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