Federal Aviation Administration

Airman Education Programs Topics of Interest

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  • |  Updated: 3:54 am ET July 23, 2005
Dehydration and the Pilot
By Rogers V. Shaw, III

This is information about proper fluid intake for body hydration, an important topic for safety in flight because the heat of summer causes pilots to become dehydrated and at increased risk for incidents and accidents.

We live in different climatic regions and are all physiologically different, so all we can do is describe the standards for average conditions. Adjustments must be made depending on the circumstances.

A few hot weather causes of dehydration are hot cockpits and flight lines, wind, humidity, and diuretic drinks - coffee, tea, alcohol, and soft drinks-changes in climatic conditions, sunburns, and improper attire for conditions. more....