SPC Aeromedical Factors 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A pilot experiences tunnel vision and a narrowing field of view at high altitude. This is most likely caused by:
- Carbon monoxide poisoning
- Hypoxia reducing peripheral vision (Correct answer)
- Spatial disorientation
- Dehydration
Correct answer: Hypoxia reducing peripheral vision
Hypoxia impairs the retina's oxygen-sensitive cells, causing tunnel vision as one of its early symptoms.
Question 2: Which condition is MOST likely to cause a pilot to feel falsely confident about their own performance?
- Hyperventilation
- Hypoxia (Correct answer)
- Carbon monoxide poisoning
- Dehydration
Correct answer: Hypoxia
Hypoxia produces a feeling of euphoria and overconfidence, which is particularly dangerous because the pilot may not recognize impairment.
Question 3: During a climb to 12,500 feet MSL, a student pilot begins to feel dizzy and tingling in the fingers. The FIRST action should be:
- Breathe faster to increase oxygen intake
- Descend to a lower altitude immediately (Correct answer)
- Increase cabin pressure
- Consume a high-sugar snack
Correct answer: Descend to a lower altitude immediately
Descending to a lower altitude where oxygen partial pressure is higher is the immediate corrective action for hypoxia.
Question 4: Which of the following BEST describes 'spatial disorientation'?
- Confusion about geographic position on a sectional chart
- A conflict between what the body senses and what the instruments indicate (Correct answer)
- Vertigo caused by an ear infection
- Fatigue-induced inability to read instruments
Correct answer: A conflict between what the body senses and what the instruments indicate
Spatial disorientation occurs when conflicting signals from the vestibular system, muscles, and vision disagree with actual instrument readings.
Question 5: A pilot who has been scuba diving to 30 feet should wait at least how long before flying to cabin altitudes above 8,000 feet?
- 2 hours
- 8 hours
- 12 hours
- 24 hours (Correct answer)
Correct answer: 24 hours
FAA recommends waiting at least 24 hours after any dive that required a controlled ascent (decompression stop dives) before flying above 8,000 feet.
Question 6: The 'leans' is a form of spatial disorientation in which a pilot:
- Feels the aircraft is pitched nose-down when actually level
- Believes the aircraft is in a bank when instruments show wings level (Correct answer)
- Cannot read instruments due to vibration
- Experiences nausea from turbulence
Correct answer: Believes the aircraft is in a bank when instruments show wings level
The leans occur when the vestibular system incorrectly senses a bank, causing the pilot to feel tilted even though instruments confirm wings-level flight.
Question 7: Which statement about carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning in an aircraft is correct?
- CO has a strong odor that alerts pilots before dangerous levels are reached
- CO binds to hemoglobin more readily than oxygen, reducing blood oxygen capacity (Correct answer)
- Symptoms appear only after 30 minutes of exposure
- Opening a window eliminates CO faster than landing
Correct answer: CO binds to hemoglobin more readily than oxygen, reducing blood oxygen capacity
CO displaces oxygen by binding to hemoglobin roughly 200 times more readily than oxygen, severely reducing the blood's oxygen-carrying capacity.
SPC Aeromedical Factors 2
A pilot experiences tunnel vision and a narrowing field of view at high altitude.
This is most likely caused by: