PubMed Health⌕ Search

SEARCH · PubMed Health

Results for “AIRCRAFT”

Explore indexed PubMed citations for clinical trials, systematic reviews and public health research. Read source abstracts and follow each citation to its original PubMed record.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1981

Annoyance by aircraft noise and fear of overflying aircraft in relation to attitudes toward the environment and community.

If, as has been suggested, expressions of annoyance attributable to aircraft noise may reflect, in part, fear of aircraft overflights and possible crashes, then residents of areas where crashes have occurred should express more annoyance. To test this hypothesis, 50 residents of an Albany, New York area where an aircraft crash producing fatalities recently occurred, and 50 residents of a comparable nearby area without such a history, were asked to respond to a "Quality of Life" questionnaire. Among the items were some designed to test annoyance by noise and fear of aircraft overflights. It was predicted that those in the crash area would express more fear and would more often identify aircraft as a noise source. Factor analysis and discriminant analysis results sustained these hypotheses. A near-replication was carried out in Louisville, Kentucky; results were much the same. For the crash-area groups there was association of aircraft fear and noise annoyance responses; this was true to an apparently lesser extent for non-crash-area groups. The greater annoyance of crash groups by aircraft community noise apparently does not carry over to assessment of aircraft noise in the laboratory.

Accidents, Aviation↗
PubMed1994

The impact of the Amsterdam aircraft disaster on reported annoyance by aircraft noise and on psychiatric disorders.

BACKGROUND: On 4 October 1992 a plane crashed on the south-eastern (SE) borough of Amsterdam. This study examines the effects of this disaster on the reported annoyance caused by aircraft noise and on psychiatric disorders measured by the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ), in an ongoing Health Interview Survey (HIS). METHODS: In the HIS 5092 people were interviewed; 1006 before the accident and 305 in the SE borough. Odds ratios (OR) were computed comparing the period before the disaster with the 8 months thereafter. RESULTS: After aircraft crossings restarted (weeks 3-10 after the disaster) 60.0% of the respondents in the disaster borough reported annoyance, compared to 36.8% before the event (crude OR = 2.57, 95% confidence interval (Cl); 2.63-3.04). In the three subsequent 2-month periods these OR for the SE borough steadily decreased. No significant change was found either for the rest of Amsterdam or for the GHQ measure. Logistic regression modelling showed the increase to be highest immediately after the aircraft crossings restarted. (OR = 7.50, 95% Cl: 2.40-23.4). CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that fear is related to a heightened sensitivity to noise, but indicate that this does not lead to widespread psychiatric disorders. The results further indicate that this HIS was sufficiently sensitive to show changes in annoyance caused by aircraft noise after such a severe incident.

Accidents, Aviation↗
PubMed1975

Cardiac injuries in aircraft occupants resulting from aircraft accidents.

The author reports that relatively frequent injuries to the thorax and to the heart are established in autopsies of aircraft fatalities. A review of 128 autopsy protocols of aircraft accident fatalities revealed 111 cases of severe contact injuries to the thorax and 98 cases of traumatic injuries to the pericardium and the heart. Accepting the fact that persons injured if traffic accidents display cardiac injuries in 25% of the cases, the number of traumatic heart lesions inflicted in persons in aircarft accidents is three times as high, a fact which may be attributed to the far higher speeds of the aircraft at the moment of impact with resultant forces of deceleration. Causes and mechanisms of the development of cardiac lesions as well as necessary recommendations for the improvement of the health protection of aircraft occupants are discussed.

Accidents, Aviation↗
PubMed2001

Aircraft and runway deicers at General Mitchell International Airport, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA. 2. Toxicity of aircraft and runway deicers.

Streams receiving runoff from General Mitchell International Airport (GMIA), Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA, were studied to assess toxic impacts of aircraft and runway deicers. Elevated levels of constituents related to deicing (propylene glycol, ethylene glycol, and ammonia) were observed in stream samples. The LC50s of type I deicer for Ceriodaphnia dubia, Pimephelas promelas, Hyalela azteca, and Chironimus tentans and the EC50 for Microtox were less than 5,000 mg/L of propylene glycol. Concentrations up to 39,000 mg/L were observed at airport outfall sites in samples collected during deicing events. The IC25s of type I deicer for C. dubia and P. promelas were less than 1,500 mg/L of propylene glycol. Concentrations up to 960 mg/L were observed in low-flow samples at an airport outfall site. Measured toxicity of stream water was greatest during winter storms when deicers were applied. Chronic toxicity was observed at airport outfall samples from low-flow periods in the winter and the summer, with the greater toxic impacts from the winter sample. All forms of toxicity in stream-water samples decreased as downstream flows increased.

Aircraft↗
PubMed1980

Passenger survival in wide-bodied jet aircraft accidents vs. other aircraft: a comparison.

An analysis of survival of passengers involved in accidents over the last decade shows approximately three time fewer fatalities, in proportion to the number of passengers involved, in wide-bodied jets than in piston aircraft. Various factors affecting the improved survival rates are discussed. Application of these points with particular reference to airport disaster planning is made. It is shown that there are larger numbers of survivors when life-saving emergency treatment utilizes the concept of "bringing the hospital to the disaster." Details of the Mobile Emergency Hospital developed at Kennedy International Airport are described.

Accidents↗
PubMed2003

[Fatal injuries of flight crews in civil aircraft and sport aircraft].

The analysis of the 74 cases of civil aviation accidents have been done from the period 1991-2000, in which 107 persons were killed. The Institute of Aviation Medicine has participated on the investigation of 86.5% crashes in the Czech republic. The majority of accidents happened in the period from april to september, 55.4% cases during weekend days. The male prevalence among bodies was significant, the average age of dead pilots was 43.5 years. Polytrauma was the most frequent cause of death. The medical cause of accident genesis was managed in one case. Heavy problem were almost 11% positive BAC of the investigated crew members. The positive toxicology findings of medical drugs in pilots were sporadic. The type of crashes and their collisions were also analysed.

Accidents, Traffic↗
PubMed1999

Homebuilt aircraft crashes.

BACKGROUND: While the number of general aviation crashes has decreased over the 5 yr prior to 1993, the total number of homebuilt aircraft crashes has increased by nearly 25%. Research was undertaken to analyze these crashes and identify causal factors or unique problems associated with homebuilt aircraft. METHODS: Some 200 National Transportation Safety Board computer records and two-page descriptive briefs were analyzed for homebuilt aircraft crashes during 1993. Using descriptive epidemiology, variables were looked at in detail and comparisons were made with general aviation crashes during the-same year. RESULTS: Despite accounting for only 3% of all hours flown in general aviation certified aircraft for 1993, homebuilt aircraft accounted for 10% of the crashes and experienced a higher fatal crash rate. Crashes due to mechanical failure and crashes on takeoff and climb were more common in homebuilt aircraft as compared with general aviation. Other significant causal factors for homebuilt aircraft crashes included: minimal flight time in type specific aircraft, improper maintenance and improper design or assembly. CONCLUSIONS: Greater emphasis needs to be placed on educating homebuilt aircraft owners in the importance of following Federal Aviation Administration guidelines for certification and air worthiness testing. Understanding the aircraft's specifications and design limitations prior to the initial flight and properly maintaining the aircraft should also help to reverse the trend in the number of these crashes and subsequent lives lost. A system for assuring that all home-built aircraft are certified and more accurate reporting of flight hours are needed for accurate tracking of homebuilt aircraft crash rates.

Accidents, Aviation↗
PubMed1997

A review of health effects of aircraft noise.

Social surveys have established dose-response relationships between aircraft noise and annoyance, with a number of psychological symptoms being positively related to annoyance. Evidence that exposure to aircraft noise is associated with higher psychiatric hospital admission rates is mixed. Some evidence exists of an association between aircraft noise exposure and use of psychotropic medications. People with a pre-existing psychological or psychiatric condition may be more susceptible to the effects or exposure to aircraft noise. Aircraft noise can produce effects on electroencephalogram sleep patterns and cause wakefulness and difficult in sleeping. Attendances at general practitioners, self-reported health problems and use of medications, have been associated with exposure to aircraft noise, but some findings are inconsistent. Some association between aircraft noise exposure and elevated mean blood pressure has been observed in cross-sectional studies of schoolchildren, but with little confirmation from cohort studies. There is no convincing evidence to suggest that all-cause or cause-specific mortality is increased by exposure to aircraft noise. There is no strong evidence that aircraft noise has significant perinatal effects. Using the World Health Organization definition of health, which includes positive mental and social wellbeing, aircraft noise is responsible for considerable ill-health. However, population-based studies have not found strong evidence that people living near or under aircraft flight paths suffer higher rates of clinical morbidity or mortality as a consequence of exposure to aircraft noise. A dearth of high quality studies in this area precludes drawing substantive conclusions.

Aircraft↗
PubMed2001

Aircraft control forces and EMG activity in a C-130 Hercules during strength-critical maneuvers.

BACKGROUND: The force levels required to operate aircraft controls should be readily generated by pilots, without undue fatigue or exertion. However, maximum pilot applied forces, as specified in aircraft design standards, were empirically derived from the subjective comments of test pilots, and may not be applicable for the majority of pilots. Further, experienced RNZAF Hercules flying instructors have indicated that endurance and fatigue are problems for Hercules pilots. The aim of this study was to quantify aircraft control forces during emergency maneuvers in a Hercules aircraft and compare these forces with design standards. In addition, EMG data were recorded as an indicator of muscle fatigue during flight. METHODS: Six subjects were tested in a C-130 Hercules aircraft. The maneuvers performed were low-level dynamic flight, one engine-off straight-and-level flight, and a two-engines-off simulated approach. The variables recorded were pilot-applied forces and EMG activity. RESULTS: Left rudder pedal force and vastus lateralis activity were both significantly greater during engine-off maneuvers than during low-level dynamic flight (p < 0.05). Maximum aircraft control forces for all controls were within 10% of the design standards. The mean EMG activity across all muscles and maneuvers was 26% MVC, with a peak of 61% MVC in vastus lateralis during the two-engine-off approach. The median frequency of the vastus lateralis EMG signal decreased 13.0% and 16.0% for the one engine-off and two-engine-off maneuvers, respectively. CONCLUSION: The forces required to fly a Hercules aircraft during emergency maneuvers are similar to the aircraft design standards. However, the levels of vastus lateralis muscle activation observed during the engine-off maneuvers can be sustained for approximately 1 min only. Thus, if two engines fail more than 1 min before landing, pilots may have to alternate control of the aircraft to share the workload and enable the aircraft to land safely.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

[No effect of aircraft crash near South Limburg (the Netherlands) on self-perceived health, but an increase in perceived environmental nuisance by the inhabitants].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the influence of an aircraft crash near the South of Limburg, the Netherlands, on the perceived physical and psychological health and annoyance of local residents. DESIGN: Controlled, blinded, follow-up questionnaire survey. METHOD: Three months before an aircraft crash occurred, randomly selected local residents and control subjects who lived approximately 20 km from the crash site were asked to complete a health questionnaire. The study was repeated one year after the crash. The aim of the survey was not mentioned in the questionnaire. The questionnaire asked about demographic features, physical health, psychological health and environmental nuisance. In the first survey, 544/926 (59%) questionnaires were successfully returned, and after the disaster this figure was 677/900 (75%). Linear regression modelling was used to check whether or not any differences in outcome were due to confounding demographic variables. RESULTS: There was no significant difference in the perceived physical and psychological health of local residents before and after the aircraft crash. A year after the crash, the nuisance level of aircraft noise reported by local residents had markedly increased. Aircraft noise was the major cause of disturbance. More than 1 in 3 residents perceived daily aircraft noise as a nuisance compared with 1 in 6 before the crash. The scores of local inhabitants for annoyance due to aircraft odour and dust doubled after the crash. Compared with control subjects, local inhabitants scored more than 20 times higher for annoyance due to aircraft odour and 40 times higher for annoyance due to dust. The reported nuisance caused by road traffic noise, odour and dust also increased, although to a lesser extent. CONCLUSION: Health was not influenced by the aircraft crash. A year after the crash, there was a strong drop in tolerance of aircraft nuisance. There was also a reduction in the tolerance of comparable nuisance due, for example, to road traffic, although this change was less marked.

Accidents, Aviation↗
PubMed2003

A critical review of reported air concentrations of organic compounds in aircraft cabins.

This paper presents a review and assessment of aircraft cabin air quality studies with measured levels of volatile and semivolatile organic compounds (VOCs and SVOCs). VOC and SVOC concentrations reported for aircraft cabins are compared with those reported for residential and office buildings and for passenger compartments of other types of transportation. An assessment of measurement technologies and quality assurance procedures is included. The six studies reviewed in the paper range in coverage from two to about 30 flights per study. None of the monitored flights included any unusual or episodic events that could affect cabin air quality. Most studies have used scientifically sound methods for measurements. Study results indicate that under routine aircraft operations, contaminant levels in aircraft cabins are similar to those in residential and office buildings, with two exceptions: (1). levels of ethanol and acetone, indicators of bioeffluents and chemicals from consumer products are higher in aircraft than in home or office environments, and (2). levels of certain chlorinated hydrocarbons and fuel-related contaminants are higher in residential/office buildings than in aircraft. Similarly, ethanol and acetone levels are higher in aircraft than in other transportation modes but the levels of some pollutants, such as m-/p-xylenes, tend to be lower in aircraft.

Acetone↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Trends in cabin air quality of commercial aircraft: industry and passenger perspectives.

The small air space available per person in a fully occupied aircraft passenger cabin accentuates the human bioeffluent factor in the maintenance of air quality. The accumulation of carbon dioxide and other contributions to poor air quality that can occur with inadequate ventilation, even under normal circumstances, is related to the volume of available air space per person and various ventilation rates. This information is compared with established air quality guidelines to make specific recommendations with reference to aircraft passenger cabins under both normal and abnormal operating conditions. The effects of respiration on the air quality of any enclosed space from the respiration of a resting adult are estimated using standard equations. Results are given for different volumes of space per person, for zero air exchange, and for various air change rates. The required ventilation rates estimated in this way compared closely with results calculated using a standard empirical formula. The results confirm that the outside air ventilation required to achieve a target carbon dioxide concentration in the air of an occupied enclosed space remains the same regardless of the volume of that space. The outside air ventilation capability of older and more recent aircraft is then reviewed and compared with the actual measurements of cabin air quality for these periods. The correlation between calculated and measured aircraft cabin carbon dioxide concentrations from other studies was very good. Respiratory benefits and costs of returning to the 30% higher outside air ventilation rates and 8% higher cabin pressures of the 1960s and 1970s are outlined. Consideration is given to the occasional occurrence of certain types of aircraft malfunction that can introduce more serious contaminants to the aircraft cabin. Recommendations and suggestions for aircraft builders and operators are made that will help improve aircraft cabin air quality and the partial pressure of oxygen that is available to passengers at minimal cost. Also suggested are some measures that passengers can take to help improve their comfort and decrease their risk of illness, particularly on long-haul flights.

Adult↗
PubMed1996

The epidemiology of aircraft fire in commuter and air taxi crashes.

BACKGROUND: Aircraft fire is recognized as an important risk factor for occupant fatality in aviation crashes, but its epidemiology has not been adequately studied. OBJECTIVE: This study examines factors related to the occurrence of aircraft fire, ignition sources, and factors influencing rescue and firefighting in commuter and air taxi crashes. METHODS: Commuter and air taxi crashes in 1983-88 that involved aircraft fire were analyzed using National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) data, including NTSB supplemental forms on fire and on rescue and firefighting. RESULTS: Aircraft fire was recorded in 17% of the 888 commuter and air taxi crashes. Factors associated with increased likelihood of fire in these crashes were non-airport location (adjusted relative risk 2.7, 95% confidence interval 1.8-4.1), twin-engine aircraft (RR 2.5, 95% Cl 1.6-3.9), and nighttime (RR 1.7, 95% Cl 1.1-2.5). Fire was more common in Beech 18's than other twin-engine airplanes. The majority (59%) of fires occurred during impact sequence, and an additional 17% occurred after the aircraft came to rest. The engine was identified as the ignition source in 59% of the crashes, followed by hot surface (18%), short circuit (9%), and sparks (9%). Fire sensing and extinguishing systems were installed in only 19% of the aircraft. Rescue and firefighting efforts were hampered most commonly by terrain (48%), weather (47%), and darkness (38%). CONCLUSIONS: Typically induced by impact and started at the engine, aircraft fire is most likely when a crash occurs at night, in a non-airport location, and in instrument meteorological conditions. These high-risk circumstances also often thwart rescue and firefighting efforts.

Accidents, Aviation↗
PubMed2002

Using virtual reality technology for aircraft visual inspection training: presence and comparison studies.

The aircraft maintenance industry is a complex system consisting of several interrelated human and machine components. Recognizing this, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has pursued human factors related research. In the maintenance arena the research has focused on the aircraft inspection process and the aircraft inspector. Training has been identified as the primary intervention strategy to improve the quality and reliability of aircraft inspection. If training is to be successful, it is critical that we provide aircraft inspectors with appropriate training tools and environment. In response to this need, the paper outlines the development of a virtual reality (VR) system for aircraft inspection training. VR has generated much excitement but little formal proof that it is useful. However, since VR interfaces are difficult and expensive to build, the computer graphics community needs to be able to predict which applications will benefit from VR. To address this important issue, this research measured the degree of immersion and presence felt by subjects in a virtual environment simulator. Specifically, it conducted two controlled studies using the VR system developed for visual inspection task of an aft-cargo bay at the VR Lab of Clemson University. Beyond assembling the visual inspection virtual environment, a significant goal of this project was to explore subjective presence as it affects task performance. The results of this study indicated that the system scored high on the issues related to the degree of presence felt by the subjects. As a next logical step, this study, then, compared VR to an existing PC-based aircraft inspection simulator. The results showed that the VR system was better and preferred over the PC-based training tool.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

Chronic aircraft noise exposure, stress responses, mental health and cognitive performance in school children.

BACKGROUND: Previous research suggests that children are a high risk group vulnerable to the effects of chronic noise exposure. However, questions remain about the nature of the noise effects and the underlying causal mechanisms. This study addresses the effects of aircraft noise exposure on children around London Heathrow airport, in terms of stress responses, mental health and cognitive performance. The research also focuses on the underlying causal mechanisms contributing to the cognitive effects and potential confounding factors. METHODS: The cognitive performance and health of 340 children aged 8-11 years attending four schools in high aircraft noise areas (16 h outdoor Leq > 66 dBA) was compared with children attending four matched control schools exposed to lower levels of aircraft noise (16 h outdoor Leq < 57 dBA). Mental health and cognitive tests were group administered to the children in the schools. Salivary cortisol was measured in a subsample of children. RESULTS: Chronic aircraft noise exposure was associated with higher levels of noise annoyance and poorer reading comprehension measured by standardized scales with adjustments for age, deprivation and main language spoken. Chronic aircraft noise was not associated with mental health problems and raised cortisol secretion. The association between aircraft noise exposure and reading comprehension could not be accounted for by the mediating role of annoyance, confounding by social class, deprivation, main language or acute noise exposure. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that chronic aircraft noise exposure is associated with impaired reading comprehension and high levels of noise annoyance but not mental health problems in children.

Aircraft↗