Spatial Disorientation and Aerospace Medicine Reference Collection

This site provides information that relates to civilian and military spatial disorientation and aerospace medicine, physiology, and human factors. These files were previously available through a United State Air Force (USAF) Web site hosted by Wright Patterson Air Force Base. The USAF provided the files to the Civil Aerospace Medical Institute (CAMI) so that, combined with CAMI's spatial disorientation and aerospace medicine archives, the information would be available to the public.

The files are presented as were originally organized. We invite readers to contribute material to this archive; please contact the Civil Aerospace Medical Institute.

Current Organization Scheme

• Human Factors and Medicine Panel
• Mechanism Studies
• Mishap Studies
• Multi-Sensory Integration
• Primary Flight Displays
• Remotely Operated Aircraft
• Spatial Disorientation and Advanced Technology
• Spatial Disorientation Training
• Spatial Disorientation Videos

AIR Transportation Division

The division is also responsible for management and oversight of:

• Air taxi insurance certification
• FAA's Aviation Safety and Health Program
• FAA's Whistleblower Protection Program
• The National Simulator Program

Specific Functions

• Advises the Director, the Associate Administrator, and other principal officials, and serves as a point of contact for the aviation community on matters in related program areas which are appropriate to the national level
• Determines the need for and recommends research and development projects
• Determines the need for, justifies, and formulates new or amended regulations, supplementary regulatory material and grants or denials of exemption petitions; participates in regulatory review programs; and develops operations specifications
• Develops and recommends national policies, standards, systems, procedures, and program plans
• Develops coordinates, and issues national directives to provide technical guidance on policies and procedures
• Develops operating requirements and technical standards
• Guides and assists the other divisions, the regions, and other elements of the agency in the conduct of the related programs; provides guidance on applying agency policies, standards, and procedures pertaining to current safety issues
• Initiates, recommends, and coordinates actions to resolve safety problems resulting from accidents and incidents
• Participates in the analysis and evaluation of the field execution of programs

The Air Transportation Division Also:

• Assigns projects (other than rulemaking) with recommended priorities and provides technical and policy guidance to ensure the technical adequacy of related program activities performed by the Regulatory Support Division
• Develops, coordinates, and recommends career development programs to ensure organizational competency for employees in the division
• Oversees development and maintenance of aircraft simulator and flight training device qualification standards and criteria

Aircraft Certification Service (AIR)

System Oversight Division (AIR-800)

The System Oversight (SO) Division oversees the performance of systems associated with design and production of aviation products, articles, and parts, as well as delegation systems and Safety Management Systems. 

The SO Division also issues production approvals, airworthiness certificates, and special flight authorizations; and appoints and oversees manufacturing designees and certain delegated organizations. 

Contact AIR-800

Leadership

• David Howard, Acting Director

AIR-800 Offices

• Certificate Management (CM) Branches – formerly Manufacturing Inspection Offices (MIO)
• Certificate Management (CM) Sections – formerly Manufacturing Inspection District Offices (MIDO)

Office of Aerospace Medicine

Civil Aerospace Medical Institute (CAMI)

The FAA Civil Aerospace Medical Institute (CAMI) is the medical certification, research, education, and occupational health wing of the FAA's Office of Aerospace Medicine. The goal of our activities is to enhance aviation safety.

After America's first successful flight in 1903, the first aviation fatality could not be far off. Amazingly, five years would pass before the first fatal accident. But since then, safety has been an important concern. In 1926, the Civil Aeronautics Act marshaled the talents of the medical profession to certify that all aviators are physically fit to fly.

Thus, our principal concern at CAMI is the human element in flight - pilots, flight attendants, passengers, air traffic controllers - and the entire human support system that embraces civil aviation. We study the factors that influence human performance in the aerospace environment, find ways to understand them, and communicate that understanding to the aviation community.

The Institute's people - researchers, physicians, and other medical specialists, engineers, educators, pilots, technicians, and communicators - all merged as a team in 1961 at our centralized Oklahoma City facility. Since then, the CAMI team's synergistic products serve people everywhere as they safely and routinely achieve one of the oldest of human dreams: Flight!

• CAMI - A World Class Facility(PDF)
• CAMI Brochure(PDF)
• Aeromedical Safety Brochures
• Aerospace Medical and Human Factors Research
• Aerospace Medical Education Programs
  • Aviation Medical Examiner Education
  • Airman Education Programs
• Aerospace Medicine Technical Reports
• Information for Aviation Medical Examiner (AME)
• Civil Aerospace Medical Institute Library
• Federal Air Surgeon's Medical Bulletin
• Medical Certification

Reporting Requirements

Reporting Verified Positive Drug Test Results, Prohibited Alcohol-Related Conduct or Refusals to Submit to Testing

Employers must report to the FAA's Federal Air Surgeon all verified positive drug test results or prohibited alcohol-related conduct for any safety-sensitive employee or applicant who holds a Part 67 Medical Certificate.

Employers must report to the FAA's Federal Air Surgeon all refusals to submit to drug or alcohol testing by any safety-sensitive employee or applicant who holds a Part 61, Part 63, or Part 65 Airman Certificate.

Employers may report to the FAA's Federal Air Surgeon all other safety-sensitive employees' or applicants' verified positive drug test results, prohibited alcohol-related conduct, or refusals to submit to testing.

Sample reports are available here. If you have any questions concerning reporting the above issues, please contact the Special Investigations Branch directly at (202) 267-8442 or via email at AAM830@faa.gov.

Management Information System (MIS) Report

Annual reports of testing statistics must be submitted to the FAA by March 15 of the succeeding calendar year for the prior calendar year (January 1 through December 31) for all part 121 operators; all employers with 50 or more employees performing a safety-sensitive function; and all other employers notified by the FAA in writing of the requirement to submit a report.

• MIS Instructions
• MIS Data Collection Form and Instruction Sheet

Emergency Maintenance for part 135 on-demand Operator or § 91.147 air tour operator

Employers must notify the FAA's Drug Abatement Division in writing within 10 days after being provided emergency maintenance by a maintenance provider that is not subject to the requirements of 14 CFR part 120.

• Sample Form to Report Emergency Maintenance for part 135 or § 91.147 Operator(PDF)
• Applicable Regulations: 14 CFR §§ 120.35 and 120.39

Q&As for Safety-Sensitive Employees

If my certificate has been revoked, how do I get it back?
Because your certificate has been revoked, you must apply for a new certificate and satisfy all of the requirements. To reapply or find more information, please contact your local Flight Standards District Office.

Safety Analysis & Promotion Division

Flight Standards Safety Management System (SMS) Program Office

Specific functions and responsibilities of the SMS office include:

• Focal point for AFS in future SMS-related rulemaking and policy development efforts.
• Oversight and evaluation of SMS collaborative testing projects.
• Standardization of concepts, functional requirements, and terminology across AFS managed and sponsored SMS programs, initiatives, and contracted activities.
• Alignment of internal and external SMS development activities with AVS SMS standards and AVS Management Team and AFS Executive Steering Committee guidance.
• Planning and coordination of SMS activities in AVS and AFS Business Plans.
• Representation of AFS in the AVS SMS Working Group.
• Ensure integration capability of oversight systems, both within AFS and also between AFS and other AVS lines of business.
• Coordination with the ATOS Continual Improvement Section and headquarters policy divisions on SMS-oversight system relationships.
• Development and maintenance of SMS policy and guidance documentation.
• Development of AFS SMS training requirements and mentorship of SMS related FAA Academy training.
• Development of measures of safety performance and effectiveness for both internal and external SMS.
• Development and maintenance of SMS data collection and auditing tools.
• Development and use of standardized outreach, familiarization and orientation materials for SMS.
• Coordination and management of an AFS SMS Standardization and Assistance Team to assist field organizations and service providers in development and implementation of voluntary and mandatory external SMSs.

Air Transportation Division

Aviation Rulemaking Committees (ARC)

Air Carrier Safety and Pilot Training ARC

• Air Carrier Safety and Pilot Training ARC Charter(PDF)
• Air Carrier Safety and Pilot Training ARC Participant List(PDF)

Flight and Duty Time Limitations and Rest Requirements ARC

• ARC Charter(PDF)
• Flight and Duty Time Limitations and Rest Requirements ARC Participant List(PDF)

Flight Crewmember Mentoring, Leadership and Professional Development ARC

• ARC Charter(PDF)
• Flight Crewmember Mentoring, Leadership and Professional Development ARC Participant List(PDF)

Stick Pusher and Adverse Weather Event Training ARC

• ARC Charter(PDF)
• Stick Pusher and Adverse Weather Event Training ARC Participant List(PDF)

Training Hours Requirement Review ARC

• ARC Charter(PDF)
• Training Hours Requirement Review ARC Participant List(PDF)

Aircraft Certification Service (AIR)

Local Offices

• Certification Branches – formerly Aircraft Certification Offices (ACO)
• Certificate Management Branches – formerly Manufacturing Inspection Offices (MIO)
• Certificate Management Sections – formerly Manufacturing Inspection District Offices (MIDO)

Which Local Office should I contact?

As a result of 2023 AIR Reorganization:

• The Integrated Certificate Management Division (AIR-500) was created to address certification, delegation, system oversight and continued operational safety functions with focus on commercial airplanes and engines. This includes the BASOO Branch, the Boeing Certificate Management Office, and the Engine Certification Office Branch
• Aircraft Certification Offices (ACOs) are now Certification Branches
• Manufacturing Inspection District Offices (MIDOs) are now Certificate Management Sections.
• Manufacturing Inspection Offices (MIOs) are now Certificate Management Branches

Aircraft Certification Service (AIR)

Executive Staff Office (AIR-10)

The Executive Staff Office manages the executive support functions for the Office of the Executive Director, facilitating daily operations, managing workflow by assigning tasks and reviewing work products, and participating in policy implementation through review and integration of initiatives.