Aviation medicine
Encyclopedia
Aviation medicine, also called flight medicine or aerospace medicine, is a preventive
or occupational medicine in which the patients/subjects are pilots, aircrews, or persons involved in spaceflight. The specialty strives to treat or prevent conditions to which aircrews are particularly susceptible, applies medical knowledge to the human factors
in aviation
and is thus a critical component of aviation safety. A military practitioner of aviation medicine may be called a flight surgeon
and a civilian practitioner is an aviation medical examiner
.
Atmospheric physics potentially affect all air travelers regardless of the aircraft. As humans ascend through the first 9100–18,300 m (30,000–40,000 ft), temperature decreases linearly at an average rate of 2°C (3.6°F) per 305 m (1000 ft). If sea-level temperature is 16°C (60°F), the outside air temperature is approximately −57°C (−70°F) at 10,700 m (35,000 ft). Pressure and humidity also decline, and aircrew are exposed to radiation, vibration and acceleration forces (the latter are also known as "g" forces). Aircraft life support systems such as oxygen, heat and pressurization are the first line of defense against most of the hostile aerospace environment. Higher performance aircraft will provide more sophisticated life support equipment such as "G-suits" to help the body resist acceleration, and pressure breathing apparatus or ejection seats or other escape equipment.
Every factor contributing to a safe flight has a failure rate. The crew of an aircraft is no different. Aviation medicine aims to keep this rate in the humans involved equal to or below a specified risk level. This standard of risk is also applied to airframe, avionics and systems associated with flights.
AeroMedical examinations aim at screening for elevation in risk of sudden incapacitation, such as a tendency towards myocardial infarction
(heart attacks), epilepsy
or the presence of metabolic conditions diabetes, etc. which may lead to hazardous condition at altitude. The goal of the AeroMedical Examination is to protect the life and health of pilots and passengers by making reasonable medical assurance that an individual is fit to fly. Other screened conditions such as colour blindness can prevent a person from flying because of an inability to perform a function that is necessary. In this case to tell green from red. These specialized medical exams consist of physical examinations performed by an Aviation Medical Examiner
or a military Flight Surgeon
, doctors trained to screen potential aircrew for identifiable medical conditions that could lead to problems while performing airborne duties. In addition, this unique population of aircrews is a high-risk group for several diseases and harmful conditions due to irregular work shifts with irregular sleeping and irregular meals (usually carbonated drinks and high energy snacks) and work-related stress.
Preventive medicine
Preventive medicine or preventive care refers to measures taken to prevent diseases, rather than curing them or treating their symptoms...
or occupational medicine in which the patients/subjects are pilots, aircrews, or persons involved in spaceflight. The specialty strives to treat or prevent conditions to which aircrews are particularly susceptible, applies medical knowledge to the human factors
Human factors
Human factors science or human factors technologies is a multidisciplinary field incorporating contributions from psychology, engineering, industrial design, statistics, operations research and anthropometry...
in aviation
Aviation
Aviation is the design, development, production, operation, and use of aircraft, especially heavier-than-air aircraft. Aviation is derived from avis, the Latin word for bird.-History:...
and is thus a critical component of aviation safety. A military practitioner of aviation medicine may be called a flight surgeon
Flight surgeon
A flight surgeon is a military medical officer assigned to duties in the clinical field variously known as aviation medicine, aerospace medicine, or flight medicine...
and a civilian practitioner is an aviation medical examiner
Aviation Medical Examiner
In the United States and other countries, an Aviation Medical Examiner is a physician designated by the local aviation authority and given the authority to perform flight physical examinations and issue aviation medical certificates...
.
Overview
Broadly defined, this subdiscipline endeavors to discover and prevent various adverse physiological responses to hostile biologic and physical stresses encountered in the aerospace environment. Problems range from life support measures for astronauts to recognizing an ear block in an infant traveling on an airliner with elevated cabin pressure altitude. Aeromedical certification of pilots, aircrew and patients is also part of Aviation Medicine. A final subdivision is the AeroMedical Transportation Specially. These military and civilian specialists are concerned with protecting aircrew and patients who are transported by AirEvac aircraft (helicopters or fixed-wing airplanes).Atmospheric physics potentially affect all air travelers regardless of the aircraft. As humans ascend through the first 9100–18,300 m (30,000–40,000 ft), temperature decreases linearly at an average rate of 2°C (3.6°F) per 305 m (1000 ft). If sea-level temperature is 16°C (60°F), the outside air temperature is approximately −57°C (−70°F) at 10,700 m (35,000 ft). Pressure and humidity also decline, and aircrew are exposed to radiation, vibration and acceleration forces (the latter are also known as "g" forces). Aircraft life support systems such as oxygen, heat and pressurization are the first line of defense against most of the hostile aerospace environment. Higher performance aircraft will provide more sophisticated life support equipment such as "G-suits" to help the body resist acceleration, and pressure breathing apparatus or ejection seats or other escape equipment.
Every factor contributing to a safe flight has a failure rate. The crew of an aircraft is no different. Aviation medicine aims to keep this rate in the humans involved equal to or below a specified risk level. This standard of risk is also applied to airframe, avionics and systems associated with flights.
AeroMedical examinations aim at screening for elevation in risk of sudden incapacitation, such as a tendency towards myocardial infarction
Myocardial infarction
Myocardial infarction or acute myocardial infarction , commonly known as a heart attack, results from the interruption of blood supply to a part of the heart, causing heart cells to die...
(heart attacks), epilepsy
Epilepsy
Epilepsy is a common chronic neurological disorder characterized by seizures. These seizures are transient signs and/or symptoms of abnormal, excessive or hypersynchronous neuronal activity in the brain.About 50 million people worldwide have epilepsy, and nearly two out of every three new cases...
or the presence of metabolic conditions diabetes, etc. which may lead to hazardous condition at altitude. The goal of the AeroMedical Examination is to protect the life and health of pilots and passengers by making reasonable medical assurance that an individual is fit to fly. Other screened conditions such as colour blindness can prevent a person from flying because of an inability to perform a function that is necessary. In this case to tell green from red. These specialized medical exams consist of physical examinations performed by an Aviation Medical Examiner
Aviation Medical Examiner
In the United States and other countries, an Aviation Medical Examiner is a physician designated by the local aviation authority and given the authority to perform flight physical examinations and issue aviation medical certificates...
or a military Flight Surgeon
Flight surgeon
A flight surgeon is a military medical officer assigned to duties in the clinical field variously known as aviation medicine, aerospace medicine, or flight medicine...
, doctors trained to screen potential aircrew for identifiable medical conditions that could lead to problems while performing airborne duties. In addition, this unique population of aircrews is a high-risk group for several diseases and harmful conditions due to irregular work shifts with irregular sleeping and irregular meals (usually carbonated drinks and high energy snacks) and work-related stress.
See also
- 1% rule (aviation medicine)
- Aerospace Medical AssociationAerospace Medical AssociationThe Aerospace Medical Association is the largest professional organization in the fields of aviation, space, and environmental medicine. The AsMA membership includes aerospace and hyperbaric medicine specialists, scientists, flight nurses, physiologists, and researchers from all over the world.-...
- Museum of Aerospace MedicineMuseum of Aerospace MedicineThe Edward H. White II Museum of Aerospace Medicine is a museum of the United States Air Force and is located at Brooks City-Base, San Antonio, Texas....
- Barany chairBarany chairThe Barany chair or Bárány chair, named for the Austro-Hungarian physiologist Robert Bárány, is a device used for aerospace physiology training, particularly for student pilots. The subject is placed in the chair, blindfolded, then spun about the vertical axis while keeping his head upright or...
- BarodontalgiaBarodontalgiaBarodontalgia, commonly known as tooth squeeze and previously known as aerodontalgia, is a pain in tooth caused by a change in atmospheric pressure...
- RAF Institute of Aviation MedicineRAF Institute of Aviation MedicineThe Royal Air Force Institute of Aviation Medicine was a British Royal Air Force aviation medicine research unit between 1945 and 1994.- Early days :The RAF Institute of Aviation Medicine was opened on 30 April 1945 by the Princess Royal...
- Space medicineSpace medicineSpace medicine is the practice of medicine on astronauts in outer space whereas astronautical hygiene is the application of science and technology to the prevention or control of exposure to the hazards that may cause astronaut ill health. Both these sciences work together to ensure that...
External links
- Aeromedics - medical retrieval specialists
- Aerospace Medical Association
- Directory of US AMEs designated to perform FAA Aeromedical Examinations for pilots and aircrew
- Aviation Medicine from the Aviation Medicine Unit at the Department of Medicine, Wellington School of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Otago, New Zealand.
- Aerospace Medicine Article from Emedicine
- Aviation Medicine International (AMI) Inc.
- Canadian Civil Aviation Medicine
- Medicina Aeroespacial Colombia
- RNZAF Aviation Medicine Unit