Physiology Clues for Pilots and Related Creatures

Downloadable pdf version, prepared by John Carlyle.


(C) Copyright 2000 Daniel L. Johnson, MD, FACP


			       Contents

This manuscript describes some essential physiologic requirements for
safe glider (or powerplane) operation, and suggests simple clues
pilots can use to detect their abnormal physiologic status.

	   1  Summary
	      1.1  Performance
	      1.2  Fatigue
              1.3  Jet Lag
	   2  Spatial Disorientation: How to Have an Accident,
	      Confidently
	      2.1  Accidents of Thinking
	      2.2  Accidents of Perception
	      2.3  Visual Illusions
	      2.4  Vestibular illusions
	      2.5  Coriolis Illusion Damages Glider Pilot
	      2.6  Coriolis Illusion Kills Jet Pilot
	      2.7  Gravity Magnifies Tilt
	      2.8  Gravity and Gliding Accidents
	      2.9  G-excess effect
	      2.10  The elevator illusion
	      2.11  The Leans
	      2.12  Spatial Disorientation
	      2.13  Dynamics of Disorientation
	      2.14  Motion Sickness
	   3  Water Balance: We're Soup
	      3.1  Hydration Status
	      3.2  Volume status
	      3.3  Achieving Water Balance
	      3.4  Clues: Thirst
	      3.5  What to Drink
	      3.6  Sweat
	      3.7  Water conservation
	   4  Diuresis
	      4.1  Sugar
	      4.2  Caffeine
	      4.3  Alcohol
	      4.4  Water
	      4.5  Salt
	      4.6  What to drink?
	      4.7  Fatigue as a Clue
	   5  Cockpit Waste Management
	   6  Oxygen
	      6.1  The atmosphere and hypoxia
	      6.2  Hypoxic symptoms
	      6.3  Clues you can Use
	      6.4  How Much Oxygen is Enough?
	      6.5  Hyperventilation
	   7  Temperature homeostasis
	   
8  Other Factors
	      8.1  Altitude Illness 
	      8.2  Conditioning
	      8.3  Disease
	      8.4  Actinic damage
	   
9  Medical Self-Certification



			       Figures



     Figure 1: Cognitive Errors Leading to Glider Accidents
     

     Figure 2: Partial Pressure of Oxygen and Hemoglobin
	       Saturation With Altitude