1. Aeromedical Factors
E01

2. Standard Area I, Task D
Symptoms, causes, effects, and corrective action of at least three (3) of the following—
hypoxia.
hyperventilation.
middle ear and sinus problems.
Spatial disorientation.
Motion sickness.
Carbon monoxide poisoning (self-launch).
Stress and fatigue.
Dehydration and heatstroke.
Effects of alcohol and drugs, including over-the-counterdrugs.
Effects of evolved gas from scuba diving on a pilot during flight

3. Index Stress and Fatigue Dehydration/Heat Cold Hypoxia
Hyperventilation
Carbon Monoxide
Inner Ear Effects
Aerobatic Flight
SCUBA

4. Fatigue and Stress
Solution
Causes
Effects

5. Fatigue Solution: Rest and Stress Management Causes of Fatigue:
Inadequate sleep
Poor nutrition or hydration, poor health
Prolonged stress
Mental or physical
Causes of Stress: Physical and Mental
Tiredness may not reflect Fatigue
Can feel wide awake while suffering from fatigue

6. Effects of Fatigue Easily distracted Reduction/Impairment of: Fixated
Mood swings
Poor judgment
Indecisiveness
Reduction/Impairment of:
Cognitive functions
Decision making
Reaction time
Coordination
Speed
Balance Focus
Attention

7. Dehydration/Heat Stroke
Causes
Symptoms
Prevention

8. Dehydration/Heat Stroke Causes
Flying increases heat and water loss
Hot cockpit
Direct exposure to sun
Dry air at altitude dehydrates body
150 lb person: 1% of body’s water = ~16 oz
Dehydration: Loss of water. Loss of:
2% impacts body’s ability to regulate heat.
3% decreases muscle cell contraction times.
4% results in a 5 to 10 percent drop in overall performance, which can last up to four hours.

9. Symptoms Heat stress (99.5° to 100° F body temp) reduces:
Performance, dexterity and coordination
Ability to make quick decisions
Alertness
Visual capabilities
Caution and caring
2.   Heat exhaustion (101° to 105° F ):
Fatigue , Nausea/vomiting, Giddiness, Cramps, Rapid breathing, Fainting 
3.   Heat stroke (above-105° F body temperature) symptoms: Mental confusion, Disorientation, Bizarre behavior, Coma
Earliest effects include poor judgment critical to
flight safety

10. Preventing Dehydration
Pre-hydrate
Urine should be of light color
Avoid caffeinated/carbonated beverages
reduce thirst and fluid intakes
Always carry water
Thirst sensation not a reliable indicator
Drink before you feel thirsty
Use vents, hats, and light colored clothing.

11. Frostbite Is Possible! Cold Field temps ≠ Temps @Altitude
Special concern for wave flying
Plan accordingly
Layered clothing
Body parts in sun may be warm while shaded parts (like feet) become very cold
Frostbite Is Possible!

12. Hypoxia Cause: Altitude Effects of hypoxia increased by:
Percent of O2 constant, but pressure drops
Effects of hypoxia increased by:
Medical conditions
Drugs
Smoking
General fitness
Vision effects (especially night vision) as low as 5000 feet MSL
>10,000 O2 recommended

13. Hypoxia Effects 12-15,000 feet MSL >12,500-14,000 feet MSL
Euphoria
Judgment
Memory
Alertness
Coordination
Ability to perform calculations
Drowsiness
Dizziness
Belligerence
Headache
>12,500-14,000 Crew members after 30 minutes
>14,000 Crew members
>15,000 Everyone
>16,000 feet MSL
Gray-out
Tunnel vision
Blue fingers/lips
Unconsciousness

14. Hypoxia Symptoms are individual specific:
Chamber training recommended
Supplemental O2 Required by
>12,500-14,000 Crew members after 30 minutes
>14,000 Crew members
>15,000 Everyone

15. Hyperventilation Rapid breathing  low levels of CO2 Caused by:
Low CO2 tricks body into believing it is not getting enough air Faster breathing
Caused by:
Feeling very anxious or having a panic attack
Severe pain
Stress
High altitude, knowing the O2 pressure is low, pilots may have a tendency to breath rapidly

16. Hyperventilation Symptoms: (1) Rapid Breathing Chest pain Confusion
Dizziness
Dry mouth
Light-headedness
Muscle spasms in the hands and feet
Numbness and tingling in the arms or around the mouth
Palpitations
Shortness of breath
Weakness

17. Hyperventilation Slow breathing:
Breathe through pursed lips (as if you are blowing out a candle)
Cover your mouth and one nostril, and breathe through the other nostril.
Speak or sing to slow breathing

18. Carbon Monoxide CO is colorless, odorless and tasteless
But the only source is exhaust gases
Interferes with blood carrying O2
Symptoms:
Initial :
Headache
Dizziness
Nausea
Eventually:
Confusion and drowsiness.
Fast breathing, fast heartbeat, or chest pain.
Vision problems
Muscle twitch
Unconsciousness and eventually death

19. Carbon Monoxide Prevention: Solution:
Maintenance of a/c exhaust system
CO detectors
Solution:
Stop exposure
Turn off heater
Fresh air O2

20. Inner Ear Effects Pressure Effects Middle ear is a closed chamber
Normally simple jaw movements open inner ear
Effect of Congestion
Valhalla maneuver
Avoid drugs

21. Inner Ear Detecting Motion
Detects change in motion
After ~20 sec , sensation of motion fades
Stopping feels like acceleration in the opposite direction

22. Spatial Disorientation
Usually occurs with loss of external references, especially horizon
Literally cannot tell where up or down is
Inner ear gives false impressions
Likely scenarios:
Scud running resulting in VFR into IMC
Inattentive wave pilot getting caught on top of a solid cloud layer

23. Classic Graveyard Spiral

24. Motion Sickness
>25% of airline pilots have experienced motion sickness
Affected students often, after a few lessons, become accustomed to the sensations
Minimizing:
Eat smart before flight
Keep the vents open
Avoid sudden head movements
Focus outside aircraft

25. Aerobatic Flight Push-over Maneuvers High G Maneuvers Headache
“Red-Out”
Unconsciousness
High G Maneuvers
Tunnel vision
“Gray Outs”

26. SCUBA Diving and Flying
Up to 8,000 MSL:
No decompression: Wait 12 hours before flying
Decompression stops: 24 hours before flying
>8,000 feet MSL: Wait 24 hours (best rule)

27. Alcohol and Drugs
Alcohol is a depressant which causes impaired judgment
Legal limit: % + 8 hours bottle to throttle
OTC drugs like antihistamine cause drowsiness and impaired judgment

28. CFI Standard Area II Task A AEROMEDICAL FACTORS
Objective. To determine that the applicant exhibits instructional knowledge of the elements related to aeromedical factors by describing:
Hypoxia ,its symptoms, effects, and corrective action.
Hyper ventilation, its symptoms, effects, and corrective action.
Middle ear and sinus problems, their causes, effects, and corrective action.
Spatial disorientation, its causes, effects, and corrective action.
Motion sickness, its causes, effects, and corrective action.
Effects of alcohol and drugs, and their relationship to safety.
Effects of dehydration and their relationship to flight safety.
Carbon monoxide poisoning, its symptoms, effects and corrective action (self-launch).
How evolved gas from scuba diving can effect a pilot during flight.
Fatigue, its effects and corrective action.