Aeromedical Factor

Front 1

Hypoxia

Back 1

Hypoxia means reduced oxygen or not enough oxygen

Hypoxic hypoxia is a result of insufficient oxygen available to the body as a whole.

Hypemic hypoxia occurs when the blood is not able to take up and transport a sufficient amount of oxygen to the cells in the body. The most common form of hypemic hypoxia is carbon monoxide poisoning.

Front 2

Stagnant Hypoxia

Histotoxix hypoxia

Syptoms / Response

Back 2

Stagnant hypoxia results when oxygen-rich blood in the lungs is not moving.

Histotoxic hypoxia is the inability of cells to efficiently use oxygen.

Symtoms of hypoxia include an initial feeling of euphoria but lead to more serious concerns such as headache, delayed reaction time, visual impairment, and eventual unconsciousness.

The correct response to counteract feelings of hypoxia is to lower altitude or use supplement oxygen.

Front 3

Hyperventilation

Back 3

Hyperventilation is the excessive rate and depth of respiration leading to abnormal loss of carbon dioxide from the blood.

The symptoms are dizziness, hot and cold sensation, nausea, emotional tension, anxiety, fear.

To overcome hyperventilation, breath into a paper bag, talk aloud.

Front 4

Ear block

Back 4

The difference in pressure between the middle ear and aircraft cabin can build to a level that will hold the Eustachian tube closed

To prevent ear block, we can take action by swallowing, yawning, valsava.

Front 5

Spatial disorientaion

Back 5

Spatial disorientation is not knowing whether you are going up, going down. It is a state of temporary confusion resulting from misleading information being sent to the brain by various sensory organs.

Ways to overcome the effects of spatial disorientation include relying on the airplane’s instruments, avoiding sudden head movements, and ensuring that ouside visual references are fixed points on the surface.

Front 6

Vestibular illusion

The leans

Coriolis illusion

Back 6

Vestibular system is organs found in the inner ear that sense position by the way we are balanced.

The leans corresponds to false sensation of roll attitude. If recovery from the left turn is made abruptly, it creates illusion of a banked attitude to the right.

Coriolis illusion occurs when a pilot is in a turn and bends the head downward or backward. It produces an unbearable sensation that the aircraft is rolling, pitching, and yawing at the same time.

Front 7

Graveyard spiral

Inversion illusion

Back 7

Graveyard spiral : An observed loss of altitude during a coordinated rate turn can create the illusion of being in a descent with the wings level. Pull back on the yoke tighten the spiral and increase the loss of altitude.

Inversion illusion : An abrupt change from climb to straight and level flight can create the illusion of tumbling backward. So disoriented pilot make pitch down abruptly.

Front 8

Graveyard spiral

Inversion illusion

Back 8

Graveyard spiral : An observed loss of altitude during a coordinated constant-rate turn can create the illusion of being in a descent with the wings level. Pull back on the controls, tightening the spiral and increasing the loss of altitude.

Inversion illusion : An abrupt change from climb to straight and level flight can stimulate the organs enough to create the illusion of tumbling backward. So disoriented pilot make pitch down abruptly.

Front 9

Elevator illusion

Somatogravic illusion

Back 9

Elevator illusion is an abrupt upward vertical acceleration can create illusion of being in a climb. The disoriented pilot may push the aircraft into a nose-low attitude.

Somatogravic illusion is caused by a rapid acceleration during takeoff, which creates the illusion of being in a nose up attitude.

Front 10

False horizon

Autokinesis

Back 10

A false horizon can be caused by city lights, clouds, stars, darkness. It causes the pilot to believe that it is the horizon. The pilot can place the aircraft in this dangerous attitude.

Autokinesis : At night, when a light is stared at for a long period of time it begins to move. While flying at night pilots should not stare at stationary lights for long periods of time to avoid this sensation.

Front 11

Runway width illusion

Runway and terrain sloping illusion

Back 11

A narrower than usual runway can create the illusion that the aircraft is at a higher altitude than it actually is.

Runway and terrain sloping illusion : A down sloping runway can create the illusion that the aircraft is lower than it actually is. It leads to higher approach.

Front 12

Carbon monoxide

Back 12

Carbon monoxide is a colorless, odorless gas produced by all combustion engines.

Carbon monoxide can enter a flight deck or cabin through heater and defrost vents.

If a leak is detected or a pilot smells gas or exhaust, immediate action should be taken. This could include turning off the heater, opening air vents or windows and using supplemental oxygen, if available.

Blurred thinking and vision, uneasiness, are early symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning.

Increase in altitude increase susceptibility to carbon monoxide poisoning because of decreased oxygen availability.

Front 13

Haze, clear air

Water refraction

Back 13

Haze can create an illusion of being at a greater distance and height from the runway.

Clear air can give the pilot the illusion of being closer than it actually is, resulting in a higher approach.

Rain on the widescreen creates illusion of being at a greater distance and height from the runway. As a result, the pilot has a tendency to be low on the approach.

Front 14

Fog

Scuba diving

Back 14

Flying into fog can create an illusion of pitching up, resulting in steep approach.

A person should allow the body sufficient time to rid itself of nitrogen absorbed during diving. If not, decompression sickness due to evolved gas can occur during exposure to altitude and create a serious inflight emergency.

Flight up to 8,000ft is at least 12 hours after diving(non decompression stop diving)

at least 24 hours after decompression stop diving

Flight above 8,000ft is at least 24 hours after any scuba diving.

Front 15

Middle ear and sinus problem

Back 15

During climbs and descents, the free gas formerly present in various body cavities expands due to a difference between the pressure of the air outside the body and that of the air inside the body.

If the escape of the expanded gas is impeded, pressure builds up within the cavity and pain is experienced. Trapped gas expansion accounts for ear pain and sinus pain, as well as temporary reduction in the ability to hear.

Front 16

Middle ear problem

Back 16

Pressure differences between the middle ear and the outside world are equalized by a Eustachian tube.

During climb, middle ear pressure may exceed the pressure of the air. The expanding gas in ear pushes the Eustachian tube open and equalizes in pressure with the cabin pressure.

But an upper respiratory infection such as cold or sore throat, can produce enough congestion around the Eustachian tube to make equalization difficult. Severe ear pain and loss of hearing can last from several hours to several days. To overcome middle ear problem swallow, yawn, Valsava.

Front 17

Sinus

Back 17

Air pressure in the sinuses equalize with the pressure in the flight deck through small openings that connect sinuses to the nasal passages.

An upper respiratory infection such as cold can produce the enough congestions around an opening to slow equalization.

This sinus block occurs most frequently during descent. Slow descent rates can reduce the associated pain. Sinus block can be avoided by not flying with an upper respiratory infection. Bloody mucus may discharge from the nasal passages.