Office of Aerospace Medicine Technical Reports
FAA Office of Aerospace Medicine
Civil Aerospace Medical Institute
Report No: DOT/FAA/AM-71/23
Title and Subtitle: Physiological responses of low-time private pilots to cross-country flying
Report Date: April 1971
Authors: Melton CE, Fiorica V
Abstract: Various physiological, biochemical, and psychophysiological measurements were made on low-time private pilots who each flew three cross-country flights. The round-trip flights were 320, 520, and 960 NM in length. Heart rate was recorded continuously throughout the flights. Urine, collected for the 24-hour period surrounding the flights, was differentially analyzed for epinephrine and norepinephrine. None of the measured parameters changed in proportion to the length of the flights; however, the level of stress was high when compared to other types of flying activities. The total stress of such flights must, therefore, be considered to be in direct proportion to the length of the flights.
Key Words: Stress, Cross-Country Flying, Low-time Pilots, Catecholamines, Heart Rate, Psychophysiology, Biochemistry
No. of Pages: 6
Civil Aerospace Medical Institute
Report No: DOT/FAA/AM-71/23
Title and Subtitle: Physiological responses of low-time private pilots to cross-country flying
Report Date: April 1971
Authors: Melton CE, Fiorica V
Abstract: Various physiological, biochemical, and psychophysiological measurements were made on low-time private pilots who each flew three cross-country flights. The round-trip flights were 320, 520, and 960 NM in length. Heart rate was recorded continuously throughout the flights. Urine, collected for the 24-hour period surrounding the flights, was differentially analyzed for epinephrine and norepinephrine. None of the measured parameters changed in proportion to the length of the flights; however, the level of stress was high when compared to other types of flying activities. The total stress of such flights must, therefore, be considered to be in direct proportion to the length of the flights.
Key Words: Stress, Cross-Country Flying, Low-time Pilots, Catecholamines, Heart Rate, Psychophysiology, Biochemistry
No. of Pages: 6
Last updated: Friday, June 1, 2012