FAA Office of Aerospace Medicine
Civil Aerospace Medical Institute
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AVIATION MEDICINE REPORTS

Report No: DOT/FAA/AM-92/2

Title and Subtitle: Radiation Exposure of Air Carrier Crewmembers II

Report Date: January 1992

Authors: Friedberg, W., Snyder, L., and Faulkner, D.N.

Abstract: The cosmic radiation environment at air carrier flight altitudes is described and estimates given of the amounts of galactic cosmic radiation received on a wide variety of routes to and from, and within the contiguous United States. Radiation exposure from radioactive air cargo is also considered. Methods are provided to assess health risks from exposure to galactic radiation.

On the flights studied, the highest dose of galactic radiation received annually by a crewmember who worked as many as 1,000 block hours a year would be less than half the annual limit recommended by the International Commission on Radiological Protection for a nonpregnant occupationally exposed adult. The radiation exposure of a pregnant crewmember who worked 70 block hours a month for 5 months would exceed the recommended 2-millisievert pregnancy limit on about one-third of the flights.

Key Words: Galactic cosmic radiation, Solar cosmic radiation, Air carrier crewmembers, Pregnant crewmembers

No. of Pages: 18