Bronze C

HUMAN FACTORS

FITNESS TO FLY

PSYCHOLOGICAL AND

PHYSIOLOGICAL FACTORS

RELEVANT TO GLIDER PILOTS

PSYCHOLOGICAL

• AFFECTING OR ARISING IN THE MIND

PHYSIOLOGICAL

THE WAY IN WHICH A LIVING ORGANISM OR BODILY PART FUNCTIONS.

FITNESS TO FLY

AGE

MEDICALS

PHYSICAL WELL BEING

AGE

• NO MINIMUM AGE CAN SOLO AT 16

• NO MAXIMUM AGE BUT PHYSICAL AND MENTAL FITNESS MAY REDUCE WITH AGE

MEDICALS

• TO FLY SOLO YOU MUST HAVE A SELF DECLARATION FORM ENDORSED BY YOUR DOCTOR.

• AT AGE 45 A NEW SELF DECLARATION MUST BE MADE & ENDORSED BY THE PILOTS DOCTOR.

• THIS MUST BE RENEWED AT 50, 55, 60, 65 & THEN ANNUALLY.

NOTE

• IT IS THE PILOTS RESPONSIBILITY TO CHECK THAT THEIR MEDICAL IS VALID.

• IF YOUR DRIVING LICENCE IS REVOKED ON MEDICAL GROUNDS YOU AUTOMATICALLY BECOME UNFIT TO FLY SOLO IN A GLIDER

PHYSICAL WELL BEING

• ANYONE KNOW THE ACRONYM :-

• I’M SAFE

PHYSICAL WELL BEING

• ILLNESS

• MEDICATION

• STRESS

• ALCOHOL

• FATIGUE

• FLYING CURRENCY

• EATING

ILLNESS

MINOR ILLNESS CAN DISTRACT EG :-

HEADACHE.

STOMACH UPSET.

COLDS…. COVERED LATER.

MEDICATION

• MANY MEDICINES CAUSE DROWSINESS. READ THE INSTRUCTIONS .

• DO NOT FLY FOR 24 HOURS AFTER A LOCAL ANAESTHETIC (DENTIST)

• 48 HOURS AFTER GENERAL ANAESTHETIC.

• DON’T FLY WITHIN 24 HOURS OF BLOOD DONATION.

STRESS OR OTHER DISTRACTION

• ARGUMENT• WORK PROBLEMS• DEBTS• DEPRESSION• FAMILY ILLNESS• LAUNCH POINT AGGRAVATION• MENSTRUAL CYCLES• IN FLIGHT NOISE EG WIND NOISE

ALCOHOL

• ALCOHOL IS A DEPRESSANT

• A PINT OF BITTER WILL AFFECT JUDGEMENT AND THUS HIGHER RISKS THAN NORMAL ARE ACCEPTED.

RAILWAYS AND TRANSPORT ACT

• STATES 20MG/100ML IE A QUARTER OF THAT WHICH APPLIES TO DRIVING A CAR.

• NOTE THAT THIS APPLIES TO ANYONE INVOLVED IN GLIDING OPERATIONS EVEN A WING TIP HOLDER.

HOW LONG HOW MUCH ?

• ABOUT AN HOUR TO REMOVE 1 UNIT OF ALCOHOL FROM BLOOD

• FOOD HAS LITTLE EFFECT ON THE ALCOHOL ABSORBED

• LET’S LOOK AT SOME EXAMPLES OF DRINKS :-

LAST ORDERS AS IT WERE

FATIGUE

• A GOOD NIGHTS SLEEP IS ESSENTIAL.

• EXCESSIVE FLYING MAY CAUSE YOUR CONCENTRATION TO WANE.

• BOREDOM ON A LONG FLIGHT CAN CAUSE FATIGUE. SILVER DURATION A PARTICULAR CASE. TRY TO HAVE A PURPOSE SUCH AS LOCAL TRIANGLES.

CURRENCY

• IF YOU FEEL OUT OF PRACTICE GET A CHECK FLIGHT !

• SIMPLY STAYING WITHIN YOUR CLUBS CURRENCY RULES MAY NOT BE ENOUGH.

• A LOG BOOK MUST BE KEPT UNTIL YOU HAVE A SILVER BADGE.

FOOD

• HUNGAR REDUCES ALERTNESS• MAINTAIN BLOOD SUGAR LEVELS.• COMPLEX FOODS BREAD, PASTA AND

FRUITS PROVIDE LONG LASTING ENERGY.

• SUGARY SNACKS ONLY PROVIDE A SHORT TERM BOOST FOLLOWED BY A SHARP REDUCTION IN ENERGY LEVELS.

COMFORT

• DISCOMFORT WILL REDUCE CONCENTRATION LEVELS.

• HOWEVER DO NOT USE SOFT CUSHIONS TO IMPROVE COMFORT. THEY WILL COMPRESS DURING HIGH “G” POSSIBLY PREVENTING YOU FROM REACHING CONTROLS AND IN THE EVENT OF AN ACCIDENT MAY INCREASE SPINAL INJURY.

• USE DYNAFOAM.

TO PEE OR NOT TO PEE

• YOU WILL NOT BE ABLE TO CONCENTRATE WITH A FULL BLADDER

• A HEAVY LANDING MAY CAUSE YOUR BLADDER TO …………

• EXPLODE !• MAKE SOME SORT OF PROVISION TO

EMPTY BLADDER• AVOID DIURETICS EG CAFFEINE .

PREGNANCY

• BEST AVOIDED

• BUT IF YOU MUST

• CONSULT YOUR DOCTOR

• ERRR…. IF YOU SEE WHAT I MEAN

• PROBABLY DON’T FLY FOR FIRST 3 MONTHS

• OR THE LAST 3 MONTHS

PSYCHOLOGY

FACTORS WHICH ARE RELEVANT TO YOUR STATE OF MIND WHEN YOU FLY :-

MINIMISE WORK LOAD

SPEAK UP

ATTITUDE

WORK LOAD

• WAYS TO REDUCE WORKLOAD:-• MNEMONICS.• SYSTEMATIC APPROACH.• WRITE INFORMATION DOWN.• CHECK LISTS.• CURRENCY.• RIGGING DON’T GET DISTURBED.• IDENTIFY AIR BRAKE LEVER IN CIRCUIT

FOR EXAMPLE.

COURAGE OF CONVICTIONS

• WE ARE ALL TAUGHT FROM AN EARLY STAGE THAT ANY BODY CAN STOP A LAUNCH.

• IF YOU ARE WITH AN EXPERIENCED PILOT EXPRESS YOUR CONCERNS IF YOU FEEL AN UNSAFE COURSE OF ACTION IS BEING FOLLOWED.

INDIVIDUAL ATTITUDES

• CAN YOU THINK OF ANY ? START YOU OFF :-

• PEOPLE WITH NO FEAR !

CHARACTERISTICS

• MACHO• ANTI AUTHORITY• BOMB PROOF• IMPULSIVE• FATALIST• VERY NERVOUS• GUNG HO

EMO TENDANCIES

• YOU CAN FLY SAFELY EVEN IF YOU HAVE SOME OF THE WORRISOME TENDANCIES ON THE PREVIOUS SLIDE.

• JUST BE AWARE OF THEM.

PHYSIOLOGY

•THE WAY IN WHICH BODILY PARTS

FUNCTION :-

TOPICS

• EYE SIGHT• BAROTRAUMA

• EARS• SPATIAL DISORIENTATION

• DEHYDRATION• OXYGEN

• HYPERVENTILATION• SCUBA DIVING• HYPOTHERMIA

• “G”• CARBON MONOXIDE

BAROTRAUMA

• WIND !• AIR IN YOUR INTESTINES BECOMES

PAINFUL AS PRESSURE REDUCES WITH HEIGHT.

• AVOID FOOD THAT MAY EXAGERATE THE PROBLEM !

• RARELY AIR CAN BE TRAPPED IN TEETH WHICH CAN CAUSE TREMENDOUS PAIN.

EYE SIGHT

• HAVE YOUR EYE TESTED EVERY 2 YEARS

• UK DRIVING REQUIREMENT IS READING A NUMBER PLATE AT 20 METRES .

• CONSIDER SUN GLSSES TO PROTECT EYS FROM UV RADIATION

• CARRY A SPARE PAIR OF GLASSES.

EARS

• THREE PARTS TO THE EAR :-

• OUTER EAR

• MIDDLE EAR

• INNER EAR

EUSTACHIAN TUBE

• A BLOCKAGE IN THE EUSTACHIAN TUBE WILL CAUSE SEVERE DISCOMFORT DURING FLIGHT.

• AIR IN THE MIDDLE EAR EXPANDS DURING THE DESCENT ESCAPING THROUGH THE EUSTACHIAN TUBE.

• IT IS EASIER FOR AIR TO GO INTO THE MIDLE EAR THAN IT IS TO GO OUT .

• THUS THE EUSTACHIAN TUBE STAYS CLOSED UNLESS ACTIVELY OPENED BY MUSCLE ACTION SUCH AS SWALLOWING.

• IF THE TUBE IS NOT REGULALRY OPENED DURING DESCENT A PAINFUL PRESSURE DIFFERENCE CAN RESULT.

• OTHER PROBLEMS COULD BE TEMP’ DEAFNESS, DIZZINESS& NAUSEA.

• IF YOU SUFFER PAIN DURING A RAPID DESCENT TRY THE VALSALVA PROCEDURE.

VALSALVA PROCEDURE

• CLOSE NOSE AND MOUTH

• PUT TONGUE AGAINST ROOF OF MOUTH

• BLOW GENTLY AGAINST THE RESISTANCE

COLDS

• TISSUE IN THE NOSE SWELLS DURING A COLD AND THUS MORE LIKELY TO SUFFER THE PROBLEMS PREVIOUSLY DESCRIBED.

• THE PAIN CAN DISTRACT FROM THE PRIMARY TASK OF FLYING THE AIRCRAFT.

SPATIAL DISORIENTATION

• THE SEMI CIRCULAR CANALS PROVIDE BALANCE AND ORIENTATION THROUGH THE SEMI CIRCULAR CANALS.

SEMI CIRCULAR CANALS

HOW DOES THE BALANCE SYSTEM WORK

• Movement of fluid in the semicircular canals signals the brain about the direction and speed of rotation of the head--for example, whether we are nodding our head up and down or looking from right to left. Each semicircular canal has a bulbed end, or enlarged portion, that contains hair cells. Rotation of the head causes a flow of fluid, which in turn causes displacement of the top portion of the hair cells that are embedded in the jelly-like cupula

MOTION SICKNESS

• THE MISMATCH BETWEEN VISION AND THE SENSORY INPUTS FROM THE INNER EAR.

• DISOREINTATION CAN OCCUR IN CLOUD. INNER EAR STOPS SENDING INFO TO BRAIN AFTER 10 TO 20 SECONDS. LOW RATE OF TURN INNER EAR FAILS TO SENSE ANY ROTATION. THEREFORE PILOT MAY BE IN A TURN WITHOUT KNOWING IT.

ACTION

• PILOT MUST RELY ON THE INSTRUMENTS

• THIS REQURES TRAINING DO NOT TRY TO TEACH YOURSELF CLOUD FLYING.

DEHYDARATION

• AN INSIDUOUS CONDITION THAT CAUSES :-

• TIREDNESS• IRRITABILITY• CONFUSION• HEADACHE

• VISUAL SNOW

THIRST

• THE BODIES MECHANISM FOR AVOIDANCE IS NOT VERY GOOD.

• ONCE YOU FEEL THIRSTY YOU ARE ALREADY DEHYDRATED.

• PERHAPS A BETTER INDICATOR IS THE COLOUR OF YOUR URINE !

URINE

• DEEP YELLOW URINE INDICATES THAT YOU ARE DEHYDRATED.

• DRINK WATER AND DO NOT FLY AGAIN UNTIL YOUR URINE IS CLEAR

WATER LOSS

• A PERSONS BODY, DURING AN AVERAGE DAY IN A TEMPERATE CLIMATE SUCH AS THE UK LOSES APPROX 2.5 LITRES OF WATER. THIS CAN BE THROUGH THE LUNGS AS WATER VAPOUR, THROUGH THE SKIN AS SWEAT OR THROUGH THE KIDNEYS AS URINE.

WATER REPLACEMENT

• Water loss can increase by an order of magnitude or more through perspiration; all of which must be promptly replaced. In extreme cases, the losses may be great enough to exceed the body's ability to absorb water from the gastrointestinal tract; in these cases, it is not possible to drink enough water to stay hydrated, and the only way to avoid dehydration is to reduce perspiration (through rest, a move to a cooler environment, etc.).

• Probably not a cockpit !

WORLD HEALTH ORG’ RECOMMENDATION FOR WATER INTAKE

AVERAGE CONDITIONS

MANUAL LABOUR IN HIGH TEMPERATURE

MALE ADULT 2.9 LITRES/DAY 4.5 LITRES/DAY

FEMALE ADULT

2.2 LITRES/DAY 4.5 LITRES/DAY

OTHER FACTORS

• AVOID DIURETICS E.G. TEA & COFFEE

• WEAR A SMALL BRIMMED HAT

• AVOID ALCOHOL THE NIGHT BEFORE

• CARRY ENOUGH WATER IN THE COCKPIT

• WHAT DOES ENOUGH LOOK LIKE ?

OXYGEN

• ATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE FALLS WITH HEIGHT :-

• AT SEA LEVEL = 1013 MB

• 10,000 FEE T = 700 MB

• 18,000 FEET = 500 MB

OXYGEN

• NOTE :-

• THE PROPORTION OF OXYGEN IN THE AIR REMAINS CONSTANT WITH INCREASING ALTITUDE. THE LOWER PRESSURE MEANS LESS OXYGEN DIFFUSES THROUGH THE LUNGS INTO THE BLOODSTREAM.

MORE OXYGEN

• RECEPTORS IN THE BRAIN MONITOR LEVELS OF OXYGEN AND CARBON DIOXIDE. THE RECEPTORS ARE MORE SENSITIVE TO CARBON DIOXIDE SO IT THE LEVEL OF C02 THAT REGULATES THE BREATHING.

• LACK OF OXYGEN IS CALLED HYPOXIA

NOTE

• ANOXIA RESULTS WHEN OXYGEN IS NOT BEING DELIVERED TO A PART OF THE BODY. IF THE CONDITION DOES NOT INVOLVE TOTAL OXYGEN DEPRIVATION, IT IS OFTEN CALLED HYPOXIA, ALTHOUGH THE TWO TERMS HAVE BEEN USED INTERCHANGEABLY

HYPOXIA

• PERSONALITY CHANGE• LACK OF INSIGHT• LOSS OF JUDGEMENT• LOSS OF SELF CRITICISM• OVER CONFIDENCE• EUPHORIA• LOSS OF MEMORY• MENTAL AND MUSCULAR INCOORDINATION• SENSORY LOSS• CYANOSIS• SEMI CONSCIOUSNESS, ULTIMATELY DEATH

WHEN DO YOU NEED OXYGEN• YOU CAN ONLY TELL BY USING THE

ALTIMETER AS YOU MAY BE SUFFERING FROM SYMPTONS MENTIONED !

• AIR NAV ORDER IS BEING AMENDED FOR MANDATORY CARRYING OF OXYGEN FOR FLIGHTS ABOVE FL130 OR IF FL100-FL130 FOR MORE THAN 30 MINS. LAWS AND REGS STATES ABOVE 10,000FEET AMSL.

• 35,000 FEET IS THE SAFE LIMIT WITH OXYGEN SYSTEMS.

SMOKING & BLOOD OXYGEN

• SMOKING REDUCES BLOOD OXYGEN LEVELS BY 4 TO 8 PERCENT !

• CARBON MONOXIDE THE MAIN COMPONENT IN TOBACCO SMOKE HAS 300 TIMES GREATER AFFINITY FOR HAEMOGLOBIN THEN OXYGEN.

• PIGGOT SUGGESTS SMOKERS USE OXYGEN 3,000 FEET LOWER !

HYPERVENTILATION• ANXETY MAY GIVE RISE TO BREATHING

TOO HARD AND TOO RAPIDLY I.E. HYPERVENTILATION.

• SYMPTONS BEING :-• LIGHT HEADEDNESS• DIZZINESS• ANXIETY• TINGLING IN HANDS, FEET AND LIPS.

CURE ?

• DON’T PANIC !

• CONSCIOUSLY REDUCE THE RATE OF BREATHING

• SYMPTONS OF HYPOXIA & HYPERVENTILATION SIMILAR. IF SURE IT IS HYPERVENTILATION BREATH INTO A BAG.

SCUBA DIVING

• DIVERS BREATHE AIR UNDER PRESSURE FORCING AIR INTO THE BLOOD.

• THE NITROGEN IN THE BLOOD TAKES TIME TO DISPERSE AFTER SURFACING.

• DO NOT FLY WITHIN 24 HOURS OF DIVING TO A DEPTH GREATER THAN 30 FEET BECAUSE OF THE RISK OF DECOMPRESSION SICKNESS (BENDS).

• TRAPPED NITROGEN FORMS BUBBLES IN THE JOINTS AND BODY ORGANS.

HYPOTHERMIA

• LOWER TEMPERATURE AT HEIGHT IN COLD WEATHER MAY GIVE RISE TO :-

• DROWSINESS• WEAKNESS & LOSS OF COORDINATION• SLURRED SPEECH• SHIVERING• AGRRESIVE OR WITHDRAWN BEHAVIOUR• CONFUSION

G EFFECTS

• HIGH G MANOEUVRES CAN CAUSE BLACK OUT EVEN AT LOW ALTITUDE.

• GREY OUT STARTS AS LOW AS 3G.• WHAT G DO WE PULL IN A K21 LOOP ?• TOLERANCE VARIES FROM INDIVIDUAL TO

INDIVIDUAL. • NEGATIVE G IS GENERALLY MUCH MORE

UNPLEASANT.• A FEW PEOPLE ARE VERY SENSITIVE TO

NEGATIVE G.

CARBON MONOXIDE

• MOTOR GLIDER LEAKING EXHAUST CAN GIVE RISE TO :-

• HEADACHE

• FATIGUE

• SHORTNESS OF BREATH

• CONFUSION

• DIZZINESS AND FAINTING

CONCLUSION

• PHYSICAL & MENTAL STATE IS THE MOST IMPORTANT FACTOR IN FLYING SAFELY

• KEEP A GOOD LOOK OUT• MAINTAIN CURRENCY• BE AWARE OF YOUR MENTAL ATTITUDE• DO NOT GET DEHYDRATED• AWARE OF HEIGHT NEEDING OXYGEN• MINIMISE WORKLOAD• DON’T FLY WITH A COLD• BE AWARE OF EFFECTS OF ALCOHOL

ENJOY YOUR FLYING