Usefulness of the lumbar support cushion for pilots of military helicopters

The aim of our study was to evaluate the possibility of prevention of local reflex hyperactivity of the paraspinal muscles as the one of causes of low back pain during long-term sitting in forced position. We examined eight pilots, with low back pain during and after flying tasks. In improvised conditions, sitting position was performed in an equal term as the real, with and without lumbar support cushion. The pause between two examinations was 24 to 48 hours. Activity of paraspinal muscles was measured by surface electromyography, just after the ended sitting position. In six out of eight our subjects was decreased EMG activity after using the lumbar cushion, in comparison to values registered after sitting without cushion in comparison to values registered after sitting without cushion. We concluded that reflex hyperactivity of the paraspinal muscle could be prevented with lumbar cushion which, on the other hand can improve working and operative capabilities of the pilots, and simultaneously is rational from economic point of view.     

Noise in helicopters and its effect on auditory damage in pilots

The effects of noise on hearing impairment was examined in 46 flyers in cabins of three types of helicopters. In spite of high values of the total noise level and its harmful effects in all the examined types of helicopters the statistically significant increase in hearing impairment was not found. Considering that flyers wear the helmet headphones for communication which in the same time protect them from harmful effects of environmental noise, hearing impairment was of a milder degree and of a smaller percentage.     

Apical hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and arrhythmia in military pilots

Apical hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (ApHCM), a subtype of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, may be found incidentally in healthy young adults. Arrhythmias are poor prognostic signs, and are the most frequent cause of sudden cardiac death. We present two cases of military aviators with ApHCM. One was a high-performance jet weapon system operator, who had asymptomatic non-sustained ventricular tachycardia (NSVT) and subsequently a symptomatic episode of paroxysmal atrial fibrillation. The second was a helicopter pilot, who had asymptomatic NSVT. Both aviators continue their aviation duties without exposure to +Gz under a regime of regular thorough cardiac assessment.     

Hearing loss and radiotelephony intelligibility in civilian airline pilots

Airline pilots with a mild to moderate hearing loss are regularly examined in the Netherlands National Aerospace Medical Centre. If this hearing loss exceeds the national hearing standards not only a tone-audiometric test but also routine speech-audiometry is performed. The maximal discrimination of phonetically balanced monosyllable words (20 word lists) in 16 airline pilots (32 ears) with such a hearing loss varies between 65%-100%. However, none of these pilots complains of a bad speech-intelligibility in the cockpit. This may indicate that there is a poor relation between the routine speech discrimination and the speech intelligibility in the working situation. We developed a "speech-audiometric" test (RT-test) which is completely based on the aviation jargon used in radiotelephony (RT) communications. In our group of 16 pilots the maximal discrimination in the RT-test was excellent. Even for ears with a maximal discrimination of 65%-70% in the routine speech-audiometric test the maximal RT-discrimination was 99%-100%. These pilots were all very experienced (average: 14,360 flying hours). Undoubtedly, this experience is of great importance in radiotelephony-intelligibility.     

Survey of spatial disorientation in military pilots and navigators

BACKGROUND: The direction of future spatial disorientation (SD) research and training is shaped primarily by the outcome of formal investigation of aircraft accidents and incidents. However, another source of vital information is aircrews' experience of SD that does not result in reported incidents. METHODS: A short postal SD survey was distributed to 5 Naval Air Squadrons, 22 Joint Helicopter Command Units, and 7 Royal Air Force stations in the United Kingdom. There were 752 questionnaires, including responses from 562 pilots and 149 navigators, that were returned. RESULTS: Analysis was conducted primarily on the pilot data. The most frequently experienced SD episodes were "the leans" (by 92% of respondents), loss of horizon due to atmospheric conditions (82%), misleading altitude cues (79%), sloping horizon (75%), and SD arising from distraction (66%). In general, the frequency of SD episodes and ratings of severity of the worst ever SD episode were positively related to flying experience (p < 0.05). Overall, pilots who had received in-flight SD training reported more episodes of SD than those who had not participated in this training (p < 0.05). Differences in types of SD experienced were found between aircraft categories, e.g., more episodes of SD during night vision goggle use were reported by rotary-wing pilots compared with fast-jet aviators (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: This preliminary survey has shown that SD is still a significant hazard of military flying. Overall, this study shows that the postal questionnaire is a useful tool for assessing how SD training and experience may benefit the recognition of situations that may cause SD. However, it is difficult to access those situations where aircrew were truly disorientated.     

Pilot study for predicting appropriate use of air medical helicopters. Part 1: Interfacility transports

Introduction: Appropriate use of rotor-wing aircraft is an important issue to the emergency transport industry. The purpose of this pilot study was to test criteria for their ability to accurately identify patients for whom interfacility helicopter transport is appropriate.Methods: Flight data collected from 219 flights included measures of physiological status, interventions, and need for timely care. Appropriate and inappropriate flights were compared using chi-square, Mann-Whitney U, and Wilcoxon matched-pairs signed rank tests. Logistic regression was used to evaluate how well information at critical decision points distinguishes between appropriate and inappropriate flights.Results: Statistical difference occurred between appropriate and inappropriate flights for the variables of preflight cardiac status, preflight interventions, preflight total score, flight crew vital signs, flight crew cardiac status, flight crew interventions, flight crew total score, need for surgical intervention, and need for complex critical care. No statistical difference existed between appropriate and inappropriate flights for the variables of preflight vital signs, preflight neurologic status, and flight crew neurologic status. Logistic regression models showed that coefficients for preflight total score, flight crew interventions, flight crew total score, need for surgical intervention, and need for complex critical care were significant. All other coefficients were not significant. Patients requiring emergent surgical intervention were more than four times likely to be considered an appropriate use of the aircraft, and patients requiring complex critical care were almost eight times more likely to be considered an appropriate use of the aircraft. Odds ratios for preflight and flight crew total scores revealed an increase in the likelihood of appropriateness as the total score values increased.Conclusion: Development of a gold standard to determine appropriate use of the aircraft and measurable criteria on which to base that decision is important. The instrument used in this pilot study now must be revised given statistical findings and input from the emergency transport industry.     

军事飞行员对比敏感度的分布特征

目的 探讨军事飞行员对比敏感度(CS)检查的结果分布特征.方法 应用美国Vector Vision公司生产的CSV-1000对比敏感度仪检查空军飞行员73例(146眼)明视、暗视和暗视眩光条件下不同空间频率(3、6、12、18cpd)的CS,分别对性别、眼别、机种不同空间频率的CS结果进行比较.结果 飞行员CS在中频区(6cpd)最高.左右眼比较、歼击机与运输机飞行员比较差异无统计学意义(P＞0.05).明视、暗视、暗视眩光CS依次呈下降趋势,除低频(3cpd)和高频(18cpd)暗视和暗视眩光比较差异无统计学意义,其他情况均有统计学差异(P＜0.05).女飞行员CS在多个频段均好于男飞行员,仅明视12cpd和18cpd差异无统计学意义(P＞0.05).结论本调查客观反映了军事飞行员CS的分布特征,为临床航空医学研究提供了较可靠的数据.     

Bruxism in military pilots and non-pilots: tooth wear and psychological stress

BACKGROUND: Bruxism is the diurnal or nocturnal para-functional habit of clenching or grinding the teeth and affects 5-10% of the general western population. Bruxism can cause pain and irreversible damage to the teeth, periodontium, masticatory muscles, and temporo-mandibular joint. Variables such as general stress, work-related stress, and personality traits have been increasingly considered as initiating, predisposing, and perpetuating factors for bruxism. We sought to evaluate the potential of work-related stress and personality factors to induce bruxism among military pilots and non-pilot officers. METHODS: Subjects were 57 healthy male Israel Air Force officers (mean age 25.8+/-4.3 yr). Of these, 17 were jet-pilots, 18 helicopter-pilots, and 22 non-pilot officers. Tooth-wear was classified according to a six-point scale. In addition, the subjects responded to a battery of psychological questionnaires for self-assessment of stress at the workplace and their coping behavior. RESULTS: Bruxism of clinical importance (i.e., with dentin exposure) was found in 69% of the aircrew members but only 27% of the non-pilot group. No difference was found between groups regarding stress levels. DISCUSSION: Military aircrews may be relatively vulnerable to deleterious bruxism as well as other signs of chronic stress. Among bruxers, pilots tended to show coping strategies that were significantly more emotional and less task-oriented than non-pilots, whereas non-bruxers showed no significant differences in coping behavior. This study suggest that integrating dental and psychological preventive intervention may be helpful.     

军事飞行员前庭神经炎的医学鉴定

目的 对军事飞行员前庭神经炎的医学鉴定以及未来的发展趋势进行综述.资料来源与选择 该领域的相关研究论文和综述.资料引用 国内外公开发表的论文和综述40篇.资料综合 主要对前庭神经炎的研究进展、前庭神经炎对军事飞行的影响、军事飞行员前庭神经炎的医学鉴定以及未来的发展趋势4个相关问题进行了介绍和讨论.结论 对于军事飞行员的医学鉴定,需要进行全面的前庭功能评估.未来还需要进一步研制新的前庭功能检测设备,为在模拟真实飞行环境下对患者进行评估提供支持,从而为患前庭神经炎的飞行员重返飞行岗位,提供最直接和最可靠的依据.     

军事飞行人员角膜屈光手术后视力和屈光变化的随访研究

目的 通过分析军事飞行人员角膜屈光手术后的视力和屈光变化,探讨我军飞行人员实施屈光手术后视功能及屈光的稳定性和军事航空医学关注点.方法 回顾性收集近10年(2012年1月至2021年6月)于空军特色医学中心眼科完成角膜屈光手术的现役军事飞行人员病例,共10例,均为男性,年龄24～44(30.3±5.2)岁.统计和分析飞...     

飞行员血脂谱调查

目的 调查飞行员血脂水平现状及血脂谱异常特征,并提出血脂异常防治策略及血脂水平划分标准的建议.方法 收集了按我国血脂测定标准化要求测定的591例飞行员、144例其他空勤人员（年龄21～55岁）的血脂谱,1136例普通人群作为对照进行统计分析.每组再按每5岁年龄段分组,分为7个年龄组.分析3组人群不同年龄组血浆三酰甘油（TG）、总胆固醇（TC）、高密度脂蛋白-胆固醇（HDL-C）和低密度脂蛋白-胆固醇（LDL-C）水平及其异常发生率.结果飞行员高TG血症占首位,异常发生率为26.73%.低HDL-C、高TC、高LDL-C异常发生率分别为10.02%、7.28%、6.30%.血脂异常高发生率年龄在36～55岁间,尤其是41～55岁间.血脂异常发生率与飞行员年龄、飞行时间有关,与飞行机种无关.飞行员高TG年龄比普通人群早5岁,HDL-C降低年龄比其TG增高年龄晚10岁,高TC、高LDL-C年龄比普通人群迟5～10岁.飞行员和其他空勤人员高TC发生率,与普通人群相比,差异有显著意义（P＜0.05）.与20年前调查结果相比,飞行员TG水平明显增高、HDL-C水平略有降低,血脂谱已由20年前的高TC血症转变成以高TG、低HDL-C血症为主要特征.本组飞行员与欧洲飞行员相比,血脂异常高发生率年龄段相似,高TG、低HDL-C血症发生率相似,而高TC血症发生率却远远低于欧洲飞行员.结论 飞行员血脂异常防治策略以高TG、低HDL-C为首要目标.提出了我军飞行员血脂水平划分标准和血脂异常防治方案的初步建议.     

军事飞行员血脂异常危险因素的分析

目的通过对军事飞行员血脂水平、高血脂发生率及相关因素进行分析研究,为预防和控制军事飞行员高脂血症提供科学依据。方法将2005年1月至2010年11月来我院体检的飞行员进行分组,比较各组之间的血脂水平和高血脂发生率。同时对血脂正常组及高血脂组的生理、生化指标进行比较。结果在接受调查飞行员中,高脂血症患病率为46.48%;血脂异常组的年龄、收缩压、舒张压、血糖、尿酸、体质量与血脂正常组相比较明显增高,具有统计学差异（P〈0.05）;年龄、血糖、尿酸和体质量为高脂血症的独立危险因素。结论预防和控制军事飞行员高脂血症的危险因素,对飞行员心血管疾病的发生及发展具有重要意义,为安全飞行提供重要参考依据。     

军事飞行人员冠状动脉心肌桥的航空医学鉴定

目的 探讨军事飞行人员冠状动脉心肌桥的航空医学鉴定方法.方法 回顾分析空军总医院近年通过冠状动脉造影或多层螺旋CT检查诊断的8例军事飞行人员冠状动脉心肌桥病例资料,结合文献复习,归纳提出航空医学鉴定主法.结果 ①军事飞行人员冠状动脉心肌桥多数程度较轻,无明显症状,常合并有心电图ST-T改变,但不影响心血管功能和飞行,结论飞行合格;②心肌桥造成冠状动脉狭窄程度较重,合并有胸闷、心绞痛、心律失常等临床表现时,飞行暂不合格,之后根据治疗效果进行个别评定.结论 军事飞行人员冠状动脉心肌桥的航空医学鉴定应根据是否影响心血管功能,是否合并有临床症状及心律失常等进行个别评定.     

An empirical assessment of stress-coping styles in military pilots

Although aircraft pilots are generally regarded as having superior stress-coping skills, there has been relatively little empirical research on how pilots cope with stress. New stress-coping models and measures for understanding and assessing these previously elusive processes greatly facilitate the empirical study of stress-coping styles. This study employed a new measure of stress-coping style, rationally developed from an integrative model of coping, to study stress-coping in U.S. Army pilots. Results indicated that the pilots preferred problem-focused stress-coping strategies oriented towards direct action to master stressful situations. Also, the pilots tended to deemphasize emotion-focused forms of coping with stress. Differences in stress-coping between pilots and samples of aircrewmen and non-rated military personnel suggest that this coping style reflects differences in psychological functioning independent from the pilots' adaptation to the aviation and military environment.     

军事飞行人员疲劳状况调查与分析(英文)

目的 了解军事飞行人员的疲劳状况及其特点与影响因素.方法 采用疲劳评定量表(FAI)和疲劳量表(FS-14)对924例军事飞行人员进行问卷调查,数据结果采用SPSS 17.0软件进行x2检验及Pearson相关分析.结果 问卷调查结果显示,疲劳症状阳性343人(37.1％),阴性581人(62.9％),疲劳症状阳性组FAI因子1(疲劳严重程度)、因子2(脑力疲劳因子)、因子3(疲劳后果)及总分和FS-14因子1(躯体疲劳因子)及总分均高于疲劳症状阴性组,差异有统计学意义(P＜0.01).年龄及飞行时间不同者出现疲劳症状的概率不同,差异有统计学意义(P＜0.01,P＜0.05),而飞行机种不同者出现疲劳症状的概率差异无统计学意义(P＞0.05).年龄、飞行时间与FAI因子1及总分和FS-14因子1、因子2及总分呈正相关,而飞行机种与FAI各因子及总分和FS-14各因子及总分均无相关性.结论 军事飞行人员出现疲劳症状比较普遍,其特点是疲劳严重程度、环境特异性、疲劳的后果、躯体疲劳等维度表现较明显,且不同年龄和飞行时间出现疲劳症状的概率不同.     

军事飞行员生活事件量表的编制

目的 根据军事飞行员的职业特点，编制适用于该群体的生活事件量表，建立军事飞行员群体心理负荷的来源及其强度的标准化测量工具。方法 为确定量表结构分别采用三个同质样本(n=152、n2=157和n3=437)进行了项目施测。其中前两个样本作为项目甄选的预测样本，进行二次项目增减，同时采用20人分组讨论的形式对项目进行了反复修订。在项目选择上，采用职业应激事件与一般性生活事件相结合的构念，尽可能涵盖与军事飞行员工作及生活密切相关的特殊生活事件。在质的研究基础上，对正式施测的437名被试的数据进行统计分析。结果 军事飞行员生活事件量表共有六个分量表，包含36个项目。经检验，其信度和效度的各项指标均达到了心理测量学的要求。结论 该量表尚有待进一步扩大样本进行更严格的检验。