AsMA’s Corporate Sponsors, Part III
This is the third installment of my introducing our Corporate sponsors to our membership. We ask all who attend our annual meetings to stop by their tables to meet and hear what they have to say in person about how they interact with aerospace medicine.
AeroClenz: Their website (https://aeroclenz.com/in-flight-solutions/) lists their purpose as “proprietary UV-C disinfection systems provide robust disinfection solutions that couple with traditional cleaning methods for unrivaled protection against airborne and surface pathogens for indoor facilities and aerospace applications.” The entire thought process behind disinfection of aircraft came about during the COVID-19 discussions concerning what recommendations the aerospace community could give in preventing the spread of the coronavirus in commercial aircraft. If I recall correctly, it was our past president, Kris Belland, D.O., who discovered the process while a member of the ICAO Collaborative Arrangement for the Prevention and Management of Public Health Events in Civil Aviation (CAPSCA). This ultimately led to an AsMA Resolution: “Ultra Violet ‘C’ (UV-C) Light Emitting Diode (LED) Technology as an Additional Component Equipment of the Multi-Layered Risk Mitigation Strategy for Aircraft Disinfection.”
Obviously, on commercial airplanes it is difficult to maintain cleanliness during flights as passengers and crew are in very close quarters. That situation makes the cabin a likely environment for the spread of pathogens. The company has developed the AVIVE System, which can be integrated into an aircraft and will enable continuous air and surface disinfection during flight. The equipment is installed overhead and ensures that the disinfection occurs without affecting the duties of the crew or the passengers.
In the research article “Inactivation of Pathogens in Air Using Ultraviolet Direct Irradiation Below Exposure Limits” by G. R. Allen, K. J. Benner, and W. P. Bahnfleth, it was demonstrated that low-intensity UV radiation below exposure limits achieves high levels of air changes per hour and is capable of combating airborne pathogens such as SARS-CoV-2. The UV-C is delivered at a continuous irradiance, so the inactivation of contaminants accumulates to 99%, as well as inactivating any new exhaled pathogens at the same rate over an 8-hour period.
GO2Altitude (http://www.hypoxic-training.com/) is a company based in Australia that specializes in “hypoxicator units” for training and recovery in military personnel and athletes. “The GO2Altitude training system is designed to provide world-class hypoxia awareness and recovery training in a hands-on environment.”
The GO2Altitude system was designed to be used in a classroom setting or can be integrated into a flight-training device. Some of the features the company lists for the system are: a normobaric training environment, eliminating the need for hypobaric chambers; no requirement for high-pressure gas bottles; no specific power requirements; 30,000 ft simulated air density; a pre-programmed altitude profile; a personalized post-event report; and real-time physiological monitoring. You can read more at their website or look them up if they are present in our meeting Exhibit area.
AirDocs Aeromedical Support Services: This company (https://www.airdocs.net) was started by one of our longtime AsMA members, Gregg Pinnell, M.D. Their website states, “Pilots Turn To Us For First, Second, & Third Class Medical Certification.” “Through our knowledge, expertise, and excellent working relationship with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), we have a proven track record of keeping pilots in the air.”
The physician partners of AirDocs perform the FAA medical examination for all classes of medicals. As part of the exam or if the pilot cannot travel to one of their physicians, they will conduct a consultation, collect the required evaluations and testing, and submit the information for medical certification.
Other services they provide include direct contact with physicians for in-flight medical emergencies, ground medical support for passenger and aircrew fitness to fly, creation and maintenance of on-board medical kits tailored to the specific aircraft, and ground and in-air video/medical telemetry.
Wingman Med: These (https://wingmanmed.com) are prior FA-18 pilots and board-certified Aerospace Medicine physicians who use the knowledge gained from their aviation experience to assist pilots in maintaining their medical certification. Highly knowledgeable about the FAA medical certification process, they will assist pilots with complex medical conditions in presenting their cases to FAA aeromedical certification physicians for consideration.
Since they are prior military, they are very familiar with the VA claim process. They can conduct a comprehensive review of a member’s military medical records, helping them present their disability accurately. As part of that, they can best advise the pilot on the FAA medical requirements for the particular disability and what evaluation and testing are required to present it in the best light.
