1. Aeromedical Factors CW2 Steve Jones

2. Objective • To develop the student Instructor Pilot’s understanding of the Aeromedical Factors associated with Army Aviation.

3. References • FM 1-301 • AR 40-8 • FM 1-240 • AIM

4. Schedule • Self-Imposed Stresses • Hypoxia • Spatial Disorientation • Visual Illusions • Vestibular Illusions

5. Self-Imposed Stresses RUGS XHAUSTION LCOHOL OBACCO YPOGLYCEMIA D E A T H

6. Hypoxia Types of Hypoxia • Hypoxic • lack of oxygen in the air • Hypemic • oxygen carrying capacity of the blood • Stagnant • inadequate blood circulation • Histotoxic • interference with the use of oxygen

7. Hypoxia (con’t) Stages of Hypoxia • Indifferent • altitude 0 - 10,000 feet • Compensatory • altitude 10,000 - 15,000 feet • Disturbance • altitude 15,000 - 20,000 feet • Critical • altitude 20,000 - 25,000 feet

8. Spatial Disorientation • An individual's inaccurate perception of position, attitude, and motion relative to the center of the earth.

9. THE CONDITION MOST SUSCEPTIBLE TO SPATIAL DISORIENTATION IS -- • During a sudden and unexpected transition from VMC to IMC flight conditions

10. SENSES OF BALANCE • Visual System • Vestibular System • Proprioceptive System

11. VISUAL ILLUSIONSwhich lead to landing errors • Runway Width Illusions • Runway and Terrain Slope Illusions • Featureless Terrain Illusions • Atmospheric Illusions • Ground Lighting Illusions

12. VESTIBULAR SYSTEM Semicircular Canals Otolith Organs

13. SEMICIRCULAR CANALS • Right angles to each other • Contains endolymph fluid

14. Leans Graveyard Spin Coriolis Illusion Vestibular Illusions Somatogyral

15. THE LEANS Most common form of Spatial Disorientation

16. Motion is usually undetected during a subthreshold maneuver (less than 2o)

17. Pilot corrects attitude and compensates for the false sensation of turning in the opposite direction

18. This illusion seldom affects both pilots at the same time

20. CORIOLIS ILLUSION • Pilot enters a turn stimulating one semicircular canal • Pilot makes a head movement in a different geometrical plane • Stimulating a 2nd / 3rd semicircular canal • Results in overwhelming sensation of Yaw, Pitch, or Roll

21. THECORIOLISILLUSION The most deadly illusion

22. SOMATOGRAVIC ILLUSION Illusions created by the Otolith organs as a result of linear acceleration

23. UPRIGHT TILT FORWARD TILT BACKWARD TRUE SENSATION TRUE SENSATION TRUE SENSATION FUNCTION OF THE OTOLITH ORGANS FORWARD ACCELERATION CENTRIFUGAL /CENTIPUAL FALSE SENSATION OF BACKWARD FALSE SENSATION OF UPRIGHT

24. ELEVATOR ILLUSION • Occurs during sudden upward acceleration • Pilot perceives a nose up attitude • Tendency to “nose over” aircraft

25. OCULOAGRAVIC • Upward movement of the eyes during weightlessness, caused by rapid downward motion of the aircraft

26. UPRIGHT AFT TILT UPRIGHT EXTREME AFT TILT OCULOGRAVIC ILLUSION NOSE HIGH SENSATION

27. ConclusionQuestions?