sUAS and aeromedical information for the remote pilot (Part 2)

sUAS and aeromedical information for the remote pilot (Part 2)

Dehydration. Dehydration is the term given to a critical loss of water from the body. Causes of dehydration are hot temperatures, wind, humidity, and diuretic drinks, such as coffee, tea, alcohol, and caffeinated soft drinks.

Some common signs of dehydration are headaches, fatigue, cramps, sleepiness, and dizziness. The first noticeable effect is fatigue, which, in turn, makes top physical and mental performance difficult, if not impossible. Flying for long periods in hot summer temperatures, or at high altitudes, increases the susceptibility to dehydration because these conditions tend to increase the rate of water lost from the body.

To prevent dehydration a person should drink two to four quarts of water every 24 hours. Since each person is physiologically different this is only a guide. If this fluid is not replaced, fatigue progresses to dizziness, weakness, nausea, tingling of hands and feet, abdominal cramps, and extreme thirst.

The key is for pilots to be continually aware of their condition. Most people become thirsty with a 1.5-quart deficit, or a loss of two percent of total body weight. This level of dehydration triggers the thirst mechanism. The problem is that the thirst mechanism arrives too late and is turned off too easily. A small amount of fluid in the mouth turns the mechanism off and the replacement of needed body fluid is delayed.

Other steps to prevent dehydration would be: carrying a container in order to measure your daily water intake, staying ahead of the game (not relying on the thirst sensation as your alarm), limiting daily intake of caffeine and alcohol (both are diuretics and stimulate increased production of urine).

sUAS and aeromedical information for the remote pilot (Part 2)

Heatstroke is a condition caused by any inability of the body to control its temperature. Onset of this condition may be recognized by the symptoms of dehydration, but also has been known to be recognized only upon complete collapse.

It is recommended that an ample supply of water be carried and used at frequent intervals, whether thirsty or not. The body normally absorbs water at a rate of 1.2 to 1.5 quarts per hour. Individuals should drink one quart per hour for severe heat stress conditions, or one pint per hour for moderate stress conditions.

We must consider drugs that were taken in, whether over the counter or prescribed. The Federal Aviation Regulations include no specific references to medication usage. Title 14 prohibits acting as a PIC, or in any other capacity as a required flight crewmember, while that person knows, or has reason to know, of any medical condition that would make that person unable to meet the requirement necessary for the pilot operation.

This includes taking medication, or receiving other treatment for a medical condition, that results in the person being unable to meet the requirements. Further, 14 CFR part 107 and 91, sections 91.17 and 91.19, prohibit the use of any drug that affects the person’s faculties in any way contrary to safety.

There are several thousand medications currently approved by the US Food and Drug Administration not including over-the-counter drugs. Virtually all medications have the potential for adverse side effects in some people. Additionally, herbal and dietary supplements, sport and energy boosters, and some other natural products are derived from substances often found in medications that could also have adverse side effects.

sUAS and aeromedical information for the remote pilot (Part 2)

While some individuals experience no side effects with a particular drug or product others may be noticeably affected. The FAA regularly reviews the FDA and other data to assure that medications found acceptable for aviation duties do not pose an adverse safety risk. Some of the most commonly used over the counter drugs, such as antihistamines, decongestants have the potential to cause noticeable adverse side effects, including drowsiness.

For any new medication, over the counter or prescribed, you should wait at least 48 hours after the first dose before flying to determine if you do have any adverse side effects that would make it unsafe to operate the aircraft. Alcohol impairs the efficiency of the human body. Studies have shown that consuming alcohol is closely linked to performance deterioration.

Pilots must make hundreds of decisions, some of them time critical, during the course of a flight. The safe outcome of any flight depends on the ability to make the correct decisions and take the appropriate actions during routine occurrences, as well as abnormal situations. The influence of alcohol drastically reduced the chances of completing a flight without incident.

Even in small amounts, alcohol can impair judgment, decrease the sense of responsibility, affect coordination, constrict visual field, diminish memory, reduce reasoning ability, and lower attention span. As little as one ounce of alcohol can decrease the speed and strength of muscular reflexes, lessen the efficiency of eye movements while reading, and increase the frequency at which errors are committed. Impairments in vision and hearing can occur from consuming as little as one drink.

While experiencing a hangover, for instance, a pilot is still under the influence of alcohol. Although a pilot may think he or she is functioning normally, motor and mental response impairment is still present. Considerable amounts of alcohol can remain in the body for over 16 hours, so, pilots should be cautious about flying too soon after drinking.

Intoxication is determined by the amount of alcohol in the blood stream. This is usually measured as a percentage by weight in the blood. 14 CFR part 91 requires that blood alcohol level be less than .04 percent and that eight hours have passed between drinking alcohol and piloting an aircraft. Common memory aid is eight hours bottle to throttle.

A pilot with a blood alcohol level of .04 percent or greater after eight hours cannot fly until the blood alcohol falls below that amount. What that means is after eight hours, you can still have .04 percent or greater in your blood. It’s important to adhere to both parts of this law.

Even though blood alcohol may be well below .04 percent, a pilot cannot fly sooner than eight hours after drinking alcohol. We have to look at it from both angles. We could be at .00 within our eight hours, or we could be over eight hours and still have .04. Although the regulations are quite specific, it is a good idea to be more conservative than the regulations.

sUAS and aeromedical information for the remote pilot (Part 2)

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