Aerospace Physiology & Human Factors Flashcards
6 cards from real AME practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 6 Aerospace Physiology & Human Factors flashcards as text
What is the relationship between hyperventilation and hypoxia in aviation, and why can they be clinically difficult to distinguish?
Answer: Both can cause similar symptoms (tingling, dizziness, confusion) but have different treatments - hyperventilation is treated by slowing breathing, hypoxia by supplemental oxygen; incorrect treatment of hypoxia can worsen outcome
Hyperventilation and hypoxia share overlapping symptoms but require opposite treatments. Mistaking hypoxia for hyperventilation and instructing the pilot to slow breathing delays life-saving oxygen supplementation.
What is 'flicker vertigo' (photosensitive epileptiform response) in aviation, and which light source most commonly causes it?
Answer: A seizure-like response from strobe or flickering light at 4-20 Hz, most commonly from rotating propeller or rotor blades passing in front of bright sunlight
Flicker vertigo is triggered by flickering light in the 4-20 Hz range - in aviation, most commonly from sun flicker through rotating propeller blades - and can cause disorientation, nausea, or in susceptible individuals, a seizure-like response.
What is 'the leans' in aviation, how does it arise, and why is it relevant to the AME's evaluation of vestibular function?
Answer: A spatial disorientation illusion where the pilot perceives a bank that does not exist, caused by semicircular canal adaptation to a gradual roll - directly relevant to AME evaluation of canal function
The leans is a common vestibular spatial disorientation illusion caused by the semicircular canal's inability to detect gradual below-threshold roll entry - directly relevant to AME vestibular evaluation because canal dysfunction worsens this inherent limitation.
What is the FAA's '8 hours bottle to throttle' rule, and what does the scientific evidence on alcohol pharmacokinetics suggest about the adequacy of this standard?
Answer: The 8-hour rule is the minimum required interval; significant impairment can persist beyond 8 hours at higher blood alcohol levels, and residual hangover effects can impair performance even after BAC reaches zero
The FAA requires 8 hours from last drink to flight operations, but pharmacokinetic data shows that significant alcohol impairment can persist beyond 8 hours after heavy drinking, and hangover effects impair performance independent of BAC.
What is the physiological basis for the correct emergency response of rapid altitude descent when hypoxia or DCS is suspected in a non-pressurized aircraft?
Answer: Descent increases ambient atmospheric pressure, raising PaO2 and reducing nitrogen bubble formation by restoring normal partial pressures
Descent restores higher atmospheric pressure, increasing the partial pressure of inspired oxygen (improving oxygen delivery) and promoting reabsorption of nitrogen bubbles, directly addressing both hypoxia and DCS.
What is the IMSAFE preflight self-assessment checklist, and what is its significance for aviation medical examiners?
Answer: A pilot self-assessment tool (Illness, Medication, Stress, Alcohol, Fatigue, Emotion) to evaluate fitness to fly on a given day; AMEs reinforce its use as a complement to periodic certification
IMSAFE is a widely taught self-assessment mnemonic pilots use before each flight to evaluate fitness - complementing periodic FAA medical certification with real-time self-monitoring.