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Human Factors Flashcards

(60 cards)

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1
Q

What is Hypoxia?

A

Deficiency in the amount of oxygen reaching the tissues.

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2
Q

What are three causes of hypoxia?

A
  • insufficient supply of oxygen.
  • inadequate transportation of oxygen.
  • inability of the body tissues to use oxygen.
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3
Q

What are the four types of Hypoxia?

A

Hypemic
Hypoxic
Stagnant
Histotoxic

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4
Q

What is Hypoxic Hypoxia?

A

A result of insufficient oxygen available to the lungs.

The reduction in partial pressure of oxygen at high altitude is a common example.

Something to note: Although the percentage of oxygen in the atmosphere is constant with changes in altitude, partial pressure decreases as altitude increases.
As you ascend the percentage of each base remains the same, but the molecules no longer have the pressure required to drive oxygen into the respiratory system. The decrease of oxygen molecules at sufficient pressure leads to hypoxic hypoxia.

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5
Q

Hypemic Hypoxia, what is it?

A

Occurs when the blood is not able to take up and transport sufficient oxygen to the cells in the body.

This type of hypoxia is a result of oxygen deficiency in the blood.
Which can be cause by not having enough blood or from carbon monoxide poisoning.

Hypemic means not enough blood.

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6
Q

What is Stagnant Hypoxia?

A

Results when the oxygen rich blood in the lungs isn’t moving it to the tissues that need it.

Causes:
-shock
-heart failure
-constricted artery
-pulling lots of g’s

Common example is a body part falling asleep.

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7
Q

What is Histotoxic Hypoxia?

A

Results from the inability for cells effectively use oxygen.

In this case, oxygen is being transported to the cells, but they are unable to use it.

Causes:
-Alcohol and other drugs

Note: an ounce of alcohol is the equivalent of 2,000’ of altitude.

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8
Q

What are the first symptoms of Hypoxia?

A

Euphoria and a carefree feeling.

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9
Q

What are some other symptoms of Hypoxia?

A

Cyanosis
Headache
Delayed reactions
Impaired Judgement
Euphoria
Visual impairment
Drowsiness
Lightheaded or dizzy
Tingling in fingers/toes
Numbness

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10
Q

What is Useful Consciousness?

A

Describes the maximum time the pilot has to make rational decisions and carry them out at a given altitude without supplemental oxygen.

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11
Q

What is Hyperventilation?

A

Breathing rate and depth increase. An excessive loss of carbon dioxide from the body happens rapidly which can lead to unconsciousness.

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12
Q

What are the symptoms of Hyperventilation related to?

A

Hypoxia

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13
Q

What is Spatial Disorientation?

A

The lack of orientation with regard to the position, attitude, or movement of the airplane in space.

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14
Q

What are the three sensory systems the body uses to establish orientation?

A

Visual: eyes
Somatosensory: nerves
Vestibular: inner ear

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15
Q

What causes Spatial Disorientation:

A

When the bodies senses are sending conflicting signals to the brain.

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16
Q

What are the two components of the vestibular system?

A

Semicircular Canals and Otolith Organ.

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17
Q

What do the Semicircular Canals detect?

A

Angular acceleration

Three tubes at right angles to each other (one on each axis), each is fulled with endolymph fluid. Hairs are moved when the fluid moves and those signals are sent to the brain.

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18
Q

What is the duration a turn can take before the semi circular canals stop detecting the turn?

A

20 seconds.

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19
Q

What do the otolith organs detect?

A

linear acceleration

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20
Q

What causes motion sickness?

A

Anxiety and stress
The brain receiving conflicting messages about the state of the body.

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21
Q

What are symptoms of motion sickness?

A

General discomfort
Nausea
Dizziness
Paleness
Sweating
Vomiting

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22
Q

How do you treat for motion sickness?

A

-Cold fresh air hitting the face
-Focus on objects outside the plane, preferably the horizon.
-Avoid unnecessary head movement.
-Take control of the aircraft and fly smooth, straight a level.

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23
Q

How does CO poisoning happen in flight?

A

The exhaust system leaking will allow CO access into the cabin.

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24
Q

How does CO affect the body?

A

CO attaches itself to the hemoglobin in the blood. It does this about 200X easier than oxygen.
With the Hemoglobin occupied it no longer has space for oxygen.

Note: if severe enough CO poisoning can result in death.

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25
Effects of CO poisoning?
-Headache -Blurred vision -Dizziness -Drowsiness -Loss of muscle power
26
What are the effects of fatigue on flight?
-Degradation of attention and concentration -Impaired coordination -Decreased ability to communicate
27
What are common causes of fatigue?
-sleep loss -exercise -physical work
28
What are the two categories of stress and fatigue?
Acute and Chronic
29
What is acute fatigue?
Short term, and a normal occurrence in daily life. It is tiredness felt after a period of strenuous effort, excitement or lack of sleep.
30
What is chronic fatigue?
Fatigue extending over a long period of time. Usually has psychological roots, an underlying disease is sometimes responsible. Note: another cause is a state of continuous high stress level.
31
What is stress?
The body’s response to physical and psychological demands placed upon it.
32
What are the effects of stress on the body?
-Chemical release of hormones such as adrenaline into the blood. -increased metabolism to provide more energy to the muscles. -Blood sugar, heart rate, respiration, blood pressure, and perspiration all increase.
33
What is dehydration?
Loss of adequate water from the body.
34
What are the effects of dehydration on the body?
-headache -cramp -tingling -sleepiness -dizziness
35
What does a narrower than usual runway cause to perception?
creates the illusion that the aircraft is at a higher altitude than it is.
36
What does a wider than usual runway cause to perception?
creates the illusion that the aircraft is at a lower altitude than it is.
37
What does an up sloping runway cause to perception?
creates the illusion that the aircraft is at a higher altitude than it is.
38
39
What does a down sloping runway cause to perception?
create the illusion that the aircraft is at a lower altitude than it is.
40
What does featureless terrain do to perception?
creates the illusion that the aircraft is at a higher altitude than it is.
41
How does rain on the wind shield affect perception?
creates the illusion of greater height
42
How does Haze affect perception?
creates the illusion of being a greater distance from the runway.
43
What is the danger of not waiting to fly after scuba diving?
Scuba diving results in a significant increase in the amount of nitrogen dissolved in the body. At sea level the nitrogen is at baseline levels. When pressure is reduced (pressure decreases as altitude increases) nitrogen is released into the blood. Too quickly will result in bubbling in the spinal cord, brain, and tissues. Controlled ascent = 24hr wait Uncontrolled ascent = 8hr wait
44
What is the alcohol FAR?
91.17
45
What are the big three rules for alcohol?
-8 hours bottle to throttle -0.04 blood alcohol limit -Don’t fly if effects of alcohol are still felt.
46
What is the pilots self evaluation tool?
IMSAFE Illness Medication Stress Alcohol Fatigue External factors
47
What are the five hazardous attitudes?
Anti authority Impulsivity Invulnerability Macho Resignation
48
What is anti authority?
pilots who do not like anyone telling them what to do. Antidote: Follow the rules, they are usually right.
49
What is impulsivity?
Pilots who feel the need to do something, anything, immediately without thinking it through first. Antidote: not so fast, think first.
50
What is invulnerability?
Pilots who believe that accidents happen to others. Antidote: it can happen to me
51
What is Macho?
Pilots who are always trying to prove that they are better than anyone else. Antidote: taking chances is foolish
52
What is resignation?
Pilots who think they are not able to make a difference in what happens in a given situation. Antidote: I’m not helpless. I can make a difference.
53
What are the leans?
An abrupt correction of a banked shallow banked attitude that was held for more than 20 seconds. Creates the illusion of banking in the opposite direction.
54
What is the Coriolis illusion?
An abrupt head movement in a prolonged constant rate turn. Creates the illusion of rotation or movement in an entirely different axis.
55
What is the Graveyard Spiral?
recovery from a spin that has ceased stimulating the motion sensing system. Creates the illusion of being in a spin in the opposite direction.
56
What is a graveyard spiral?
There is an observed loss of altitude during a prolonged constant rate turn which has ceased to stimulate the motion sensing system. Creates the illusion of wings level descent.
57
What is the somatogravic illusion?
Rapid acceleration or deceleration can cause mind to perceive a pitch up or down falsely. Rapid Acceleration: pitch up Rapid Deceleration: pitch down
58
What is the inversion illusion?
an abrupt change from a climb to straight and level flight. Creates the situation wherein the pilot will try and correct by pushing down on the yoke.
59
What is the elevator illusion?
an abrupt upward/downward vertical acceleration caused by an updraft/downdraft. Updraft = climb illusion Downdraft = descent illusion
60
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