THE EFFECTS OF ALCOHOL ON PILOT PERFORMANCE DURING INSTRUMENT FLIGHT

SIXTEEN INSTRUMENT-RATED PILOTS, EIGHT OF WHOM WERE VERY EXPERIENCED PROFESSIONAL AVIATORS, FLEW INSTRUMENT LANDING SYSTEM APPROACHES IN A CESSNA 172 UNDER SIMULATED INSTRUMENT FLIGHT CONDITIONS WHILE SOBER AND WHILE UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF 40, 80, AND 120 MG% OF BLOOD ETHYL ALCOHOL. EACH PILOT FLEW FOUR APPROACHES TO MINIMUMS ON EACH OF TWO OCCASIONS AT EACH ALCOHOL LEVEL. THE DATA COLLECTED DURING THESE APPROACHES INCLUDED CONTINUOUS MEASUREMENT OF AIR-CRAFT POSITION WITH RESPECT TO LOCALIZER AND GLIDE PATH CENTERLINES AND AIRSPEED. NOTE WAS MADE OF PROCEDURAL ERRORS COMMITTED DURING THE FLIGHTS. THE SUBJECTS SHOWED SIGNIFICANT AND PROGRESSIVE DECREMENTAL EFFECTS OF ALCOHOL AT ALL OF THE LEVELS STUDIED. THE MORE EXPERIENCED PILOTS MAINTAINED THEIR ABILITY TO GUIDE THE AIRCRAFT BETTER THAN DID THE LESS EXPERIENCED SUBJECTS, PARTICULARLY AT HIGH LEVELS OF BLOOD ALCOHOL. BOTH GROUPS, HOWEVER, DEMONSTRATED PROGRESSIVE INCREASES IN THE NUMBER AND SERIOUSNESS OF PROCEDURAL ERRORS WITH INCREASING LEVELS OF ALCOHOL. IT IS CONCLUDED THAT EVEN 40 MG% OF BLOOD ALCOHOL EXERTS DECREMENTAL EFFECTS ON PERFORMANCE WHICH ARE INCOMPATIBLE WITH FLIGHT SAFETY. /AUTHOR/

• Supplemental Notes:
  • Contract FA68AC-6089-2 Rept No FAA-AM-72-4
• Corporate Authors:

  Ohio State University, Columbus

  190 North Oval Drive
  Columbus, OH  United States  43210
• Authors:
  • Billings, C E
  • Wick, R L
  • Gerke, R J
  • Chase, R C
• Publication Date: 1972-1

Media Info

• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 74 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Air pilots; Aircraft; Airline pilots; Alcohols; Blood alcohol levels; Performance; Simulation
• Subject Areas: Aviation; Highways; Safety and Human Factors; Vehicles and Equipment;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00224573
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Nat Safety Council Safety Res Info Serv
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Apr 3 1974 12:00AM