Download Alcohol in Aviation

Alcohol in Aviation
by
Dr. Thomas Trozzi
FAR 91.17
A) Within 8 hours after consumption
alcohol
B) While under the influence of alcohol
C) While having .04 percent by weight
or more alcohol in the blood.
Important Facts
1)
2)
3)
Two out of three adults in the
United States drink alcohol
Alcohol is involved in 30% of all
drowning and 60% of boat fatalities
40% of all traffic fatalities involve
the use of alcohol
Important Facts Continued
During the 1960’s, 43% of all
general aviation fatalities
involved alcohol use
5) Present day statistics indicate
30% of GA fatalities involve
alcohol
4)
Genetics of Alcohol
Genetic predisposition toward
alcohol abuse
B) Research indicates a mutation
of the molecular structures of
enzymes
C) Heredity also affects alcohol
use
A)
Alcohol At Work In The Body
Alcohol is classified as a sedative,
tranquilizer, hypnotic and addicting
drug
2) In moderate amounts, alcohol
causes:
relaxation, stimulation of the appetite
and creates a state of euphoria
3) In large amounts, alcohol is toxic
1)
Alcohol Absorption
Watery drinks o Physical, mental
and emotional
o Fatty foods
state
o Carbonated
o Body chemistry
beverages
o Gender
differences
o
Alcohol In The Brain (Behavior)
A.
B.
C.
D.
Friendlier
Gregarious
Release of
sexual
inhibitions
Jeckyll and Hyde
personality
changes
Alcohol In The Liver

Alcohol is broken down in steps by
enzymes
 Only 5% of alcohol is eliminated from
breath, urine, sweat. The rest from the
liver
 Alcohol is processed by the liver at the
rate of 0.3 oz. pure ethanol per hour (less
than 1oz. of whiskey)
 In large amounts, alcohol can damage the
liver resulting in liver disease
Liver Disease

Decreased
gluconeogensis
resulting in
hypoglycemia
 Impaired blood
detoxification
 Loss of bile, prothrobin
and albumin production
Alcohol In The Brain
1)
2)
3)
Stimulation and
agitation
Euphoria (false
sense of well
being)
Depresses and
sedates
4) Anesthetizes
5) Hypnotic state and
sleep
6) Impairs the ability
of the brain to use
oxygen
Alcohol And Motor Ability
 Muscle
function
 Reaction time
 Eyesight:
1. Depth perception
2. Night vision
3. Eye muscle imbalance
 Vestibular apparatus
Brain And CNS Involvement
Lost ability to retrieve
and consolidate
information
o Cognitive ability
impairment
o Altered production of
brain RNA
o Altered brain chemistry
o
BAC% And Associated Symptoms
0.010.05%
Appears normal
0.030.12%
Mild euphoria, talkativeness,
decreased inhibitions, attention,
impaired judgment, reaction time
0.090.25%
Emotional instability, loss of
critical judgment, memory,
comprehension, muscle incoordination
BAC% And Associated Symptoms
0.180.30%
0.270.40%
0.350.50%
Confusion, dizziness, emotional
instability, impaired visual,
balance, slurred speech
Apathy, impaired consciousness,
stupor, severe muscle incoordination
Unconsciousness, possible death
(respiratory failure)
Alcohol’s Effect In The Cockpit
Sensory Gathering:
o
o
o
o
70% of spatial orientation cues come
from vision for both VFR and IFR
Nystagmus(rapid oscillatory eye
movement)
Positional Alcohol Nystagmus(PAN)
Vestibular apparatus involvement
Cognitive Interpretation:
Planning
Sequencing
Judgment
Perception
Cognition
Discrimination
Calculation
Association
Attention
Voluntary Response
Vigilance
Information
Processing
Cognitive Interpretation:
1. Alcohol impairs nearly every
aspect of information gathering
by the brain.
2. Information gathering narrows
at 0.04% BAC
Cognitive Interpretation
Continued:
3.Decision making and reaction
time are impaired at 0.09% BAC
4. Attention deficits occur as low
as 0.02% BAC
Boeing 727-232 Simulator Tests
•
Highly trained experienced pilots flew for 8
sessions over the same course.
• Planning, performance and procedural
errors were noted along with failures of
vigilance beginning at the lowest BAC
of 0.025% as compared with 0% BAC.
• Post alcohol impairment was observed for
14 hours after alcohol intake
Degrees of Impairment
Degree of impairment associated with a
given BAC, is not constant and may vary
among individuals. This may be attributed
to tolerance. Tolerance is a decrease in
magnitude of an effect after repeated
exposure to alcohol. More experience
drinkers show less impairment than less
experienced drinkers.
Other Factors Influencing
The Effects Of BAC
Sleep
Deprivation
Altitude
Hypoxia
Fatigue
Night Flying
Medication Use
Bad Weather
Flying
Psychomotor Response
 Impairment in control manipulation begins as
low as 0.035% and rises as BAC increases
 Reaction time tasks are impaired by BAC
levels of 0.09 %
 Psychomotor and spatial orientation
capabilities are impaired at 0.1%
 Complex task performance and reaction time
is impaired at BAC of 0.04 %
Psychological Aspects Of Alcohol
The euphoria induced by alcohol as
well as the impairment of judgment,
may cause a pilot to undertake
maneuvers that he would not under take
while sober. This leads to risk taking on
the part of the pilot while he is already
performance challenged.
Physical Aspects Of Alcohol:

Slows heart rate as well as breathing
mechanism.
 Prevents proper cellular oxygenation resulting
in hystoxic hypoxia
 At altitude the effects of alcohol are additive
and not synergistic in producing hypoxia
 Alcohol produces induced hypoglycemia
which lowers blood sugar and affects pilot
performance
Hangover Effect:
Post alcohol impairment(PAI) has
been defined, as performance
impairment after alcohol is no longer
detectable.
PAI has been observed 14 hours after
alcohol ingestion (0.08 to 0.01%
BAC) in simulated flight tests.
Symptoms Associated With PAI
Headache
Stomach Upset
Dizziness
Irritability
Dry Mouth
Stuffy Nose
Fatigue
Impaired
Judgment
Increased
Sensitivity To
Light
Conclusion:
FAR 91. 17
No person may operate or attempt
to operate an aircraft:
1. Within 8 hours of having consumed
alcohol
2. While under influence of alcohol
3. With a BAC of 0.04% or greater
Conclusion Continued:
Flying is a complex task involving, sensory,
cognitive and psychomotor operations.
Alcohol impairs all flying skills at all levels.
Any concentration of alcohol in a pilot is
unacceptable and constitutes a serious
hazard.
Recommendation: 24 hours bottle to throttle