Sleep and Modeled Performance of Arctic Patrollers during Operation Nunalivut 2010

Sleep and Modeled Performance of Arctic Patrollers during Operation Nunalivut 2010


http://www.dtic.mil/cgi-bin/GetTRDoc?AD=ADA557356&Location=U2&doc=GetTRDoc.pdf


DEFENCE RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT TORONTO (CANADA)

DRDC TM 2011-037
July 2011
Paul, Michel A ; Bouak, Fethi


The goal of this work was to monitor sleep (via wrist actigraphs) in Arctic Patrollers and generate cognitive effectiveness models for each patroller using a program called Fatigue Avoidance Scheduling Tool (FASTTM). Actigraphic data were collected from 23 Arctic patrollers of whom 3 were Inuit Rangers (who ranged from 25 to 62 years of age), from one ranger instructor (48 years of age) and from 19 troops who were freshly deployed from various regions across southern Canada (who ranged from 21 to 54 years of age). The patrols ranged from 5 to 14 days in duration. Sleep data were recorded for several days at Canadian Forces Station Alert prior to departing on patrol and throughout the patrols. The following sleep parameters (primary sleep period minutes, total daily sleep minutes, number of daily naps, daily nap minutes, sleep latency in minutes, number of sleep episodes in the primary sleep period, and WASO (Wake After Sleep Onset) in minutes) were recorded and graphed for each day as well as averaged over 16 days. Total daily sleep minutes along with daily work periods were inputted to FASTTM to generate models of cognitive effectiveness for each of the 23 Arctic patrollers. Results and Discussion: Inuit Rangers obtained more sleep in their primary sleep periods, have fewer sleep episodes and have less wake time within their primary sleep periods than their freshly deployed counterparts. On several days the FASTTM models for 2 of the 3 Inuit Rangers predicted levels of performance equivalent to a blood alcohol content of 0.05%.







*MILITARY FORCES(FOREIGN), *SLEEP, ARCTIC REGIONS, CANADA, COGNITION, DAILY OCCURRENCE, FATIGUE(PHYSIOLOGY), PATROLLING, PERCEPTION(PSYCHOLOGY), SCHEDULING

Evaluation of a Fatigue Countermeasures Training Program for Flight Attendants

Evaluation of a Fatigue Countermeasures Training Program for Flight Attendants


http://www.dtic.mil/cgi-bin/GetTRDoc?AD=ADA554190&Location=U2&doc=GetTRDoc.pdf


FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION OKLAHOMA CITY OK CIVIL AEROSPACE MEDICAL INST

Hauck, Erica L ; Avers, Katrina B ; Banks, Joy O ; Blackwell, Lauren V

DOT/FAA/AM 11/18
November 2011




There is a growing population of employees that work non-traditional hours in around-the-clock operations. Cabin crew/flight attendants are part of this population and work highly variable schedules that include extended duty days, time zone changes, night schedules, and on-demand calls. These schedules conflict with the body's natural mechanisms for managing sleep and alertness, and often result in fatigue. Fatigue countermeasure training may be necessary for the health, well-being, and safety of workers. The current research evaluated a comprehensive fatigue countermeasure training program for flight attendants using a theoretically grounded taxonomy of training criteria. Alternative evaluation strategies were also utilized to improve traditional pretest-posttest designs and provide convergent evidence of training effectiveness.




*FATIGUE(PHYSIOLOGY), *FLIGHT CREWS, CONFLICT, CONVERGENCE, COUNTERMEASURES, EDUCATION, HEALTH, JOBS, TRAINING

General Recommendations on Fatigue Risk Management for the Canadian Forces

General Recommendations on Fatigue Risk Management for the Canadian Forces

http://www.dtic.mil/cgi-bin/GetTRDoc?AD=ADA557295&Location=U2&doc=GetTRDoc.pdf


DEFENCE RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT TORONTO (CANADA
DRDC TR 2010-056
April 2010
Cheung, Bob ; Vartanian, Oshin ; Hofer, Kevin ; Bouak, Fethi


A recent Advisory Publication (ADV PUB Number ASMG 6000, 7 Jan 2010) on Fatigue Countermeasures in Sustained and Continuous Operations recommended that all Air and Space Interoperability Council (ASIC) nations should have national policies regarding fatigue management. Currently, there is no existing doctrine and training program for fatigue risk management available in the Canadian forces (CF). The focus of this document is on the management of sleep hygiene and circadian entrainment, rather than physical, muscle fatigue, or fatigue at the cellular level. Recommendations for fatigue management are based on best practices derived from the latest scientific findings and the collation of appropriate common policies from other military forces that will enable aircrew to perform at their best. It includes a series of summaries that address what is and what is not known regarding the efficacy, implementation and limitation associated with fatigue countermeasures commonly employed. A stratified approach is adopted to ensure that promotion of sleep is the first priority under routine fatigue management, followed by generally approved pharmacological intervention. Employment of those prescription medications permitted by CF policies will be suggested only as a last resort. This document is written primarily for the Air Force; however, the general recommendations to fatigue risk management also apply to the Navy and the Army as they, too, experience sleep loss due to changing time zones and changing operational schedules. The intended key users for these recommendations include commanders, unit trainers, mission planners, medical officers, unit safety officers, and all personnel who support operations. They are well advised to familiarize themselves with the causes of fatigue and the various options in fatigue risk management. This guide is considered to be a living document. The material will be updated as new technological information and empirical scientific data emerge




 *CANADA, *FATIGUE(PHYSIOLOGY), *MILITARY FORCES(FOREIGN), *MILITARY PERSONNEL, *RISK MANAGEMENT, ADVISORY ACTIVITIES, CIRCADIAN RHYTHMS, CONTINUITY, COUNTERMEASURES, MEDICAL PERSONNEL, MEDICINE, MILITARY COMMANDERS, MISSIONS, OFFICER PERSONNEL, PHARMACOLOGY, POLICIES, SAFETY, SLEEP DEPRIVATION

Fatigue Solutions for Maintenance: From Science to Workplace Reality

Fatigue Solutions for Maintenance: From Science to Workplace Reality


http://www.dtic.mil/cgi-bin/GetTRDoc?AD=ADA554196&Location=U2&doc=GetTRDoc.pdf

Avers, Katrina E ; Johnson, William B ; Banks, Joy O ; Nei, Darin ; Hensley, Elizabeth


DOT/FAA/AM 11/19
December 2011

Thirty delegates, mostly from the FAA's Aviation Safety (AVS) business unit, but also from U.S. industry and Transport Canada, assembled for a two-day workshop in Oklahoma City, OK. The workshop format combined key presentation topics, each followed by structured discussion. Following the discussion, the delegates generated a rank-order listing of the most important actions needed to reduce maintenance fatigue risk. Section 2.0 of this report elaborates on the top ten actions identified: 1. Enhance Employer and Worker Fatigue Awareness 2. Continue and Expand Fatigue Countermeasure Education 3. Support and Regulate Fatigue Risk Management Systems (FRMS) 4. Quantify Safety and Operational Efficiency Impact of Fatigue 5. Regulate Hours of Service Limits 6. Establish Baseline Data of Fatigue Risk with Existing Event-Reporting Systems 7. Integrate Fatigue Awareness Into Safety Culture 8. Ensure That FRMS is Considered in Safety Management Systems (SMS) Program 9. Create and Implement Fatigue Assessment Tools 10. Improve Collaboration of FRMS Within and Across Organizations The workshop delegates felt that the FAA is addressing many of these challenges, but there is substantial opportunity to increase attention to each topic. Their consensus was to address the challenges not only with research and development but also with operational activity and possible future regulation.


AVIATION SAFETY, AWARENESS, CULTURE, EDUCATION, FATIGUE(PHYSIOLOGY), HUMAN FACTORS ENGINEERING, ORGANIZATIONS, RISK MANAGEMENT, WORKSHOPS

Prevalence of Neck and Back Pain amongst Aircrew at the Extremes of Anthropometric Measurements

 Prevalence of Neck and Back Pain amongst Aircrew at the Extremes of Anthropometric Measurements

http://www.dtic.mil/cgi-bin/GetTRDoc?AD=ADA564323&Location=U2&doc=GetTRDoc.pdf

USAARL 2012-12

Walters, Patricia L ; Cox, James M ; Clayborne, Kareem ; Hathaway, Alyssa J


Back and neck pain are a significant cause of morbidity among helicopter aircrew. The majority of studies evaluating the influence of anthropometry are limited to body mass index and stature. Nine anthropometric parameters were measured and a survey was issued to 88 aviators. Weight and neck circumference distribution were skewed to the right and not representative of 98 percentile distributions. Helmet size did not correlate well with reported helmet size. Eighty-two percent of responses reported flying related back pain and the most common complaint was lack of back support in current aircraft configuration. Posture was cited as a contributory factor on 67 percent of all aircrew surveyed, but no one anthropometric measure predicted postural complaints. Aircrew with more flying hours were most likely to report severe back pain. Fifty-eight percent of aviators reported neck pain when flying and individuals with smaller sitting height, fewer flying hours, of heavier NVG counterbalance weight reported less neck pain.



ANTHROPOMETRY, *NECK(ANATOMY), *PAIN, AVIATION PERSONNEL, FLIGHT CREWS, HELICOPTERS, HELMETS, MORBIDITY, POSTURE(PHYSIOLOGY)

Risk Propensity and Health Risk Behaviors in U.S. Army Soldiers with and without Psychological Disturbances across the Deployment Cycle

Risk Propensity and Health Risk Behaviors in U.S. Army Soldiers with and without Psychological Disturbances across the Deployment Cycle
http://www.dtic.mil/cgi-bin/GetTRDoc?AD=ADA557841&Location=U2&doc=GetTRDoc.pdf


ARMY AEROMEDICAL RESEARCH LAB FORT RUCKER AL


Kelley, Amanda M ; Athy, Jeremy R ; Cho, Timothy H ; Erickson, Brad ; King, Melody ; Cruz, Pedro


USAARL 2012-08



Three potential factors driving changes in health risk behaviors after a combat deployment were examined in this study; posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), concussion and traumatic brain injury (TBI), and perceived invincibility. We studied members of a combat arms brigade one month prior to a deployment to Iraq and approximately one month after their return (N = 319). Participants anonymously completed surveys characterizing attitudes about risk, risk propensity, invincibility, engagement in health risk behaviors, and personality. Using standardized screening instruments, participants were categorized with respect to PTSD and probable TBI. Results suggest that Soldiers engage in more alcohol use and reckless driving behaviors post-deployment. These changes were exaggerated in those who screened positive for PTSD. Perception of one's invincibility and survival skills increased post-deployment thus suggesting that participants felt less susceptible to adverse consequences and more adept at surviving dangerous situations. This study provides documentation of the health behavior pattern in Soldiers engaged in the deployment cycle.





Descriptors : *ARMY PERSONNEL, *CONCUSSION, *POST TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER, *TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURIES, ALCOHOLISM, ATTITUDES(PSYCHOLOGY), BEHAVIOR, DEPLOYMENT, HEALTH, MENTAL DISORDERS, PERSONALITY, SKILLS, STRESS(PSYCHOLOGY), WOUNDS AND INJURIES

Estimated metabolic heat production of helicopter aircrew members during Operations in Iraq and Afghanistan

Estimated Metabolic Heat Production of Helicopter Aircrew Members during Operations in Iraq and Afghanistan


http://www.dtic.mil/dtic/tr/fulltext/u2/a558580.pdf
ARMY RESEARCH INST OF ENVIRONMENTAL MEDICINE NATICK MA BIOPHYSICS AND BIOMEDICAL MODELING DIV

USARIEM T12-03 April 2012
Tharion, William J ; Goetz, Victoria ; Yokota, Miyo


The degree of heat strain experienced by helicopter Aircrew varies with environmental condition, the physical demands of the mission, clothing and equipment worn, and individual characteristics such as age, height, weight, percent body fat, degree of heat acclimation, pharmaceutical use, and physical fitness. The level of heat strain in Aircrew members conducting in-theater operations is unknown. Methods: Male Aircrew members (n = 18, age: 35 + 8 yrs, wt: 87 + 10 kg, ht: 178 + 7 cm; mean + standard deviation)with in-theater operational experience served as test volunteers. Participants included Aircrew members from Blackhawk (UH-60) or Chinook (CH-47) helicopters. Individual energy expenditures in kilocalories (kcal) were determined for each period of activity. Total training day energy expenditure was estimated from the various activities an individual performed. Metabolic heat was estimated using a mechanical efficiency of 20% for human movement and a standardized conversion to watts (W) (1 kcal/hr = 1.163 W) as needed.


FLIGHT CREWS, *HEAT PRODUCTION(BIOLOGY), *METABOLISM, AFGHANISTAN, ENERGY CONSUMPTION, HELICOPTERS, IRAQ, PHYSICAL FITNESS

Analysis of Medical Events among Battlefield Airmen Trainees

Analysis of Medical Events among Battlefield Airmen Trainees

http://www.dtic.mil/cgi-bin/GetTRDoc?AD=ADA559146&Location=U2&doc=GetTRDoc.pdf

SCHOOL OF AEROSPACE MEDICINE WRIGHT PATTERSON AFB OH

AFRL SA WP SR 2012-0004
Maupin, M


United States Air Force Battlefield Airmen (BA) are an elite group of largely enlisted, male warfighters whose duties require a substantial degree of physical and mental strength, agility, stamina, and discipline. The numerous financial, material, and personnel resources required to train this group feed into a multi-location training pipeline, which can take up to 2 years per trainee to complete. The majority of those who enter the training program do not complete the program, and a subset of these noncompleters (about 15%) is related to medical events. Secondary data analyses were performed on existing training data to determine a timeline of medical events within the pipeline. Descriptive analyses were conducted to determine the number of individuals in pipelines, median pipeline length, graduation rates, number of medical events, and median day of medical event. For the 3-year period from 2008 to 2010, there were 2,837 BA who started training pipelines. Median pipeline length (in days) for graduates ranged from 105 to 708 and graduation rates ranged from 1% to 60%, depending on the career field. For nongraduates, medical events occurred as early as 5% of the way through the pipeline for one career field and as late as 30% for another career field. Medical events were characterized by examining data from the Military Health System Mart for clinic visits near the event dates and summarizing the types of medical diagnoses found. Of the 600 individuals with medical events in the 3-year period (21% of the total pipelines), 73% had corresponding medical events in the Military Health System Mart. The most common diagnosis categories were diseases of the musculoskeletal system and connective tissue and injury and poisoning. The largest subcategory within musculoskeletal diseases was disorders of the joint, most of which were joint pain of the lower leg.





Descriptors : *AIR FORCE PERSONNEL, *AIR FORCE TRAINING, *BATTLEFIELDS, *MEDICAL SERVICES, *MILITARY MEDICINE, *TRAINEES, CAREERS, CONNECTIVE TISSUE, DIAGNOSIS(MEDICINE), ENLISTED PERSONNEL, HEALTH, MENTAL ABILITY, MUSCULOSKELETAL DISEASES, OUTPATIENT CLINICS, POISONING, SPECIAL OPERATIONS FORCES, WOUNDS AND INJURIES

Preliminary Validation of a Readiness-to-Fly Assessment Tool for Use in Naval Aviation

Preliminary Validation of a Readiness-to-Fly Assessment Tool for Use in Naval Aviation
http://www.dtic.mil/cgi-bin/GetTRDoc?AD=ADA522106&Location=U2&doc=GetTRDoc.pdf



NAVAL AEROSPACE MEDICAL RESEARCH LAB PENSACOLA FL


Chandler, Joseph F. ; Arnold, Richard D. ; Phillips, Jeffrey B. ; Lojewski, Renee A. ; Horning, Dain S.


Fatigue is the most frequently cited physiological factor contributing to the occurrence of US Naval Aviation Class A flight mishaps. Accordingly, the Naval Safety Center (NSC) has identified the need for a quickly-administered individualized fatigue assessment tool to determine a pilot or aircrew member's readiness to fly. The Naval Aerospace Medical Research Laboratory conducted validation research on Flight Fit -- a series of computer administered cognitive tasks sensitive to fatigue, and PMI FIT 2000 -- a physiological test of oculometric properties linked to fatigue, for their potential to serve as individualized fatigue detection tools. Performance on both assessments was observed in concordance with performance on a suite of industry standard fatigue-sensitive measures (e.g., the Psychomotor Vigilance Test) at regular intervals over 25 hours of continual wakefulness in naval aviators. Results indicate significant group and individual differences related to fatigue for several aspects of both measures, and suggest that with appropriate adjustments, both Flight Fit and PMI FIT 2000 could serve as valid real-time readiness-to-fly assessment tools in Naval Aviation squadrons. Follow-on studies to determine the exact nature of these adjustments and usability of the tools in their current form are discussed.



NAVAL AVIATION, *OPERATIONAL READINESS, *FATIGUE, PHYSIOLOGY, VALIDATION

Study of Personnel Attrition and Revocation within U.S. Marine Corps Air Traffic Control Specialties

Study of Personnel Attrition and Revocation within U.S. Marine Corps Air Traffic Control Specialties

Master's thesis
http://www.dtic.mil/cgi-bin/GetTRDoc?AD=ADA560453&Location=U2&doc=GetTRDoc.pdf

 NAVAL POSTGRADUATE SCHOOL MONTEREY CA

McBride, Trey M


This thesis evaluates U.S. Marine Corps Air Traffic Control (MATC) military occupational specialties (MOSs) to determine methods of reducing personnel attrition from the MATC Basic Course and revocation from operational forces. The author analyzes Marine Corps personnel data obtained from the Total Force Data Warehouse and Headquarters Marine Corps. The range of the data analyzed covers a period from fiscal years 1999 through 2008, including 965 MATC Marines. Multivariate regression models are estimated to determine the effects of AFQT score, ASVAB composite scores, demographics, and other measures of performance on the likelihood of personnel attrition and revocation. Results indicate that changing selection criteria for AFQT score or ASVAB composite scores is not warranted. It is recommended that current selection criteria be augmented with improved medical screening at Military Entrance Processing Stations (MEPS) and recruit depots, to include non-cognitive testing, such as Navy Computer Adaptive Personality Scales (NCAPS), during recruitment. It is also recommended that an economic analysis be conducted comparing the cost of personnel losses during training with the cost of losses due to revocation.




AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLERS, *ATTRITION, *MARINE CORPS PERSONNEL, *MILITARY OCCUPATIONAL SPECIALTIES, MATHEMATICAL MODELS, PERSONNEL SELECTION, REGRESSION ANALYSIS, THESES

A Human Factors Analysis of Fatal and Serious Injury Accidents in Alaska, 2004-2009

A Human Factors Analysis of Fatal and Serious Injury Accidents in Alaska, 2004-2009

FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION OKLAHOMA CITY OK CIVIL AEROSPACE MEDICAL INST
Williams, Kevin W
2011
DOT/FAA/AM-11/20
http://www.dtic.mil/cgi-bin/GetTRDoc?AD=ADA554197&Location=U2&doc=GetTRDoc.pdf

This report summarizes the analysis of 97 general aviation accidents in Alaska that resulted in a fatality or serious injury to one or more aircraft occupants for the years 2004-2009. The accidents were analyzed using the Human Factors Analysis and Classification System (HFACS) developed by Douglas Weigmann and Scott Shappell. As found in previous studies of this nature, Skill-Based Errors were found to be the most common accident causal factor, followed by Violation, Decision-Based Error, and Perceptual Error. Comparison of the findings to previous research finds both similarities and contrasts. Recommendations for preventing accidents are provided.




AVIATION ACCIDENTS, ALASKA, APPLIED PSYCHOLOGY, AVIATION INJURIES, HUMAN FACTORS ENGINEERING, PSYCHOLOGY

En Route Critical Care: Evolving, Improving & Advancing Capabilities

http://www.dtic.mil/cgi-bin/GetTRDoc?AD=ADA556370&Location=U2&doc=GetTRDoc.pdf

These briefing charts discuss en route critical care: evolution of critical care air transport, improving care across the continuum, and advancing capabilities.


AIR MOBILITY COMMAND SCOTT AFB IL OFFICE OF THE COMMAND SURGEON

Johnson, Beverly




AEROMEDICAL EVACUATION, *MILITARY MEDICINE, AIR TRANSPORTATION, AIRCRAFT, HISTORY, MEDICAL SERVICES, MILITARY OPERATIONS, PATIENTS

Predicting Individual Differences in Response to Sleep Loss

Predicting Individual Differences in Response to Sleep Loss

Research Information Bulletin No. 11-46, 1 Jan 2009-31 Dec 2011
http://www.dtic.mil/cgi-bin/GetTRDoc?AD=ADA549152&Location=U2&doc=GetTRDoc.pdf


NAVAL MEDICAL RESEARCH UNIT DAYTON WRIGHT-PATTERSON AFB OH

 Chandler, Joseph F

Fatigue resulting from poor or insufficient sleep is commonplace in the modern military. Previous work at this laboratory sought to validate the use of noninvasive eye-tracking (PMI FIT 2000) and cognitive (FlightFit) performance tests to detect individual impairment due to fatigue in a military population (see technical report: DTIC ADA522106). Over the course of 25 hours of continual wakefulness in a laboratory setting, eye-tracking measures of saccadic velocity (eye movement speed) and cognitive performance (attention shifting) were highly sensitive to the effects of fatigue. A recent study further validated eye-tracking and cognitive performance measures for detecting individual differences in fatigue resistance under chronic, cumulative sleep loss conditions. The study employed a chronic sleep restriction protocol, in which 4 hours of sleep were allowed each 24-hour period. Significant fatigue effects were observed on multiple components of the eye-tracker and on a flight simulator task (cognitive performance data analyses are ongoing). Analyses also revealed significant individual differences across time for saccadic velocity and flight simulator performance. Studying realistic, chronic fatigue conditions on an individual level is a step in the right direction for operational research. The ultimate goal of this line of research is the development and transition of individualized predictive fatigue models which improve upon the predictive accuracy of current tools, increasing the safety and efficiency of crew scheduling.





ATTENTION, *COGNITION, *EYE MOVEMENTS, *FATIGUE(PHYSIOLOGY), *FLIGHT SIMULATORS, *PERFORMANCE(HUMAN), *SLEEP DEPRIVATION, FLIGHT CREWS, NAVAL PERSONNEL, PERFORMANCE TESTS, PHYSIOLOGICAL EFFECTS, PREDICTIONS, REACTION TIME, SCHEDULING, TRACKING

Battling Fatigue in Aviation: Recent Advancements in Research and Practice

Battling Fatigue in Aviation: Recent Advancements in Research and Practice


NAVAL MEDICAL RESEARCH UNIT DAYTON WRIGHT-PATTERSON AFB OH

Caldwell, J L ; Chandler, Joseph F ; Hartzler, Beth M

http://www.dtic.mil/cgi-bin/GetTRDoc?AD=ADA561167&Location=U2&doc=GetTRDoc.pdf

Despite knowledge gained through decades of research, fatigue due to insufficient sleep remains an ingrained part of military and commercial aviation and represents a major threat to the health, safety, and effectiveness of aircrew. Long duty periods, high workloads, circadian disruptions, and insufficient recovery time between flights ensure sleepiness is a continued problem for both civilian and military aircrew. The majority of our knowledge concerning the effects of fatigue is gained from acute, total sleep deprivation laboratory-based studies which describe results in terms of the average individual's response to total sleep loss. However, in operational environments, limited sleep over many days, termed chronic sleep restriction, is more commonly experienced than acute, total sleep deprivation, casting some doubt on the operational applicability of many previous studies. Furthermore, recent studies have identified strong individual differences in fatigue resistance. Our understanding of the effects of chronic sleep restriction and the individual differences in response to fatigue is currently limited in comparison to that of acute sleep deprivation. In this review, we identify the substantial progress made over the last 2 decades in closing these gaps. Advances in understanding the effects of chronic sleep restriction the recovery timeline associated with sleep loss, and individual responses to sleep loss represent a critical step in the improvement of current, and the formulation of future, countermeasures in the aviation environment. Adjustments to duty rotation and crew scheduling, refinement of biomathematical models of fatigue, and application of currently available countermeasures are the most immediate of these improvements.




*FATIGUE(PHYSIOLOGY), *FLIGHT CREWS, *SLEEP DEPRIVATION, AERONAUTICS, CASTING, CIRCADIAN RHYTHMS, COMMERCIAL AVIATION, CREWS, ENVIRONMENTS, FORMULATIONS, HEALTH, JOBS, MILITARY PERSONNEL, RECOVERY, REPRINTS, RESISTANCE, RESPONSE, ROTATION, SAFETY, SCHEDULING, SLEEP, WORKLOAD

Fatigue Solutions for Maintenance: From Science to Workplace Reality

Fatigue Solutions for Maintenance: from science to workplace reality
FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION OKLAHOMA CITY OK CIVIL AEROSPACE MEDICAL INST
DOT/FAA/AM-11/19

Avers, Katrina E ; Johnson, William B ; Banks, Joy O ; Nei, Darin ; Hensley, Elizabeth

http://www.dtic.mil/cgi-bin/GetTRDoc?AD=ADA554196&Location=U2&doc=GetTRDoc.pdf


Thirty delegates, mostly from the FAA's Aviation Safety (AVS) business unit, but also from U.S. industry and Transport Canada, assembled for a two-day workshop in Oklahoma City, OK. The workshop format combined key presentation topics, each followed by structured discussion. Following the discussion, the delegates generated a rank-order listing of the most important actions needed to reduce maintenance fatigue risk. Section 2.0 of this report elaborates on the top ten actions identified: 1. Enhance Employer and Worker Fatigue Awareness 2. Continue and Expand Fatigue Countermeasure Education 3. Support and Regulate Fatigue Risk Management Systems (FRMS) 4. Quantify Safety and Operational Efficiency Impact of Fatigue 5. Regulate Hours of Service Limits 6. Establish Baseline Data of Fatigue Risk with Existing Event-Reporting Systems 7. Integrate Fatigue Awareness Into Safety Culture 8. Ensure That FRMS is Considered in Safety Management Systems (SMS) Program 9. Create and Implement Fatigue Assessment Tools 10. Improve Collaboration of FRMS Within and Across Organizations The workshop delegates felt that the FAA is addressing many of these challenges, but there is substantial opportunity to increase attention to each topic. Their consensus was to address the challenges not only with research and development but also with operational activity and possible future regulation.



AVIATION SAFETY, AWARENESS, CULTURE, EDUCATION, FATIGUE(PHYSIOLOGY), HUMAN FACTORS ENGINEERING, ORGANIZATIONS, RISK MANAGEMENT, WORKSHOPS

THE SHIFT LENGTH EXPERIMENT: WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT 8-, 10-, AND 12-HOUR SHIFTS IN POLICING

http://policefoundation.org/  

THE SHIFT LENGTH EXPERIMENT: WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT 8-, 10-, AND 12-HOUR SHIFTS IN POLICING


by Karen L. Amendola, David Weisburd, Edwin E. Hamilton, Greg Jones, Meghan Slipka, with Anneke Heitmann, Jon Shane, Christopher Ortiz, Eliab Tarkghen





Most law enforcement agencies have traditionally deployed their patrol officers based on a 40-hour workweek in which personnel work five consecutive, 8-hour shifts, followed by two days off. In recent years, however, an increasing number of agencies have moved to some variant of a compressed workweek (CWW) schedule in which officers work four 10-hour shifts per week or three 12-hour shifts (plus a time adjustment to make up the remaining four hours of the standard 40-hour workweek). While this trend towards CWWs has been moving apace, there have been few, if any, rigorous scientific studies examining the advantages and disadvantages associated with these work schedules for officers and their agencies.




This report presents the results of the first known comprehensive randomized experiment of CWWs in law enforcement. The Police Foundation experiment was designed to test the impacts of three shift lengths (8-, 10-, and 12-hour) on performance, health, safety, quality of life, sleep, fatigue, alertness, off-duty employment, and overtime among police. In addition to scientifically rigorous research design and methodology, the number of reliable outcome measures employed to analyze the impact of shift length, including departmental data, laboratory simulations and exercises, and previously validated self-report instruments, make this study one of the most comprehensive ever undertaken in this area. The experiment was conducted in the Detroit (MI) and Arlington (TX) Police Departments between January 2007 and June 2009.



The study found some distinct advantages of 10-hour shifts and identified some disadvantages associated with 12-hour shifts that are concerning. It is important that agencies implement strategies and policies that are evidence based, and the findings of this study provide important information for law enforcement leaders and other policy makers to consider when examining both the most efficient and effective practices for their agency, as well as the safety and quality of life of their personnel and the public they serve.

In addition to the primary project report above, additional reports from the shift length experiment are available as follows.




Results of a random national survey of police agencies:



As part of the shift length experiment, the Police Foundation conducted a random telephone survey of 300 police agencies to determine the proportion of agencies that have adopted compressed schedules. We also examined variables based on agency size and the use of shift rotation, as well as trends associated with each over time. The purposes of this telephone survey, conducted first in November 2005 and again in November 2009, were to determine the proportion of agencies that use compressed shift schedules (e.g., 8-, 10-, or 12- hour shifts, or some variation) for their field patrol officers, and to identify the extent to which agencies employ rotating shifts. The first report below is a comparison report of the survey results in Time One and Time Two.

Other reports from the same website

Trends in Shift Length: Results of a Random National Survey of Police Agencies

Police Foundation Report

Karen L. Amendola, Meghan G. Slipka, Edwin E. Hamilton, with Michael Soelberg and Kristen Koval

December 2011. (155 KB) 7 pages.



Law Enforcement Shift Schedules: Results of a 2005 Random National Survey of Police Agencies

Karen L. Amendola. Edwin E. Hamilton, Laura A. Wyckoff

May 2006; revised November 2011. (127 KB) 5 pages.



Law Enforcement Shift Schedules: Results of a 2009 Random National Survey of Police Agencies

Karen L. Amendola, Meghan G. Slipka, Edwin E. Hamilton, Michael Soelberg

November 2011. (132 KB) 6 pages.



Final reports submitted to the National Institute of Justice:



The Impact of Shift Length in Policing on Performance, Health, Quality of Life, Sleep, Fatigue, and Extra-Duty Employment

Karen L. Amendola, David Weisburd, Edwin E. Hamilton, Greg Jones, Meghan Slipka

Full technical report December 2011 (4.52 MB) 201 pages.

Executive summary March 2011 (199 KB) 24 pages.

The link is to the generic website - you will probably have to search for the reports from this point

Modeling of Helicopter Pilot Misperception During Overland Navigation

http://www.dtic.mil/cgi-bin/GetTRDoc?AD=ADA560584&Location=U2&doc=GetTRDoc.pdf
Modeling of Helicopter Pilot Misperception During Overland Navigation


Master's thesis
NAVAL POSTGRADUATE SCHOOL MONTEREY CA DEPT OF OPERATIONS RESEARCH
Cowden, Bradley T



This thesis provides a framework to model human belief and misperception in helicopter overland navigation. Helicopter overland navigation is a challenging mission area because it is a complex cognitive task, and failing to recognize when the aircraft is off-course can lead to operational failures and mishaps. A human-in-the-loop experiment to investigate pilot misperception during simulated overland navigation by analyzing actual navigation trajectory, pilots' perceived location, and corresponding confidence levels was designed. Fifteen military officers with prior overland navigation experience completed four simulated low-level navigation routes, two of which entailed autonavigation. Analysis shows that there is not a negative correlation between perceived and actual location of the aircraft, inferring that confidence is not a good indicator of performance. However, there is some evidence of a negative correlation between perceived location and intended route of flight, suggesting that there is a bias towards that intended flight route. If aviation personnel can proactively identify the circumstances in which misperception usually occurs in navigation, they may reduce mission failure and mishap rate. This study can help fleet squadrons and instructional commands improve operations that require low-level flight as well as crew resource management.


*AIR NAVIGATION, *CONFIDENCE LEVEL, *HELICOPTERS, *LOW ALTITUDE, *PERCEPTION(PSYCHOLOGY), *PILOTS, *POSITION(LOCATION), *VISUAL PERCEPTION, BAYES THEOREM, BIAS, COMPUTERIZED SIMULATION, ERRORS, FLIGHT PATHS, FLIGHT SIMULATION, OVERFLIGHT, PERFORMANCE(HUMAN), THESES, TIME, TOPOGRAPHIC MAPS

User Evaluation of a Bone Conduction Communication Headset During the Patriot 2007 Joint Field Training Exercise

User Evaluation of a Bone Conduction Communication Headset During the Patriot 2007 Joint Field Training Exercise


ARMY RESEARCH LAB ABERDEEN PROVING GROUND MD


Tran, Phuong K ; Binseel, Mary S ; Letowski, Tomasz R
http://www.dtic.mil/cgi-bin/GetTRDoc?AD=ADA560035&Location=U2&doc=GetTRDoc.pdf

Despite many advantages utilizing bone conduction (BC) technology, it has not yet made inroads in military communications applications. Military systems applications need to be subjectively evaluated by Soldiers to assess their utility and acceptance in military environments. In this study, a commercial BC headset was used and evaluated by the National Guard Special Operations Forces (SOF) during the 2007 Joint Field Training Exercise. Five participants wore BC headsets for 40 continuous hours during sustained operations. After completing the mission, the participants rated the BC communication system regarding speech intelligibility (SI), situation awareness, face-to-face communication, comfort, ease of use, and overall satisfaction of the device, and were asked to provide suggestions for improvement. The participants were also asked to rate an air conduction (AC) headset for comparison. The overall rating score for the BC headset was high (5/5) compared to the AC system (2.5/5), indicating the technology was favored over the AC system. The BC headset was chosen over the AC due to its light weight and because it allowed the user to maintain awareness of ambient sound. However, some important issues and suggestions for improvement were raised, including the need to ruggedize the system and to incorporate a quick-disconnect cable.


COMMUNICATION AND RADIO SYSTEMS, *EARPHONES, *HEADGEAR, *MILITARY EXERCISES, ALTERNATING CURRENT, ARMY PERSONNEL, AWARENESS, COMMUNICATION EQUIPMENT, CONDUCTIVITY, DISCONNECT FITTINGS, ENVIRONMENTS, INTELLIGIBILITY, INTERPERSONAL RELATIONS, JOINT MILITARY ACTIVITIES, LIGHTWEIGHT, MILITARY APPLICATIONS, MISSIONS, QUICK REACTION, SOUND, SPEECH, SYSTEMS ENGINEERING, TEST AND EVALUATION, TRAINING, USER NEEDS

An Evaluation of the Effectiveness of the Crew Resource Management Programme in Naval Aviation

http://www.dtic.mil/cgi-bin/GetTRDoc?AD=ADA556595&Location=U2&doc=GetTRDoc.pdf

An Evaluation of the Effectiveness of the Crew Resource Management Programme in Naval Aviation


NAVAL POSTGRADUATE SCHOOL MONTEREY CA DEPT OF OPERATIONS RESEARCH



O'Connor, Paul ; Jones, Douglas W ; McCauley, Michael E ; Buttrey, Samuel E


The US Navy's Crew Resource Management (CRM) training programme has not been evaluated within the last decade. Reactions were evaluated by analysing 51,570 responses to an item pertaining to CRM that is part of a safety climate survey. A total of 172 responses were obtained on a knowledge test. The attitudes of 553 naval aviators were assessed using an attitudes questionnaire. The CRM mishap rate from 1997 until 2007 was evaluated. It was found that naval aviators appear to think than CRM training is useful, are generally knowledgeable of, and display positive attitudes towards the concepts addressed in the training. However, there is a lack of evidence to support the view that CRM training is having an effect on the mishap rate. As the next generation of highly automated aircraft becomes part of naval aviation there is a need to ensure that CRM training evolves to meet this new challenge.


Descriptors : *FLIGHT CREWS, *NAVAL AVIATION, *RESOURCE MANAGEMENT, *SAFETY, *TRAINING, AERONAUTICS, AIRCRAFT, ATTITUDES(PSYCHOLOGY), AUTOMATION, CLIMATE, DISPLAY SYSTEMS, MANAGEMENT, NAVAL PERSONNEL, NAVY, PILOTS, QUESTIONNAIRES, REPRINTS, RESOURCES, SURVEYS

Impact of Soldier Helmet Configuration on Survivability

ARL-TR-5476

Impact of Soldier Helmet Configuration on Survivability

ARL-TR-5476 2011

Natalie Eberius and Patrick Gillich

 March 2011; 18 pages

Abstract: The survivability provided by different types of U.S. Army helmets is influenced by the ballistic protection offered and the geometric area of coverage. The fit and wear of each type and size of helmet is a significant factor in survivability grading. The modeling resolution currently available in the Army survivability/lethality/vulnerability models, MUVES-S2 and Operational Requirement-based Casualty Assessment (ORCA), support the ability to assess minor changes seen in helmet configurations and their associated effects on survivability. This report describes how MUVES-S2 with ORCA can be leveraged to model slight wear differences between helmet configurations and their effect on Soldier survivability. The sensitivity of observed fit and wear and current guidelines will be examined. While this type of assessment is not an end-all means for grading helmets, it can provide decision makers and personal protective equipment designers a means for evaluating benefits vs. costs in risk-benefit analysis.

A Summary of Simulator Sickness Ratings for U.S. Army Aviation Engineering Simulators

A Summary of Simulator Sickness Ratings for U.S. Army Aviation Engineering Simulators


ARL TR 5573 2011
Jamison S. Hicks; David B. Durbin

June 2011; 50 pages

Abstract: The U.S. Army Research Laboratory Human Research and Engineering Directorate (ARL HRED) uses U.S. Army Aviation engineering helicopter simulators to assess crewstation design for new or modified aircraft. This report summarizes pilot Simulator Sickness Questionnaire (SSQ) ratings for seven engineering simulators. The ratings were obtained from pilots during the assessments and used to identify if the simulators induced simulator sickness (SS) symptoms, if the symptoms caused significant discomfort which distracted the pilots during missions, and contributed to an increase in perceived workload. To assess whether the SSQ ratings provided by the pilots during the assessments were similar or different to ratings obtained in other helicopter simulators, the mean SSQ scores for the evaluated simulators were compared to the mean SSQ scores for several other helicopter simulators. Data collection and analysis of SSQ ratings will continue to play a meaningful role in the assessment and future development of U.S Army Aviation engineering simulators.

A Summary of Visual Gaze and Dwell Times for Army Pilots During Mission Simulations

A Summary of Visual Gaze and Dwell Times for Army Pilots During Mission Simulations

Jamison S. Hicks, Michael Sage Jessee, and David B. Durbin


February 2012; 68 pages

ARL-TR-5900 2012


The U.S. Army Research Laboratory, Human Research and Engineering Directorate (ARL HRED) uses engineering helicopter simulators to assess crewstation design for Army Aviation aircraft. This report summarizes pilot (PI) visual gaze and dwell times obtained during operational missions conducted with seven engineering simulators. The data were obtained from pilots wearing a head and eye tracker during the simulations to identify if the crewstation design caused significant heads down time during missions. The visual gaze and dwell times for each simulator were compared to the other simulators. Analysis of visual gaze and dwell times will continue to play a meaningful role in the assessment and future development of Army Aviation systems

User Evaluation of a Bone Conduction Communication Headset During the Patriot 2007 Joint Field Training Exercise

User Evaluation of a Bone Conduction Communication Headset During the Patriot 2007 Joint Field Training Exercise
ARL-TR-5973
Phuong K. Tran, Mary S. Binseel, and Tomasz R. Letowski
April 2012; 28 pages


ARL TR 5973 2012

Despite many advantages utilizing bone conduction (BC) technology, it has not yet made inroads in military communications applications. Military systems applications need to be subjectively evaluated by Soldiers to assess their utility and acceptance in military environments. In this study, a commercial BC headset was used and evaluated by the National Guard Special Operations Forces (SOF) during the 2007 Joint Field Training Exercise. Five participants wore BC headsets for 40 continuous hours during sustained operations. After completing the mission, the participants rated the BC communication system regarding speech intelligibility (SI), situation awareness, face-to-face communication, comfort, ease of use, and overall satisfaction of the device, and were asked to provide suggestions for improvement. The participants were also asked to rate an air conduction (AC) headset for comparison. The overall rating score for the BC headset was high (5/5) compared to the AC system (2.5/5), indicating the technology was favored over the AC system. The BC headset was chosen over the AC due to its light weight and because it allowed the user to maintain awareness of ambient sound. However, some important issues and suggestions for improvement were raised, including the need to ruggedize the system and to incorporate a quick-disconnect cable.

Base Level Guide for the Occupational Exposure to Isocyanates

Base Level Guide for the Occupational Exposure to Isocyanates

AFRL SA WP SR 2012-0003

AFRL 2012-0003

Batten, Timothy W


This fact sheet provides the current recommended sampling and analysis technique available by the U.S. Air Force School of Aerospace Medicine for determining occupational health risk from isocyanates.



*ISOCYANATES, EXPOSURE(PHYSIOLOGY), HAZARDOUS MATERIALS, MONOMERS, OLIGOMERS, PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT, SAMPLING, VAPORS

NOISE ATTENUATION LOSS DUE TO WEARING APEL EYE PROTECTION WITH EAR-MUFF STYLE HEADSET SYSTEMS

NOISE ATTENUATION LOSS DUE TO WEARING APEL EYE PROTECTION WITH EAR-MUFF STYLE HEADSET SYSTEMS
EFREM REEVES, ELMAREE GORDON, & SUMMER NOMURA
USAARL 2012-09

THIS REPORT DESCRIBES A BASELINE STUDY TO DETERMINE THE LEVEL OF ACOUSTIC LEAKAGE THAT CAN BE EXPECTED WHEN DONNING APEL EYE PROTECTION WHILE USING EARMUFF TYPE COMMUNICATION HEADSETS. FOR THE FIRST PHASE OF THIS STUDY, THREE HEADSETS, TWO HELMETS, NINE PAIR OF APEL EYEWEAR, AND FOUR PAIR OF NON-APEL EYEWEAR WERE TESTED USING AN ATF TO DETERMINE THE AMOUNT OF ATTENUATION LOSS DUE TO EYEWEAR. FOR THE SECOND PHASE OF THE STUDY THREE HEADSETS, THREE HELMETS, THREE PAIR OF APEL EYEWEAR, WITH AND WITHOUT PRESCRIPTION INSERTS, AND TWO ADDITIONAL PAIR OF EYEWEAR WERE TESTED USING AN ATF TO DETERMINE THE AMOUNT OF ATTENUATION LOSS DUE TO EYEWEAR. BOTH PHASES MEASUREMENTS WERE DONE FOLLOWING THE INSERTION LOSS MEASUREMENT PROCEDURE OUTLINED IN ANSI S12.42-2010. THE RESULTS SHOW THAT WEARING APEL SPECTACLES WITH HEADSET STYLE COMMUNICATION SYSTEMS IS DETRIMENTAL TO THE AMOUNT OF NOISE ATTENUATION PROVIDED BY THE HEADSET. HOWEVER, SOME SPECTACLES PRODUCE SMALLER LEAKS THAN OTHERS, RESULTING IN A SMALLER AMOUNT OF ATTENUATION LOSS. IT IS VERY IMPORTANT, HOWEVER, TO STRIKE A BALANCE SO ONE SENSE ORGAN WILL NOT BE PROTECTED AT THE EXPENSE OF ANOTHER.

*ARMY EQUIPMENT, *EAR PROTECTORS, *EYE SAFETY, *PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT, ACOUSTIC ATTENUATION, BASE LINES, EARPHONES, EYEGLASSES, HELMETS, SENSE ORGANS, WOUNDS AND INJURIES

CLINICAL ASSESSMENT OF THE NOISE IMMUNE STETHOSCOPE ABOARD A U.S. NAVY CARRIER

CLINICAL ASSESSMENT OF THE NOISE IMMUNE STETHOSCOPE ABOARD A U.S. NAVY CARRIER

USAARL 2012-02


STEVEN J. GAYDOS, CARL E. LONG, CHRISTINE MACLAN, ANGELO LUCERO, ALFRED F. SHWAYHAT, AMANDA M. KELLEY

THIS STUDY WAS CONDUCTED IN SUPPORT OF ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT FOR CLINICAL AUSCULTATION IN HIGH NOISE ENVIRONMENTS. THE DIAGNOSTIC PERFORMANCE OF THE NOISE IMMUNE STETHOSCOPE (NIS) WAS ASSESSED BY USER-CLINICIANS IN A DEPLOYED ENVIRONMENT. THE NIS IS A HYBRID DUAL FUNCTION STETHOSCOPE WITH BOTH ELECTROMECHANICAL ACOUSTIC (PASSIVE) AND ULTRASOUND DOPPLER (ACTIVE) MODES. DATA WERE COLLECTED OVER A 7 MONTH OPERATIONAL DEPLOYMENT BY THE MEDICAL DEPARTMENT OF A NIMITZ-CLASS AIRCRAFT CARRIER. EIGHTEEN OBSERVATIONS WERE MADE WITH BOTH MODES FOR CASES OF ADVENTITIOUS CARDIOPULMONARY SOUNDS AND INTUBATION INTEGRITY. OVERALL, USERS EVALUATED THE DEVICE TO BE MODERATELY HELPFUL IN MAKING CLINICAL DIAGNOSIS AND DECISIONS IN NOISY ENVIRONMENTS. SMALL ENROLLMENT NUMBERS PROHIBIT DEFINITIVE CONCLUSIONS, BUT RESULTS SUGGEST HIGH USER CONFIDENCE IN ABILITY TO MAKE DIAGNOSES IN ACOUSTIC MODE WITH FAVORABLE RATINGS FOR EASE OF USE. DOPPLER MODE PROVED PROBLEMATIC WITH LOW MEDIAN RATINGS COMPARED TO A TRADITIONAL STETHOSCOPE. THIS MAY REFLECT LACK OF FAMILIARITY AND EXPERIENCE WITH AN ULTRASOUND MODALITY. RECOMMENDATIONS FOR IMPROVEMENT ARE DISCUSSED.

MOTION SICKNESS PREVENTION BY 8 HZ STROBOSCOPIC ENVIRONMENT DURING ACTUAL AIR TRANSPORT

 MOTION SICKNESS PREVENTION BY 8 HZ STROBOSCOPIC ENVIRONMENT DURING ACTUAL AIR TRANSPORT

CATHERINE M. WEBB, ARTHUR ESTRADA, JEREMY R. ATHY, MELODY R. KING

USAARL 2011-21


PREVIOUS RESEARCH HAS SHOWN THAT RETINAL SLIP CAN BE A SIGNIFICANT FACTOR IN CAUSING MOTION SICKNESS. STROBOSCOPIC ILLUMINATION IS BELIEVED TO PREVENT RETINAL SLIP BY PROVIDING SNAPSHOTS OF THE VISUAL ENVIRONMENT THAT ARE BRIEF ENOUGH SO EACH IMAGE IS STATIONARY ON THE RETINA. THE PURPOSE OF THIS STUDY WAS TO DETERMINE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF AN 8 HZ STROBOSCOPIC ENVIRONMENT AS A MOTION SICKNESS COUNTERMEASURE DURING A NAUSEOGENIC FLIGHT IN A HELICOPTER. THE STUDY POPULATION WAS COMPRISED OF 20 MOTION SICKNESS SUSCEPTIBLE PARTICIPANTS. PARTICIPANTS COMPLETED A MOTION SICKNESS SYMPTOM QUESTIONNAIRE, COGNITIVE TASKS, REACTION TIME TESTS, AND WEAPONS UTILIZATION TASKS AFTER NAUSEOGENIC FLIGHTS WITH AND WITHOUT 8 HZ STROBOSCOPIC ILLUMINATION IN THE CABIN. RESULTS INDICATE THAT SELF-REPORTED NAUSEA SCORES WERE SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCED IN THE STROBOSCOPIC CONDITION. ALSO, THERE WAS A SIGNIFICANTLY GREATER PERFORMANCE DECLINE OVER THE COURSE OF THE REACTION TIME TASK IN THE NON-STROBOSCOPIC CONDITION. THESE RESULTS SUPPORT THE USE OF STROBOSCOPIC ILLUMINATION AS A NON-PHARMACOLOGIC COUNTERMEASURE FOR MOTION SICKNESS RELATED TO RETINAL SLIP.

THE EFFECTS OF SUBTHRESHOLD VISUAL CUES ON FLIGHT PERFORMANCE IN THE NUH-60FS BLACK HAWK RESEARCH SIMULATOR

THE EFFECTS OF SUBTHRESHOLD VISUAL CUES ON FLIGHT PERFORMANCE IN THE NUH-60FS BLACK HAWK RESEARCH SIMULATOR

USAARL 2011-19


JEREMY ATHY, ARTHUR ESTRADA, EDNA RATH, SANDRA BORN, JOHN RAMICCIO

PILOTS WORK IN ONE OF THE MOST COGNITIVELY DEMANDING ENVIRONMENTS. WHILE TECHNOLOGY CONTINUES TO ADVANCE WITH RESPECT TO QUANTITY AND QUALITY OF INFORMATION PRESENTATION, THE HUMAN VISUAL SYSTEM REMAINS WITH LIMITATIONS AND THUS INFORMATION PROCESSING MAY BECOME MORE COMPLEX FOR PILOTS. THEREFORE, IT IS IMPORTANT TO FIND IMPROVED TECHNIQUES FOR INFORMATION PRESENTATION IN THE COCKPIT WITHOUT SACRIFICING OVERALL FLIGHT PERFORMANCE. ONE POTENTIALLY USEFUL FORM OF PRESENTATION IS SUBTHRESHOLD CUEING. THIS STUDY REQUIRED PILOTS TO FLY A MISSION IN THE UH-60 SIMULATOR WHILE PRESENTED WITH SUBTHRESHOLD CUES ON A MULTIFUNCTION DISPLAY. RESULTS SUGGEST THAT PILOTS WERE ABLE TO PROCESS SUBTHRESHOLD CUES WITHOUT COMPROMISING FLIGHT PERFORMANCE

ANONYMOUS ONLINE SURVEY OF FLIGHT SURGEON PRIMARY COURSE GRADUATES AND LINE COMMANDERS: EVALUATION OF SATISFACTION WITH CURRENT FLIGHT SURGEON TRAINING

ANONYMOUS ONLINE SURVEY OF FLIGHT SURGEON PRIMARY COURSE GRADUATES AND LINE COMMANDERS: EVALUATION OF SATISFACTION WITH CURRENT FLIGHT SURGEON TRAINING


USAARL 2011-15

NICOLE POWELL-DUNFORD, AMANDA KELLEY


THE PURPOSE OF THIS STUDY WAS TO EVALUATE SATISFACTION WITH FLIGHT SURGEON TRAINING, GAIN INSIGHT INTO COMMANDERS’ AWARENESS OF THE RESIDENT IN AEROSPACE MEDICINE (RAM) ABILITIES/TRAINING, AND IDENTIFY WEAKNESS IN FLIGHT SURGEONS FROM THE LINE COMMANDER PERSPECTIVE. A TOTAL OF 76 RESPONDENTS COMPLETED THE FLIGHT SURGEON COURSE GRADUATES SURVEY ON-LINE AND 27 COMPLETED THE LINE COMMANDER SURVEY ON-LINE. THE RESULTS AFFIRMED A HIGH LEVEL OF OVERALL SATISFACTION WITH AEROMEDICAL PHYSICIAN ASSISTANTS AND FLIGHT SURGEONS, HOWEVER, A NUMBER OF IMPORTANT ISSUES EMERGED SUCH AS MILITARY PROFESSIONALISM, BASIC AVIATION KNOWLEDGE, AND LEADERSHIP SKILLS. ALSO, A NUMBER OF DISCREPANCIES BETWEEN THE PERCEIVED LEVEL OF PROFICIENCY BY THE LINE COMMANDERS TO THE SELF-PERCEPTIONS OF THE FLIGHT SURGEONS WERE DISCOVERED INCLUDING PERCEPTION OF THE EXTENT TO WHICH FLIGHT SURGEONS TRY TO KEEP PILOTS FLYING.

Vestibular Balance Deficits Following Head Injury: Recommendations Concerning Evaluation and Rehabilitation in the Military Setting

Vestibular Balance Deficits Following Head Injury: Recommendations Concerning Evaluation and Rehabilitation in the Military Setting
http://www.dtic.mil/dtic/tr/fulltext/u2/a557843.pdf

ARMY AEROMEDICAL RESEARCH LAB FORT RUCKER AL
Lawson, Ben D ; Rupert, Angus H ; Legan, Shauna M
27 Feb 2012




Vestibular pathology has been documented following barotrauma and/or head acceleration associated with exposure to explosions. The usual symptoms include dizziness and headache, with dizziness and associated imbalance contributing disproportionately to disability. Several agencies have noted the need for better vestibular evaluation and rehabilitation following exposure to improvised explosive devices (IEDs). The authors asked subject matter experts to assist in formulating recommendations for initial assessment and rehabilitation of balance problems following IED exposure, focusing on strategies that are either available or in development. This report summarizes feedback obtained from approximately 50 vestibular researchers, scientific advisors, clinicians, and biomedical engineers working for government agencies, universities, clinics/hospitals, and businesses. Tests appropriate for early (post-injury) functional assessment in the military setting are considered, along with the optimal application of novel tactile balance feedback technologies being developed to augment vestibular rehabilitation.


Descriptors : *EXPOSURE(GENERAL), *HEAD(ANATOMY), *IMPROVISED EXPLOSIVE DEVICES, *REHABILITATION, *WOUNDS AND INJURIES, CLINICAL MEDICINE, CONCUSSION, EQUILIBRIUM(GENERAL), EXPLOSIONS, HEADACHES, INCAPACITATION, SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS, TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURIES, VERTIGO, VESTIBULAR APPARATUS

United States Air Force School of Aerospace Medicine Laser Injury Guidebook

United States Air Force School of Aerospace Medicine Laser Injury Guidebook
http://www.dtic.mil/dtic/tr/fulltext/u2/a559312.pdf

Special rept. Nov 2011-Apr 2012
AFRL-SA-WP-SR 2012-0005

SCHOOL OF AEROSPACE MEDICINE WRIGHT PATTERSON AFB OH AEROSPACE MEDICINE DEPT
 Gooch, John M ; Harvey, Richard R ; Parham-Bruce, Wanda ; Rogers, Bret Z ; McLin, Jr, Leon N

The primary purpose of the laser injury guidebook is to provide guidelines and instructions for flight surgeons' interaction with potential laser beam exposures in aircrew and ground personnel. The intent is to provide an evaluation and initial management process to assess and respond to laser beam exposures of ocular and adnexal injury. Subjects covered in detail include the laser beam exposure threat in the HR aviation environment and the role of the flight surgeon in the management of laser beam exposures. Specifically, history, external examination, near visual acuity testing, far visual acuity testing, Amsler grid testing, pupils evaluation, stereopsis evaluation, color vision, slit lamp, dilation fundoscopy, and vitreoretinal hemorrhage are covered in detail. A point of contact list is provided as well as a suggested list of supplies and equipment. A laser beam incident questionnaire is included.


Descriptors : *FLIGHT CREWS, *FLIGHT SURGEONS, *LASER BEAMS, *WOUNDS AND INJURIES, COLOR VISION, EXPOSURE(PHYSIOLOGY), GROUND CREWS, HISTORY, INSTRUCTIONS, INTERACTIONS, LASER HAZARDS, MEDICINE, QUESTIONNAIRES, RETINA, STEREOSCOPES, STUDENTS, TEST AND EVALUATION, THREATS, VISUAL ACUITY

Comparison of Motionlogger Watch and Actiwatch Actigraphs to Polysomnography for Sleep/Wake Estimation in Healthy Young Adults

Comparison of Motionlogger Watch and Actiwatch Actigraphs to Polysomnography for Sleep/Wake Estimation in Healthy Young Adults


WALTER REED ARMY INST OF RESEARCH WASHINGTON DC DEPT OF BEHAVIORAL BIOLOGY
Rupp, Tracy L. ; Balkin, Thomas J.


Sleep/wake identification and sleep parameter estimates from Motionlogger Watch and Actiwatch-64 actigraphs were compared to polysomnography (PSG). Following one night of baseline sleep, 29 volunteers remained awake for 36 h, followed by 11 h of recovery sleep in the laboratory. Two sets of analyses were performed: (1) epoch-by-epoch agreement and discriminability index (d') calculations, and (2) sleep parameter concordance with repeated measures ANOVAs. Sensitivity (sleep identification), specificity (wake detection), and overall agreement with PSG, as well as d' were higher for the Motionlogger than for Actiwatch. Relative to PSG, the Actiwatch-estimated total sleep time and sleep efficiency were underestimated and the number of awakenings was overestimated for baseline and recovery;sleep latency was underestimated on the baseline night. On the other hand, the Motionlogger-estimated total sleep time and sleep efficiency estimates were underestimated, and the sleep latency was overestimated on recovery, versus PSG. Despite these misestimations, it was concluded that the Motionlogger provided nominally better agreement with PSG, and that actigraphy generally constitutes a reasonably reliable tool for producing objective measurements of sleep/wake, but that users should remain mindful of its limitations.



*SLEEP DEPRIVATION, ANALYSIS OF VARIANCE, ESTIMATES, TIME, INSOMNIA, ADULTS, ELECTROENCEPHALOGRAPHY, SLEEP, HUMANS

Longitudinal Study of Sleep Patterns of United States Military Academy Cadets

http://www.dtic.mil/dtic/tr/fulltext/u2/a535854.pdf

Longitudinal Study of Sleep Patterns of United States Military Academy Cadets

NAVAL POSTGRADUATE SCHOOL MONTEREY CA DEPT OF OPERATIONS RESEARCH


 Miller, Nita L. ; Shattuck, Lawrence G. ; Matsangas, Panagiotis

2010

The study provided an opportunity to observe sleep patterns in a college-age population attending the United States Military Academy. This 4-year longitudinal study investigated sleep patterns of cadets. A stratified sample of 80 cadets had sleep patterns monitored using actigraphy for 8 months: one month in both fall and spring academic semesters over a 4-year period. Data were collected at the United States Military Academy, West Point, NY. Participants were members of the class of 2007 (n~1300) ranging in age from 17 to 22 when entering USMA. A sample of the class (n = 80) wore wrist activity monitors and completed activity logs for one month in fall and spring academic semesters for the 4-year period. On average over the 4 years, cadets slept < 5.5 h on school nights. Cadets napped extensively, perhaps in an attempt to compensate for chronic sleep debt. Cadets slept more during fall than spring semesters. Male and female cadet sleep patterns varied dramatically, with males consistently receiving less sleep than females (~21 m for nighttime sleep and ~23 m for daily sleep). Cadet sleep at USMA is related to academic year, semester, season, sex, school day or weekend, and day of the week. These students suffer from chronic sleep debt. Restrictions imposed by the military academy limit the generalizability of the findings to other college age populations.


Descriptors : *SLEEP, *CADETS, PATTERNS, SLEEP DEPRIVATION,  SEASONAL VARIATIONS,

Sleep and Fatigue Issues in Continuous Operations: A Survey of U.S. Army Officers

Sleep and Fatigue Issues in Continuous Operations: A Survey of U.S. Army Officers

http://www.dtic.mil/dtic/tr/fulltext/u2/a534777.pdf

NAVAL POSTGRADUATE SCHOOL MONTEREY CA DEPT OF OPERATIONS RESEARCH


2009




 A group of 49 US Army Officers recently returned from combat and attending the Infantry Officers Advanced Course at FT Benning, GA were surveyed to assess the sleep hygiene of their units and to determine the tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs) they used to reduce the effects of sleep deprivation in their units. Results indicate that despite Army policy, nearly 80% of the study participants had not received a sleep management plan during their most recent deployment. Over half (55%) of respondents reported that fatigue was a problem in their unit. The majority of respondents who received a sleep plan briefing indicated that their unit had done a good job of managing sleep routines (66% with vs. 25% without sleep plan briefing). Attention to the importance of sleep and fatigue management, manifested by sleep plan briefings, seems to be an important means by which units can mitigate fatigue in continuous combat operations. Respondents reported that during their most recent combat deployment, they spent nearly half (46.7%) of their time at high operational tempo (OPTEMPO). This factor becomes especially important when considering that survey respondents report receiving only four hours of sleep per day during periods when their units are at high OPTEMPO, just over half the amount the report when at low OPTEMPO (4.0 vs. 7.8 hours). The vast majority of respondents (82.6%) report feeling sleep-deprived occasionally, sometimes or all the time while they are at high OPTEMPO

*FATIGUE, *OFFICER PERSONNEL, *SLEEP DEPRIVATION, *PERFORMANCE(HUMAN), *ARMY PERSONNEL, SURVEYS, ARMY OPERATIONS, HYGIENE, MANAGEMENT PLANNING AND CONTROL

Report on the accident to Grob 115E Tutor , G-BYUT and the Grob 115E Tutor, G-BYVN near Porthcawl, South Wales

http://www.aaib.gov.uk/cms_resources.cfm?file=/6-2010%20G-BYUT%20G-BYVN.pdf


Aircraft Accident Report 6/2010
Air Accidents Investigation Branch
Department for Transport

Report on the accident to Grob 115E Tutor, G-Byut and Grob 115E Tutor, G-BYVN near Porthcawl, South Wales on 11 February 2009

The two aircraft collided at about 3,000 ft agl, whilst conducting air experience flights for two teenage cadets who were members of the Air Training Corps.
The aircraft were being flown by Royal Air Force (RAF) pilots and each carried an air cadet as a passenger. The pilots were staff members of the RAF's Number 1 Air Experience Flight (AEF), based at St Athan Airfield near Cardiff.  Number 1 AEF, along with other AEFs throughout the United Kingdom, exists to provide air experience flying for members of the Air Training Corps and the RAF wing of the Combined Cadet Force.  Number 1 AEF was co-located with, and formed part of the University of Wales Air Squadron (UWAS)

Breaking the Mishap Chain

http://www.nasa.gov/pdf/643903main_BreakMishapChain-ebook.pdf

"Breaking the Mishap Chain:
Human Factors Lessons Learned from Aerospace Accidents and Incidents in Research, Flight Test, and Development"
NASA By Peter W. Merlin, Gregg A. Bendrick, and Dwight A. Holland



This volume contains a collection of case studies of mishaps involving experimental aircraft, aerospace vehicles, and spacecraft in which human factors played a significant role. In all cases the engineers involved, the leaders and managers, and the operators (i.e., pilots and astronauts) were supremely qualified and by all accounts superior performers. Such accidents and incidents rarely resulted from a single cause but were the outcome of a chain of events in which altering at least one element might have prevented disaster. As such, this work is most certainly not an anthology of blame. It is offered as a learning tool so that future organizations, programs, and projects may not be destined to repeat the mistakes of the past. These lessons were learned at high material and personal costs and should not be lost to the pages of history.