August 1999

Muscle use and pilot experience (Royal New Zealand Air Force, Auckland Institute of Technology, and University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand): “Flying an aircraft requires a considerable degree of coordination, particularly during activities such as takeoff and landing … Twelve experienced and nine novice pilots were tested on an Aermacchi flight simulator while per-forming a randomized set of take-off and landing maneuvers … Variables recorded included aircraft attitude, pilot applied forces, and electromyographic (EMG) activity. Discriminant function analysis was used to distinguish between novice and experienced pilots … Across all landings, wrist flexors and wrist extensors were the predominant muscles used, with EMG activity consistently around 20-30% maximum voluntary contraction (MVC). In respect to differences in EMG activity between novice and experienced pilots, novices had significantly more activity in wrist extensors during all landings. In contrast, experienced pilots had consistently more vastus lateralis activity for all landings than did novice pilots. Over all landings and take-off, 89.5% of pilots were correctly classified as novice or experienced. When the maneuvers were analyzed individually, normal, elevator-down, and aileron-left landings were the most accurate maneuvers for pilot prediction. EMG and force variables were more important than aircraft attitude in discriminating between novice and experienced pilots (83%, 79%, and 65%, respectively).” ¹

August 1974

Sensitivity to the disabled (Office of Aviation Medicine, FAA, Washington, D.C.): “The disabled must be differentiated from the ill. The average handicapped considers himself stable and, having once been severely traumatized and in constant need to cope, is indeed probably better able to handle stress, either acute or chronic, as well as if not better than the nonhandicapped.

“The watchword is independence, as much as can possibly be managed; also, empathetic understanding by society. The wording found in some airlines’ criteria statutes must be deleted because they dehumanize, i.e., odoriferous and unsightly.

“In order to accomplish all this, a system for educating that segment of society – the Air Transport Industry – that serves the public must be instituted. The goal is for the handicapped to exercise their civil rights without undue stress.” ²

Toxicology in mishap investigation (RAF Institute of Pathology, Halton, Bucks, UK). “During the period 1967-1972 extensive toxicological analysis has been undertaken on the victims of all accidents investigated by the department (113 aircraft involving 184 crew and 207 passengers). Tissues and body fluids from crew members have been analysed for ethanol, drugs, and carbon monoxide, and that of passengers generally for carbon monoxide only … As a result of this study the value of routine aircraft accident toxicology is accentuated; in at least 35% of the incidents, the results were of direct significance to the investigating team.” ³

August 1949

Centralized military medicine (Colonel, Medical Corps, U.S. Army): “A National Defense Central Medical Board (NDCMB), similar to the ANMB [Army Navy Munitions Board], should be set up in the National Defense Headquarters for the survey, control, and distribution of medical personnel and critical equipment, and the control and co-ordination of medical research …

“Specialists and consultants should be controlled by the NDCMB and that these consultants should be for the country at large, irrespective of military arm or service …

“Replacement pools in the zone of interior should be near general hospitals and should be under the control of the NDCMB; replacement depots overseas should be under control of the theater commander and the theater surgeon …

“The training of the enlisted personnel and general training of its officers should be under chief of the service, but specialized and undergraduate college and university training should be under control of the board …

“The hospitals in the combat zone should be under the Army unless there are no other hospitals except under one service in that area, but when the Army moves in, it should take over control of all hospitals for that area …

“Hospitals at debarkation areas should be under the Central Medical Board.” ⁴

Maximum flight time (Oslo, Norway): “Maximum flying time for aircrews is a subject of great importance …

“Much will depend on the ability and will of the flight personnel to hold themselves in good physical and psychical condition. Without this view towards the profession every endeavor will fall short … An establishment of maximum flying time per year, say 1,000 or 1,200 hours, is in my opinion a limit of little or no value. It is evident that if 1,000 or 1,200 hours of flying is reached within a period of a few months, the flying will be performed unsecurely by an overtired crew.” ⁵