EFFECTS OF MILD HYPOXIA ON PILOT PERFORMANCES AT GENERAL AVIATION ALTITUDES
General aviation pilots may fly continuously at altitudes up to 12,500 ft (3810 m) without the use of supplemental oxygen. However, hypoxia is a condition that can develop at altitudes under 12,5000 ft. Research has shown highly variable tolerance and performance of individuals during low altitude laboratory exposures with simple and complex tasking. This study evaluated the physiological and subjective responses, as well as the simulated flight performance of general aviation pilots during a cross-country flight scenario. Ten pilots of a mild hypoxia group were compared with 10 pilots of a normoxic control group. Measurements of flight performance from the Basic General Aviation Research Simulator (BGARS) and of flight-following procedures were gathered during a 3-day, 2 hr per/day, cross-country flight sccenario. Determined by group membership and terrain elevation during the cross-country flight, subjects breathed either oxygen mixtures simulating sea level, 8,000 ft (2438 m), 10,000 ft (3048 m), and 12,500 ft alltitudes or compressed air, throughout.
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Corporate Authors:
Federal Aviation Administration
800 Independence Avenue, SW
Washington, DC United States 20591 -
Authors:
- Nesthus, T E
- Rush, L L
- Wreggit, S S
- Publication Date: 1997-4
Language
- English
Media Info
- Pagination: 43 p.
Subject/Index Terms
- TRT Terms: Airline pilots; Altitude; Biochemical oxygen demand; Flight simulators; General aviation pilots; Hypoxia; Oxygen; Personnel performance; Physiological aspects; Tolerance (Physiology)
- Uncontrolled Terms: Flight simulation; High altitude; Pilot performance
- Old TRIS Terms: Tolerance (Physiological)
- Subject Areas: Aviation; Safety and Human Factors;
Filing Info
- Accession Number: 00740431
- Record Type: Publication
- Report/Paper Numbers: DOT-FAA-AM-97-9
- Files: NTL, TRIS, USDOT
- Created Date: Sep 18 1997 12:00AM