) with an age-matched group of pilots who flew other types of aircraft (n = 2,126). Of the two groups, control pilots at ages 21-26 had a significantly higher mortality rate for aviation-related injuries and a higher hospitalization rate for the diagnostic category of accidents, poisonings, and violence. Their hospitalization rates also were significantly higher than pilots of electronically modified aircraft for mental disorders at ages 27-32 and supplementary classifications at ages 39-44. Significant age-specific increases in rates were observed for cardiovascular disease and alcoholism in the control group whereas no significant increases were noted for pilots of electronic models. Pilots in the latter group had low rates for conditions postulated as related to radiation exposure. Such results indicated that pilots of electronically modified aircraft were not at increased risk for illness or injury because of the aircraft models they primarily flew.

Accidents, Aviation↗
PubMed1987

Ultralight aircraft crashes: their increasing incidence and associated fractures of the thoracolumbar spine.

Ultralight aircraft, which originated in 1975 in the U.S. and have been available in Canada since 1980, have enjoyed a tremendous increase in popularity to the point where it is estimated that there are close to 20,000 ultralights in North America today. Two reasons account for their growing popularity: relatively low cost and simplicity, allowing almost any person to enjoy the sport of flying, which was unattainable for most just a few years ago. Unfortunately, inexperienced pilots and relatively new and unproven aircraft have been brought together to create a potentially lethal combination. On average, 60 deaths per year occur in the U.S. due to ultralight crashes, a number that will undoubtedly rise in the future. The U.S. and Canada have very few regulations covering the licensing of pilots or the design and construction of ultralight aircraft. The North American safety record is inferior to that of countries that have implemented stricter, more far-reaching regulations. Stricter pilot certification and enforced regulations governing design and construction of ultralight aircraft would improve the safety record of this sport. Ultralight aircraft crashes and their associated injuries came to our attention recently through the presentation of three cases of isolated fractures of the thoracolumbar spine in such crashes. Spinal fractures due to ultralight crashes have no unique features that separate them from those of other trauma victims. Physicians must, however, have a high index of suspicion for spinal injuries in these victims.

Accidents, Aviation↗
PubMed1979

Survey on eye comfort in aircraft: I. Flight attendants.

Extensive research in aviation medicine has been devoted to various aspects of vision, but there has been little attention to the eye problems of flight attendants. Flight attendants, especially contact lens wearers, have complained about eye discomfort in aircraft. The purpose of this study was to evaluate some of the conditions in aircraft that might influence their eye comfort. A questionnaire on eye comfort was developed in conjunction with the Air Safety Department of the Association of Flight Attendants and distributed through its Flightlog magazine. Of the 774 respondents, 95% reported some eye discomfort in aircraft. It is significant that both those who did and who did wear contact lenses reported similar eye problems. The most common eye problems reported were conjunctival redness and dried eyes. Smoking was indicated by the respondents to be the most noticeable factor causing eye symptoms. Aircraft cabin conditions are discussed, including relative humidity, atmospheric oxygen, and ozone concentration. Since air passengers are exposed to the same aircraft conditions as the attendants, they probably would manifest similar eye problems.

Aerospace Medicine↗
PubMed1996

Corneal response and vision with the Softperm lens in simulated aircraft conditions.

BACKGROUND: Contact lenses are generally more compatible than spectacles with the life-support systems, personal protective devices, and helmet-mounted targeting systems used in modern military aircraft. This study evaluated the Softperm contact lens in a simulated aircraft environment to determine its potential use by USAF aviators. METHODS: Thirteen subjects wearing Softperm lenses were exposed to a simulated aircraft environment for 2 hours. Subjects were evaluated for signs of hypoxic stress by measuring corneal thickness changes and observing changes in corneal staining and conjunctival injection. Changes in visual acuity were also measured. Slit lamp biomicroscopy was used to assess lens movement at the beginning and end of the treatment period to determine if lens fit changed. Over-refractions to determine residual astigmatism were performed to evaluate how well the Softperm lens corrected astigmatic refractive errors. RESULTS: A statistically significant increase in corneal thickness was found after two hours of Softperm wear in the simulated aircraft environment. Several subjects experienced an increase in epithelial staining, which appears to be associated with changes in lens fit (tightening). All subjects experienced conjunctival injection. Residual astigmatism secondary to lens flexure occurred in all but two eyes, but no eyes had greater than 0.75 diopters. CONCLUSIONS: When properly fitted, the Softperm lens can be safely worn in an aircraft environment similar to the one simulated in this study. This lens design may provide an alternative to the lenses presently approved for USAF aviators.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

Design of workcards for aircraft inspection.

The workcard is the primary document that controls an aircraft inspection task and serves as a major factor influencing inspection performance. The present study develops a methodology for design of workcards, based on the application of human factors knowledge to the analysis of aircraft inspection tasks. A taxonomy for design of usable documentation was developed using four basic categories: information readability, information context, information organization, and physical handling/environmental factors. Within the framework of this taxonomy two extreme representative conditions of aircraft inspection tasks, the A-check and the C-check, were analysed for usability. Issues for workcard redesign were identified within the taxonomy using data from user responses. These were then used to develop alternative design solutions offering improved usability. The increase in usability was measured using inspections of DC-9 aircraft, and proved significant. Not only does this study propose specific design solutions, it also provides a generic methodology that can be followed for design of quality documentation for other aircraft inspection tasks. This methodology is currently being extended for the design of usable information for automated workcards and hypermedia-based documentation.

Journal Article↗
PubMed2000

Airsickness and aircraft motion during short-haul flights.

BACKGROUND: There is little quantitative information that can be used to predict the incidence of airsickness from the motions experienced in military or civil aviation. This study examines the relationship between low-frequency aircraft motion and passenger sickness in short-haul turboprop flights within the United Kingdom. METHODS: A questionnaire survey of 923 fare-paying passengers was conducted on 38 commercial airline flights. Concurrent measurements of aircraft motion were made on all journeys, yielding approximately 30 h of aircraft motion data. RESULTS: Overall, 0.5% of passengers reported vomiting, 8.4% reported nausea (range 0% to 34.8%) and 16.2% reported illness (range 0% to 47.8%) during flight. Positive correlations were found between the percentage of passengers who experienced nausea or felt ill and the magnitude of low-frequency lateral and vertical motion, although neither motion uniquely predicted airsickness. The incidence of motion sickness also varied with passenger age, gender, food consumption and activity during air travel. No differences in sickness were found between passengers located in different seating sections of the aircraft, or as a function of moderate levels of alcohol consumption. CONCLUSIONS: The passenger responses suggest that a useful prediction of airsickness can be obtained from magnitudes of low frequency aircraft motion. However, some variations in airsickness may also be explained by individual differences between passengers and their psychological perception of flying.

Acceleration↗
PubMed2002

Aircraft accidents and other causes of death among Norwegian commercial pilots.

BACKGROUND: When entering the profession, pilots need to be in better health than the general population. During their careers they are under close medical supervision, which could influence their life-long mortality. METHODS: The cohort was established from the files of the Norwegian Civil Aviation Administration and included people who had valid licenses as commercial pilots between 1946 and 1994. Basic data about their flight careers were recorded. The cohort was linked to the Cause of Death Registry. The observed number of deaths was compared with those expected, based on national rates. RESULTS: A group of 3707 male pilots was followed over 70,832 person-years. There were 342 deaths vs. 362.8 expected, with a standardized mortality ratio (SMR) of 0.94, and a 95% confidence interval (95% CI) of 0.85-1.05. Aircraft accidents with 97 deaths had a major influence on total mortality and the SMR for all other causes was 0.68 (95% CI 0.59-0.77). The SMR for cancer was 0.89 (95% CI 0.71-1.11) and for circulatory diseases 0.53 (95% CI 0.42-0.67). The highest SMR for total mortality in pilots < 30 yr old was 3.52 (95% CI 2.54-4.76). For this age group 38 of a total of 42 deaths were caused by aircraft accidents. It was indicated that almost half the deaths of aircraft accidents took place in private aircraft. CONCLUSIONS: Due to aircraft accidents young pilots have a higher mortality rate than the general population; other harmful effects on the mortality of pilots in their workplace were not found. At all ages pilots have a better life expectancy than the general population.

Accidents, Aviation↗
PubMed2003

Psychiatric medevacs during a 6-month aircraft carrier battle group deployment to the Persian Gulf: a Navy Force Health Protection preliminary report.

When a U.S. Navy Aircraft Carrier battle group deploys overseas, the aircraft carrier's medical department is responsible for the medical needs of over 12,000 personnel with their indigenous developmental, stress, family, alcohol, drug, and interpersonal and intrapersonal relationship difficulties. This article reviews the effectiveness of having a U.S. Navy clinical psychologist and a psychiatric technician onboard the USS Carl Vinson, the flag ship of Vinson's battle group, during this battle group's 1998/1999 Persian Gulf deployment (i.e., Western Pacific Deployment). Importantly, these two individuals reported to the USS Vinson as permanent members of the ship's company. The clinical psychologist logged 448 individual outpatient-care consults and 79 individual consults with sailors who had a history of overusing or abusing alcohol. Additionally, nine sailors with acute disabling psychiatric diagnoses were hospitalized on the ship's medical ward, and four sailors were medically evacuated (medevaced), by fixed wing aircraft, from USS Vinson to a Navy Hospital in the United States for definitive evaluation, treatment, and disposition. These four medevacs were less than the number of medevacs from two previous Aircraft Carrier Battle Group Persian Gulf deployments. Importantly, these two previous WESTPAC deployments were made without having a clinical psychologist as a full-time member of the respective aircraft carrier's medical department. Providing clinical psychology/mental health services at the "tip of the spear" is an effective, beneficial, and cost-saving landmark improvement in providing quality medical care to the fleet.

Female↗
PubMed1984

Human factors in aircraft incidents: results of a 7-year study.

Human error causes or contributes to considerably over half of all aviation mishaps. This report describes a 7-year study of aircraft incident data conducted in an attempt to further our understanding of the phenomenon of human error. The study of incidents as a surrogate for aircraft accidents is relevant only if incidents constitute a population or universe of which accidents are a subset. This assumption has been examined in a study of over 35,000 reports of aviation incidents collected from 1976-83 by the NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System. One-third of the reports involve conflicts among aircraft. The most common single-aircraft anomalies in flight involve altitude or track deviations. The most common controller errors involve failure to coordinate traffic with other elements of the air traffic control system. Analysis of these reports indicates that both human and system factors contributing to human errors can be identified. Many other incidents involve shortcomings specifically of the human, rather than of the system. Failures of control are rare in this series, but failures of decision-making and cockpit resource management are frequent. Boredom, complacency and ennui appear to underlie some failures, while very high workloads are associated with others. These data indicate that at least several categories of aircraft accidents involving operational and human factors are, in fact, subsets of populations of incidents containing the same elements. The environment in which an incident occurs is extremely important in determining its outcome. It is concluded that aviation incident reports are a necessary and important instrument in safety surveillance.

Accidents, Aviation↗
PubMed1983

Ultralight aircraft safety and regulation.

Ultralight aircraft evolved from adding power to hang gliders. Ultralight aviation is now the fastest growing sport in America. The safety of these aircraft is of concern but information regarding accidents and fatalities has been meager. To date, the only major source of statistics has been the Experimental Aircraft Association, which tabulated 101 accidents with 20 fatalities over a 3.5-year period. Until October 1982, there were no FAA regulations governing these aircraft. This report reviews the evolution of ultralight aircraft regulation and the available accident information.

Accident Prevention↗
PubMed1996

Population-based description of aircraft accident mortality, U.S. military, 1980-90.

BACKGROUND: Aircraft crashes are an important cause of premature and preventable mortality. The nature and missions of the U.S. military services place active duty members at risk for aircraft accidents. METHODS: Mortality data on Department of Defense active duty service members were obtained from the Worldwide Casualty System (WCS), an automated data base of active duty military personnel casualty information. Military service population data were obtained from the Defense Manpower Data Center. Aggregate and service-, sex-, rank-, and race-specific mortality rates were calculated. RESULTS: Between 1980-90, the U.S. military services reported 22,753 deaths (98.2 deaths/100,000 active duty service members) due to all causes combined, 14,100 deaths (60.9 deaths/100,000) due to accident causes, and 2,258 (9.8 deaths/100,000) due to aircraft accident causes. The Marine Corps had the highest service-specific mortality rate, 16.3 deaths/100,000, while the Navy had the lowest, 7.5 deaths/100,000. The male to female mortality rate ratio was 6.6:1. Aircraft crash mortality rate for officers, 39.7 deaths/100,000, was higher than that for enlisted persons, 4.8 deaths/100,000. The Navy had the highest officer-to-enlisted mortality rate ratio, 17:1, while the Army had the lowest, 3.9:1. CONCLUSIONS: Aircraft crashes are an important cause of mortality among the military services. There are differences in mortality rates between the services with an overall trend of mortality decline.

Accidents, Aviation↗
PubMed1998

Female voice communications in high level aircraft cockpit noises--part II: vocoder and automatic speech recognition systems.

BACKGROUND: The intelligibility of female and male speech is equivalent under most ordinary living conditions. However, due to small differences between their acoustic speech signals, called speech spectra, one can be more or less intelligible than the other in certain situations such as high levels of noise. Anecdotal information, supported by some empirical observations, suggests that some of the high intensity noise spectra of military aircraft cockpits may degrade the intelligibility of female speech more than that of male speech. METHODS: In an applied research study, the intelligibility of female and male speech was measured in several high level aircraft cockpit noise conditions experienced in military aviation. RESULTS: In Part I, (Nixon CW, et al. Aviat Space Environ Med 1998; 69:675-83) female speech intelligibility measured in the spectra and levels of aircraft cockpit noises and with noise-canceling microphones was lower than that of the male speech in all conditions. However, the differences were small and only those at some of the highest noise levels were significant. Although speech intelligibility of both genders was acceptable during normal cruise noises, improvements are required in most of the highest levels of noise created during maximum aircraft operating conditions. These results are discussed in a Part I technical report. This Part II report examines the intelligibility in the same aircraft cockpit noises of vocoded female and male speech and the accuracy with which female and male speech in some of the cockpit noises were understood by automatic speech recognition systems. The intelligibility of vocoded female speech was generally the same as that of vocoded male speech. No significant differences were measured between the recognition accuracy of male and female speech by the automatic speech recognition systems. The intelligibility of female and male speech was equivalent for these conditions.

Adult↗
PubMed1964

STUDIES ON AIRCRAFT DISINSECTION AT "BLOCKS AWAY" IN TROPICAL AREAS.

During 1962 experiments on disinsection of aircraft passenger cabins at "blocks away" (i.e., after the doors have been closed following embarkation but before take-off) were conducted with single-use, disposable aerosol dispensers in various types of commercial aircraft operating in the tropics. The favourable results of these trials and of previous trials in temperate zones indicate that this method is suitable as a standard procedure for aircraft disinsection for international quarantine purposes.The biological effectiveness of the SRA formulation against susceptible mosquitos and its non-irritancy to passengers render it suitable as a standard formulation for aircraft disinsection. The G-1492 formulation-effective against resistant and non-resistant mosquitos-could be used where insecticide-resistance is proved, although it is slightly irritant to some passengers. Both formulations are described. The authors suggest that further research is needed to develop a safe formulation that is effective against resistant and non-resistant insects and yet not irritant to passengers and crew.

Aerosols↗