Human performance
Pressure: 1hpa at sea level is 30ft Radiation: Rad: Amount of ionising radiation absorbed by living tissue
1 Hpa at 20 000 is 47ft Rem: radiation necessary to cause biological effect as rad
1 Hpa at 40 000 is 99ft
1 Hpa at 60 000 is 160ft
I M S A F E
Illness Medication Stress Alcohol Fatigue Eating
Nervous system: Central nervous system: Brain and spinal chord
Peripheral nervous system: connects central nervous to body organs
Voluntary: Brain giving signal for action
Involuntary: Automatic action
Blood: Plasma: 90% water, contains vitamins hormones salt anti bodies and so on.
Red blood cells: Haemoglobin transport oxygen.
White blood cells: Defence system. antibodies 5000-10000 per cmm
Platelets: Cause formation of blood clots.
Blood sugar glucose: Carbohydrates become
Insulin and Glucagon: Controls the level of blood glucose
Insulin: Chemically alter glucose into the form it is stored
Glucagon: Makes the stored Glucose to be released in blood
Hyperglycaemia: Excess blood glucose. To little insulin cause Diabetes. Loss of fluid
Hypoglycaemia: Low blood glucose. Dizziness, headache shaking. Diabetics will have the same symptoms by not eating will regularly
The Heart: Atrium: Suction chamber
Ventricles: Discharge chambers
Aorta: Carries blood to upper and lower body
Left half: oxygen present in blood Right half: oxygen replaced by carbon dioxide
Systolic: Highest blood pressure ex.120mm of mercury
Diastolic: Lowest blood pressure ex 70 mm of mercury
Hypertension: high blood pressure
Hypotension: low blood pressure. Dizziness
Circulation: Vascular system: Network of arteries veins and capillaries which transports blood.
Arteries: transportation of blood From the heart. Aorta is the main artery
Systemic Circulation: delivery of oygen laden blood to body
Veins: transportation of blood Back to the heart.
Pulmonary artery: Blood comes back to lungs
Pulmonary system: Blood into Capillaries in lungs for exchange of carbon dioxide
Kidneys: Filter the blood and regulating fluid balance.
Disorders: Coronary artery disease: Arteries to heart get blocked not giving heart oxygen and blood.
Myocardial infraction: Heart attack. When heart doesn’t get enough blood.
Conorary embolism or thrombosis: When artery get plaque and makes a blocking for blood to the heart
Angina: Heart Muscle cramp
Stroke: No blood to brain. Headache followed by [Link] is high blood pressure diabetes stress smoking
Anaemia: Not enough haemoglobin gives to little oxygen supply to body
Lungs: Boyles law: A fixed mass of gas at constant temperature pressure is prop to vol.
Alveoli: Blood is brought into close contact with oxygen molecules in the influence of pressure oxygen diffuses
Partial pressure: Press difference between haemoglobin and air press on the other side of the membrane
Partial pressure decrease with increasing altitude
Hypoxia: Oxygen concentration at tissue less than normal. Caused by decrease in partial pressure. Above 10 000 feet impact on human
. personality start. Similar like alcohol. Judgement, change in personality, muscular control, reduced memory will be affected. .
. Peripheral vision and night effect are first to be affected followed by day vision colour vision touch and hearing. Headache .
. dizziness and confusion semi consciousness and so on
Anoxia: Total absence of oxygen
Cyanosis: Due to hypoxia skin become bluish on nose fingertips ears
Useful consciousness.: After oxygen supply got cut of, the time that the pilot are fully aware of environment and control of his aircraft
22 000ft 5min Moderate 10 min Light work H Hypoxic Decreased partial pressure of oxygen in alveoli. No oxygen
25 000ft 2min M 3 min L A Anaemic Blood loss. No haemoglobin or high carbon monoxide presence in blood
30 000ft 1min M 1.5min L s Stagnant Circulation problem. In cases of shock
35 000ft 30sec M 45sec L H Hystotoxic Result of poisoning of cells or tissues.
40 000ft 12sec M 15sec L
Hyperventilation: Over breathing resulting motion sickness anxiety heat vibration or pain. Symptoms are similar to hypoxia. Headache
. dizziness, tingling in fingers lips toes, anxiety and chest pain. Reduced performance, tunnelling vision and then .
. unconsciousness. Treatment: Assume the worst. If the altitude could cause hypoxia more than 10 000 ft oxygen
. should be used and reduce altitude.
Ear: The middle ear: Air filled with amplifying equipment, three linked bones named Ossicles.
Eustachian tube: Air pressure in middle ear is kept the same as atmospheric pressure by ventilation. Cold=block
The inner ear: Both for hearing by Cochlea and balance by vestibular apparatus. Surrounded by fluid within rigid skull.
Cochlea: Sound waves converted into nerve impulses then transmitted via auditory nerve
Vestibular: Is organs that provides balance
Hearing loss: Conductive loss: Concerns outer and middle ear. The ear drum or ossicles can be faulty. Infections or deformation in ear
. canal or allergies have impact.
Non conductive loss: Associated with inner ear and mostly non reversible. Malformation due to infection, anoxia
. after birth, untreated middle ear infection or age can have impact.
Noise induced hearing loss: Exposure to noise of high intensity may result in permanent o temp hearing loss
Balance: Vestibular syst: Balance is given by semi circular canals and the otolith organs, witch are able detect angular
. and linear accelerations but not velocity
Semi circular canals: 3 tubes fitted with fluid endolymph Posterior = pitch lateral = yaw anterior = roll
Cupula: In semi circular annals where the sensitive hair cells are fitted. Movement of the fluid bends cupula that
. stimulates its nerve cells. Electrical signals are sent to brain as angular or rotary accelerations.
Otolith organs: Comprising Utricle ( horizontal) and saccule (vertical). Stimulated by linear accelerations in .
. horizontal and vertical plane. They are located at the base of semi cirk canals.
Spatial disorientation Vestibular: caused mostly by otolith organs
The leans: Problems occur when Pilot gets into a turn below of detection. Then realises situation and corrects it.
Oculi, somatograciv illusion: Acceleration gives pitch up. Deceleration gives pitch down.
Coriolis effect: Confusion between different endolymph canals gives a tumbling sensation.
Graveyard spin: After a spin in the recovery the endolymph canals sense a spin in opposite direction. Correction will makes it worse
Graveyard spiral: similar to graveyard spin except that it caused by a coordinated turn at constant rate. If steeper a spin will occur.
Inversion Illusion: After climb into level flight pilot will feel a tumbling backwards illusion.
Elevator illusion: In a updraft pilot will sense a climb. Pilot will give a nose down
Spatial disorientation Non vestibular: Caused mostly by visual errors.
False horizon: Sloping cloud formations. A combination of stars
Ground lighting: Lights on road or train mistaken for runway. Bright runway lights gives less distance illusion.
Autokinesis: Static light to move in dark 8-10 seconds
Landing illusions: judgement of app slope, maintaining app slope, ground proximity
Runway with: Narrow runway gives the illusion that plane is higher than it actually is. Pilot will then fly in to low
Wide runway gives the illusion that plane is lower than it actually is. Pilot will fly in to high. Flare to soon and land hard
Runway or terrain slope: upslope give too high illusion. Pilot will fly to low
Down slope gives too low illusion. Pilot will approach to fast.
Featureless terrain: Pilot will feel higher than he truly is over water dark areas etc
Atmospheric: Rain on windscreen distorts the pilots vision creating to high illusion.
Haze makes pilot think he is more far away than he is.
Motion sickness: Combination of vestibular and visual signals may give disorientation if they not concur. Disorientation leads to motion sickness
Vertigo: Sensation of rotation when there is no rotation. Or a sense of dizziness caused by unexpected motion. Can occur during high G loading
Pressure vertigo: Inability of Eustachian tube to equalize pressure between middle ear and outside.
Flicker vertigo: Can be caused by flashing lights strobes propeller or helicopter rotor.
Disorientation = conflict between vestibular and visual sense
The eyes: Most commonly used by pilot
Cornea: infront of eye a window of 10mm allows light to pass through
Iris: A pigmented or coloured muscular membrane and contains the pupil. Adapts to light changes.
Lens: Behind the iris. Supported by ciliary muscles witch are used to change the shape to focus the light rays.
Accomodation: When the lens change curvature to increase the amount of focusing.
Retina: Light sensitive nervous tissue inside of eye (henna). Contains rods and cones nerves gathers at optic nerve where Blind spot is.
Cones: sensitive to colour and defining small details and distant objects. Gives central vision. Consentrated opposite the lens in Fovea.
Rods: define movement, But not in detalj black and white. Give peripheral vision
Refractive errors:
Hypermetropia: Lång synt. Lens and cornea unable to focus image on retina focus point would occur beyond retina. Corrected by convex lens
Myopia: Närsynt. Power of eye to strong. Focus in front of retina. Concave lens corrects.
Astigmatism: curvature of cornea is bad
Presbyopia: Age changes. Near vision
Night vision: rods. Best night vision achieved by looking slightly of center. May take 30 min to get maximum night vision.
Hypoxia, smoking, alcohol can reduce night vision.
Empty field Myopia: The eye gets into a resting focus prox 2 m infont of airplane. Makes it hard to se other items.
Eye infection and disease:
Conjunctivitis: Surface of eye can become irritated an inflamed exposure to bacteria. Eye seight can be [Link] to light. Antibiotics.
Cataracts: clouding of the lens. Painless. Lights don’t reach retina. Surgery
Sty: Infection cause cyst in the tear ducts.
Glaucoma: High pressure in eyeball due to aqueous fluid.
Pressure:
Boyle’s law
At constant temp the volume of a given mass of gas inversely proportional to pressure. Pressure reduces the gas expands.
Dalton’s law
Pressure by a mixture of gases is equal to the sum of the pressure which each would separately exert.
Partial pressure
Describes the pressure of one of the gases in the air mixture.
Barotrauma: external pressure will change the volume of gas enclosed in the body
Decompression sickness: Can be caused after diving. Not to fly 24 hours after [Link] reduction is great enough, normally
inert gases such as nitrogen can come out of solution from the body fluids, causing “air-locks” in various organs.80% nitrogen body
The “bends”, bubbles form in the joints causing severe pain.
The “creeps”, which is caused by nitrogen bubbles in the skin and is accompanied by itching.
The “chokes”, which creates pain in the chest and a dry cough.
The “staggers”, which occurs in the brain.
Otic barotraumas: Unequal pressure can cause a distortion of the ear drum leading to pain and injury.
Sinus barotraumas: Gas within sinuses that forms upper face expands and cause pain. Can get inflamed and swollen. Ventilation of sinuses must occur.
Acceleration an vibration: G = 9.81 m/sek2 or 32 ft/sek2
Linear acceleration: Constant direction but speed changes.. landing or take off
Radial acceleration: Constant change of direction, constant speed. Rate one turns
Angular acceleration: Constant change in direction and speed
Cardio vascular: Pressure above heart rate decrease and pressures below heart rate increase. Acceleration disturbs distribution of blood.
Vision: Positive acceleration decreased blood flow to retina. Grey out is due decrease of blood supply tunnel vision is when blood supply fails
Flying and health:
Stress: Results of mental and or physical pressure an can be divided into emotional or physical stress.
Acute stress: Short term stress like flight deck crisis. Take a break and relax. Plan ahead.
Chronic stress: Is more serious and longer lasting. Is a product of entire lifestyle. Physiological, nutritional, environmental, emotional, spiritual, and lifestyle
Stressors:
Physical: Environmental conditions like humidity and temp, lack of oxygen, noise and vibration.
Physiological: Lack of sleep fatigue , hunger sickness and infections and pain
Emotional: Problems related to home and work environment.
Stage of stress:
Alarm stage: Immediate reaction to a stressor is to either confront it or flee from it. Adrenaline is released in blood increase heart rate, strength, blood sugar
Resistance stage: Start to repair the damage either physiologically or by adapting to new situation. Learn to cope with it
Exhaustion: Body is subjected to a stressor it will remain in the alarm stage for a prolonged period of time. Victim may simply give up and abandon to fate
Arousal:Low Arousal: boredom,sleep fatigue, body temp High arousal: fear panic lack of confidence. Both result in poor performance optimum: between
the2
Anxiety: Result from excessive worry giving poor performance giving following signs:
Physical: Breathing difficulties, dry mouth, stomach pains, headache and increase of heart rate
Behavioral: Mood changes to depressed, changes in emotion, laughing when inappropriate, anger being rude, smoking drinking
Fatigue: Being extremely tired from lack of sleep or over worked or chronically stressed.
Mental: Poor concentration and judgment, bad memory. DO NOTT FLY if above is felt.
Managing stress and recognizing: Physical and behavioral symptoms of stress manifest themselves in anxiety.
Defence mechanism: ignoring stress or cause of stress my relief symptoms but not the cause.
Fatigue: Very deep tiredness. Acute fatigue: intense and undivided mental concentration. Chronic fatigue: lack of sleep over long period, excessive workload.
Sleep: Average person needs 8 hours of sleep.
Rem Paradoxial sleep: 90 min after falling asleep .Rapid eye movement. Closely related to awakens. Brain activity similar to awake. Föryngrar Hjärnan
Non Rem Orthodox sleep: stage 1. 10 min decrease brain activity. Slow moving eyes. 2. 10 min more decrease of brain activity. 3 and 4 referred to
Slow wave sleep witch is characterized by very low frequency and is physical restoration.
Insomnia: Nervous insomnia. Most common. Situational acute insomnia: Jet lag Clinical Chronic insomnia: insomnia in normal circumstances medical atten
Circadian rhythms: Biological body rhythms about 24 H each.
Performance: Human performance is best between 1200 and 2000 lowest between 0300 and 0600
Circadian disrhythmia (Jet lag): Time zone change of 8 H may take 8 days. Happy fly west bad fly east
Alcohol: accepted for men is 21 unit per week.. Women 14 unit per week. One unit is equal to 10 mg alcohol
Medication: Anti histamines and codeines should be avoided due to side effects.
Incapacitation: Reduced brain performance. Divided into sudden or insidious (gradual)
Cardio vascular: Probably a sudden heart attack (Coronary thumbosis). Sudden incapacitation and unconsciousness may occur
Gastro enteritis: Common cause of incapacitation. Stomach pain cramps. Fever dehydration vision and balance disturbances.
Epilepsy: Brain disorder. Divided into major or minor. Epilepsy prevents a pilot from holding a licence
Migraine: May prevent a person from flying. Not enough blood to brain, low blood sugar, high blood pres, fatigue, stress.
Faints: Reduction in the supply of the blood to the brain. Can be resukt of shock, loss of blood,
Human information processing: Singel channel capacity, decisions produced in series
Cerebrum: Largest and highly developed part of brain. Thought, memory, sensory perception, voluntary movement.
Left and right half controlling opposite side of body. Left side: language, speech, writing Right: creativity spatial orientation
Cerebral cortex: Outer surface of cerebrum. Controlling sensory organs (eyes ears) as well as motor activities such as walking and running.
Cerebellum: Most primitive part of brain responsible for balance and muscular coordination
Brain stem: Linking spinal chord to brain. Controlling heartbeat, blood pressure, breathing, body temperature, facial movement, eye muscle,
sex drive, pain, hunger and thirst
Peripheral nervous system: connect central nervous system to body organ system divided into somatic and autonomic systems.
Somatic: Sensory nerves that carries messages from sense organs. Reflexes are both somatic and autonomic.
Autonomic: Biological control system nerves wich only are motor nerves. Regulating bodu functions such breathing sweating heart rate blinking
Memory: Brains ability to store and recall information.
Motor skill memory: Used for motorskills. Learn or remember how to walk or fly a airplane
Factual memory: Recall complex things like poetry identity numbers faces of people
Sensory or immediate memory: Sensory inputs for a few seconds
Short term or working memory: information storage for 10sek to 1min. also acts like away station processing information by rehearsal for long term
Long term memory: Brain hard drive. Information can be stored a few months few years or lifetime. If not used regularly memory will decay with time
Semantic memory: Meaning memory Storage of information in word form. Associated with understanding. Flying plane.
Episodic memory: Event memory storing events or episodes witch have been experienced.
Forgetting: Due to effect of time, interference (new information interfere) motivated (forget because u want to)
Amnesia: Loss of ability to remember. Most affect episodic memory. Due to age, alcoholism, head injuries, emotional stress, fatigue
Information processing: Two factors, attention span and short term memory.
Selective attention: Prioritizing input by give attention to a certain task
Divided attention: Should not be confused with motor programmes =To do many things at the same time.
Close loop system: reciveing, process, action, feedback
Open loop system: Automatic motor programmes. Brain is not directly involved and no feedback is given
Human behaviour:
Extrovert person: Out going personality, recognized by being impulsive, dominant and sociable.
Introvert person: Shy person, conservative and cautious
Anxiety: Manifest itself in extreme emotional instability to guilt, fear and worry.
Attitudes:
Anti authority attitude: don’t like being told what to do and refuses to obey the rules. Dangerous in a aircraft cockpit.
Impulsive Attitude: act before conscious thought. Make the problem just worse. Think before act
Invulnerability attitude: It will never happen to me syndrome. U are vulnerable in any aircraft in any situation.
Macho attitude: Better than everyone else. Not a part of a team. Always everyone else’s fault. Learn responsibility and accept your limitations
Resignation attitude: Quite person. Feels like this person don’t got control over his fait and have noting to offer. Stand up and be counted.
Cognitive dissonance theory: Conflict in a opinion. Pilot try to confess to him self that what he believe is reality even if its not.
Behavior:
Aggressive behavior: Concerned only 4 themselves and their own interests. They are argumentative, domineering, abusive and rude. Unsuited for MCC
Assertive Behavior: Ideal requirement. Able to manage their problem without being abusive or dominate or ignore other persons rights.
Submissive behavior: Expresses his own concerns at his own expense. Others do dominate him. Express his opinion in a apologetically way.
Supportive behavior: Ideal requirement. Express your concerns without abandoning your own rights and opinion.
Autocratic cockpit: reduced communication due to captains excessive authority
Human error and reliability:
Functional error: Omission error: fail to do something . Commission error: do something that should not be done. Random and systematic error
Cognitive error: Fault in the though process. Ex poor judgment, incorrect reasoning and divided attention.
Cockpit management:
Crew co-ordination: Organizing and distributing the cockpit work load.
Crew co-operation: The way of cooperate and divide the work load.
Judgment and decision making:
Perceptual judgment: Comprising learned skill involving visual perceptions such judging distance.
Cognitive judgment: Far more complex process in that it involves thinking.