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Volume 36, Number 7 Published by the S.C. Aeronautics Commission August, 1985

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STATE I.TLICU;*ENTS

Ftying $hriner$The (ireenville Hejaz Flying

Notrles will host the $nutheastssrlShrine Flying Fezzes during theStrutfieastern Shrine Conventirrnof 198$ ter be held in Greenville.Ralph $chrnidt, right. foundedthe unit in 196S to provide airtranspcrfation far trurncd anetcrippled children. Arnold Em*ry"left, is currently captain nf theUnit" {Asronautics Commissionphclt*l

Flying Shriners to compete at meetShrine flying units from nine

southern states will converge inGreenville Aug. 15-17 for theSoutheastern Shrine Flying Fezzes

Association annual convention andaerial competition.

The meeting is part of theSoutheastern Shrine Convention of1985, held for the first time ever inGreenville, the conclave is expectedto attract 15,000 shriners, wives andfriends. It.is already being called thelargest convention ever held inGreenville.

Arnold Emery, Captain of the He-jaz Flyirig Nobles, as the GreenvilleUnit is known, said 10 to 15 flyingunits and 30 to 40 aircraft will par-ticipate in the flying competitionscheduled for Donaldson Center Aug.16.

Events'include a landing contest inwhich pilots try to land on a stripe500 feet from the end of the runway;a message drop in which aviators willdrop a one pound bag from 500 feetonto a target and a taxi contest inwhich the contestants see who cantaxi the aircraft's front wheel closest toa horizontal and vertical marker.

Following the competition, theNobles will dedicate a recently pur-chased hangar at GreenvilleDowntown Airport which will serve as

the group's headquaYters. Other ac-tivities include the unveiling and bricklaying ceremonies of the new ShrinersHospital, the Southeastern ShrineParade-on Greenville's Main Sheetand a country and western hoedownand baybecue.

The Hejaz Flying Nobles and the

Flying Fezzes of other southern statesprovide a crucial service to shrinersnationwide by flying crippled andburned children to hospitals for treat-ment, sometimes on as little as 15minutes notice.

The Hejaz Flying Nobles unit inGreenville was founded by RalphSchmidt in 1968 and was one of thefirst flying units in the country.Schmidt, a Greenville businessman, is

now Captain Emeritus of the unit.The unit also provides routine

transportation for children on followuptreatment.

"Many of our flights are not strictlyemergencies," Emery'said. "A majorpart of our flying is transportingchildren back for clinic visits on anoutpatient basis."

2 P~metto A~ation ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Ju~, 1985

PALMETTO AVIATION is an of­ficial publication of the South Carolina · Aeronautics Commission. It is designed to inform members of the aviation community, and others interested in aviation, of local developments in avia­tion and aviation facilities and to keep readers abreast of national and interna­tional trends in aviation. The Aeronautics Commission is a state agency created in 1935 by the S.C. General Assembly to foster and pro­mote air commerce within the state.

Richard W. Riley Governor

Commissioners Ralph Schmidt, chairman Greenville

Michael L. Laughlin, vice chairman Aiken

Joseph Wilder Barnwell

Edwin Pearlstine Charleston

Jim Hamilton Lexington

Fred Eugene Rachels Chester

B. Truett Jones Loris

Ex-Officio Sen. Isadore Lourie Columbia

Rep. Olin R. Phillips Gaffney

Staff John W. Hamilton Director

Bill Goodwin Editor

Offices at Columbia Metropolitan Airport Mailing Address: Post Office Drawer 1987 Columbia, South Carolina 29202 Phone: (803) 758-7704

Eighth Airports Conference Planned at Hilton Head

The Eighth Annual South Carolina Airports Conference, planned this November at Hilton Head, promises a varied agenda with a number of topics which should appeal to airport spon­sors, FBOs, managers and others in­volved in the management and development of airports.

The general theme of the 1985 conference is "Airport Protection and Enhancement"; discussion items will cover legal protection as well as physical protection.

Proposed topics include: --Airport security and aviation theft --Obstructions and the airport environment --Fueling: What the recent legisla­tion means to airport owners and operators --Airport leases : Some problems and solutions --Land use controls: What they are and what they can and cannot do --South Carolina's airport develop­ment program --The FAA's Airport Improvement Program

In addition, manufacturers and ven­dors of airport equipment and services will have exhibits set up to demonstrate the latest in lighting , asphalt treatment and other items for airports. Time for perusing the .ex­hibits as well as for golf and tennis will be available in the afternoon.

Make plans now to be on hand when it happens at the Marriott's Hilton Head Resort Nov. 13, 14 and 15 . A block of rooms has been reserved at $45 per night, single; $55 per night, double occupancy. Reser­vation forms will be mailed to those who attended last year's conference. If you would like to attend this year, be sure to return your reservations as soon as possible. The conference registration fee will be $55 per person and will cover the Thu;sday lun­cheon, coffee and soda and two cocktail receptions.

The Aeronautics Commission looks forward to seeing you all again this year. If you do not receive a registra­tion form by Aug. 15, please call 758-2766.+

Owens Airport enhanced by ASR approach

Owens Airport, Columbia's in-town airport, now has an Airport Surveillance Radar (ASR) approach to runway 31 operated by Col­umbia approach control.

Before the approach was commissioned, aircraft on instrument flight plans with Owens as a destination, had to have VFR conditions to land at the airport, or divert to Columbia Metropolitan. Now, the ASR approach allows IFR aircraft to land at Owens with as little as one and one quarter miles visibility. The minimum descent altitude is 640 feet.

The approach is available from 7 am to 10 pm. Aircraft wishing to use the approach should refer to the Jeppesen approach plates. The approach is not published in the U.S. Government Instrument Approach Procedures book.

Columbia Airport Tower Chief Bob Patterson said many aircraft have taken advantage of the approach since it was commissioned late last year. Work is already underway to establish an RNAV ap­proach to Owens from the Columbia VORTAC, he said.

July, 1985 Palmetto Aviation 3

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Terminal building at Walterboro-Colleton County Airport

Skyway Aviation Inc. takes over Walterboro FBO

Skyway Aviation Inc. , based in Asheville, NC , has recently taken over the lease of the FBO in Walterboro, sc.

Located in the southeastern tip of the state, on the Victor Airway, Skyway o~,Nners Carl Mcintosh and Rosaly Sheppard hope to attract more traffic into that FBO by cutting jet and aviation fuel prices. They are charging a $1.78 for 100LL and $1.59 for jet fuel.

The local manager at Walterboro is Jean Spence. Skyway began their operation by opening two flight training schools in Asheville and Charlotte . They have expanded into leasing the Walterboro. facility and will manage an FBO in Asheville soon to begin construction.

Mcintosh has been a private pilot and commander of the Civil Air Patrol in Asheville , Sheppard has experience as a charter pilot , is an A & P mechanic and a flight instructor.

The newly built terminal in Walter­boro contains showers, lockers, a pilot's

briefing room and lounge, and a meeting room with a wet bar. There is vending machine food but a local restaurant will cater food for a small meeting .

The airport , with an elevation of 100', has three well kept runways. The longest runway is 5 ,800' and all three are equipped with VAS! lighting systems . ·The airport is attended from 7 a.m . til 8 p .m. and runway lights can be activated on Unicorn frequency 112.8 by five clicks. It also has an NOB approach .

The company plans to expand their . current tie down area and rebuild the existing wooden hangers. While repairs are now on an appointment basis , Skyway wants to have a full time mechanic on duty in the near future. to even include painting and upholstering .

The airport will also provide aircraft sales charter service and flight training .

Skyway owners feel that once pilots know the facility is there and what ser­vices they can provide , more pilots· will fly into Walterboro to avoid the busier airports in that area .+

Breakfast Club

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There will be a special weekend meeting of the Breakfast Club on Sept. 15 at Jekyll Island , Ga . Breakfast will be at Villas-by-the-Sea Resort Hotel Restaurant on Sunday, Sept . 15: But members will arrive Friday or Saturday for a weekend holiday.

Villas--including kitchen , bath and bedrooms--are $50 to $90 a night depending on size and· location . For those who would like to attend , call 1-800-841-6262 for reservations.

The schedule for the remainder of the year is as follows:

Aug. 11 Orangeburg Municipal, Orangeburg

Aug. 25 Grand Strand Airport, N. Myrtle Beach (Dan's Pancake House is host)

Sept. 8 Georgetown Airport, Georgetown

Sept. 15 Jekyll Island , Ga . (special weekend meeting)

Sept. 22 Holly Hill Airport , Holly Hill

Oct. 6 Newberry Municipal Airport , Newberry

Oct. 11-13 Woodward Field , Camden (EAA fly-in)

Oct. 20 Orangeburg Municipal , Orangeburg (annual meeting and election of officers)

Nov. 3 Summerville Airport, Summerville

Nov, 17 Laurens County , Laurens

Dec. 1 Walterboro Municipal , Walterboro ·

Dec. 15 Lancaster County, Lancaster

Breakfast Club members normally arrive between 9 and 9 :30 a .m. Breakfast starts at 10 and is usually over by 11 a .m.

4 Palmetto Aviation July, 1985

Fatigue: An insidious enemy moredangenous than thunderstormsBy John Likakisg-&*\ h" air taxi pilot's task did not

ffi appear to be difficult. The night'& was dark. with an overcast layer at

4,600 feet, but visibilities reported as 30miles. The 10,000-hour pilot at the con-trols of the Beech Baron had completedtwo legs of the six he was scheduled to flythat night, transporting checks around thestate of Arizona. Having departedPhoenix for this leg at 12:45 a.m., hedroned through the sky at 5,500 feet,heading for Tuscon.

The pilot had been through a full day,starting at 8:15 that morning. During thecourse of the day, he had worked andflown, giving another pilot a checkout ina Baron for about an hour during theafternoon. After going all day, he hadreturned home for dinner. But his respitewas brief. He returned to the airport at8:30 to begin his nightly runs of bankchecks.

After departing Phoenix for the thirdleg, he was cleared to Toltec intersectionby Phoenix Approach. After this, Phoe-nix shut down for the night, and nothingfurther was heard from the pilot.

It was a little too routine. The Baronflew right by Tucson Airport and contin-ued on course at about 5,500 feet. Losingonly a slight amount of altitude, it slam-med into the side of Mount Fagan in theSanta Rita mountains at the 5,200-foot level.

Fatigue-it's not always as obvious as

this. It may not manifest itself as physicalexhaustion. It may be dangerous in smalldoses. People may suffer from fatigueeven though they have gotten plenty ofrest. Pilots can find fatigue creeping upon them despite their sleeping habits orlifestyles.

Fatigue is insidious and pervasive. Itseffects can range from simple tiredness toneurosis. But for aviators, it is an enemywhich must be faced and can be moredangerous than a level 6 thunderstorm.

How can pilots recognize, prevent, andtreat fatigue before it becomes life-threatening?

SymptomaticPerhaps the most important part of thebattle against fatigue is recognizing itsonset before it becomes overwhelming.In its earliest stages, fatigue is verysubtle. According to various studies, ittends to begin with mental lbthargy.

Aviation psychologist Dr. ChaytorMason, of the Institute of Safety andSystems Management of the Universityof Southern California, told us that one ofthe first things to go is the "scan." Thebrain, becoming dulled by the constancyof inputs during steady-state flight,begins to shut things off-much in thesame manner as wearing a wristwatchbecomes unnoticeable a few momentsafter it has been put on. As a result of thisshutting down of stimuli inputs, the eyesstart to narrow their scan and eventuallybegin to fixate on centrally located items.

This is the start of a vicious cycle.Another pyschologist specializing inaviation, Dr. Harvey Wichman of Cal-ifornia's Claremont-McKinna College,explained that as the brain begins to filterout the constant stimuli-things likeengine noise and vibration, or the un-moving engine gauges-fewer externalinputs reach the brain cortex. The nar-rowing of the visual scan tends to com-pound this by taking in fewer things, alsoproviding less and less external inputs.

At this point, according to the psych-ologists, a general state of sloth sets in.With the reduced stimuli to the brain, themind begins to avoid stimulating actions.Pilots will tend to sit more motionlessthan normal, making fewer head move-ments. They will tend to forego optionalactions, such as confirming their posi-tion, giving or getting Pireps and weatherinformation, and so on. The pilot maybecome irritable, finding fault with theactions of controllers or his copilot. Atnight or in tough IFR conditions, suchsymptoms already are enough to causefatal mistakes.

But now fatigue begins to take on morephysical symptoms. As the body startsslowing down further, the eyes begin toget filmy and may start to feel like they'reon fire. Physical motions start to slow as

heart rate falls. The pilot may find him-self staring blankly or fixing his gaze on asingle instrument or object outside theaircraft. Mental activity becomes slower,and eventually drowsiness sets in.

Now the cycle picks up speed. Tired,the pilot does not want to move much ordo much. The less he does, the less inputsthe brain has to work with and the general

slowdown of mental and physiologicalactivity increases, making the pilot feelmore drowsy and less like doing any-

thing. Left to its own, this cycle will con-tinue until, like the pilot cited above, thefatigued aviator slips into sleep.

The RAF StudiesIn a study ofpilots and fatigue, a group ofBritish Royal Air Force pilots were givenflights in a simulator. These flights lastedfrom two to six hours, and the pilots'per-formances were measured. This studyfound that, as the pilots grew fatigued,they were less likely to make errors dueto misuse of controls, an interestingfinding. But they discarded this advan-tage through loss of accuracy in timingand skill.

Critically, and perhaps the most deadlyimplication the study discovered, wasthat as fatigue increased, the pilots beganlowering their performance standards.Things that would have been unaccept-able at the start of the flight now becameacceptable.

The study also found that the pilotsbecame unable to integrate what their in-struments were telling them. They tendedto fixate on a single instrument and didnot it compare to others or the airplane as

a whole. In some cases, the pilots wouldstop looking at those instruments whichwere not directly in front of them-adeadly development in IFR flying.

But perhaps the most striking findingof the study was that pilots would tend torelax considerably when the airport wasin sight. At this point, they would-alreadybe operating at a lower standard of per-formance, and with the airport so closethey tended to lower these standards evenfurther. The tendency was for the pilotsto make ever-increasing numbers of mis-takes, and accept ever-sloppier flying, asthey perceived the end of the flight draw-ing nearer.The Long RunThese are the effects of fatigue in theshort term. Easy to feel and obvious intheir impact, symptoms of this form offatigue can be recognized and dealtwith-usually by getting a good night'ssleep.

But fatigue also acts over the longterm. Extended periods of working hard,being under considerable stress, or work-ing against the body's rhythms (or fromall of these together) leads to a far moreinsidious kind of fatigue.

It is well known that the stress reactionin humans corresponds to a state of

July, 1985 Palmetto Aviation 5

arousal. Stress is known to prod,uce aresponse akin to the "fight or flight"response. In short doses, this responseworks as intended, preparing the bodyfor physical exertions. But when the re-sponse is maintained over,extendedperiods, particularly when there is nooutlet for the energies it creates, it is likeconnecting a battery to a ground-thebody's energy is drained.

But because of the state of arousal thestress produces, often the fatiguingeffects will not be noticed until the sourceof the stress is removed. For pilots, dif-ficulties at home or on the job can pro-duce such stress. Stepping into the cock-pit often provides an escape from thesource, allowing the body to transitionfrom the stress-arousal of the initialsource to the high arousal state of flying.This is when the fatigue slips in.

Silent and insidious, the mental muf-fling which fatigue brings poses ahazardwhich may well go unrecognized. Thepilot may find himself taking longer toperform what should be simple mentalcalculations. Concentration suffers, andoften attention wanders, drawn towardsthoughts about the stress source or intodaydreams as a means of escape from thestress.

This kind of fatigue shows itself inother ways, too. A study of Australianairline pilots found that the pilots were ina constant state ofarousal during flight-they were under stress. This manifesteditself, for the most part, in gastrictroubles. In the study, about 50 percent ofthe pilots involved suffered some form ofgastric distress (chronic indigestion,ulcers, etc). The net result was the pilotsdid not feel 100 percent fit most of thetime, and they found themselves havingto make greater efforts to cope with day-to-day existence. The implications areobvious in a profession which demandsso much perfection as flying.

This is one of the most difficult types offatigue to combat. Coping with stress islargely an individual matter. Recog-nizing the stress and its results is atremendous step towards mitigating theuntoward effects.Sleep-Too Much, Too LittlePerhaps the most obvious effects andcauses of fatigue lie in sleep. Tired at theend of the day, most people go to sleep.Those who don't, or can't, simply findthemselves getting more fatigued. At acertain point, it will be impossible to stayawake without chemical aid.

As a cure for physical fatigue, sleep isthe one which everyone indulles in. Forthose who look a little tired, the age-oldadvice has been to get a good eight hourssleep.

But this advice may not be entirely ac-curate. Studies have shown that differentpeople need different amounts of sieep. Ithas been found that people's nightly re-quirements for sleep can vary tremen-dously, from a low ofaround four hoursper night to a high of up to fourteen. Theaverage, however, is generally held as

eight hours.Numerous studies have documentud

the effects of lack of sleep. One Armystudy found that sleep loss can make thesubject slower physically and mentally.Worse, it tends to make his reactionserratic, even unpredictable. It can pro-duce variations in reactions to situationswhich change from minute to minute. Forexample, where one minute the subjectmay be capable of catching or fending offan object thrown without warning, in thenext he may allow it to hit him squarely inthe head.

But getting too much sleeP can alsoproduce fatigue. Sleeping in excess ofone's normal requirements tends to pro-duce sluggishness which can last all day.Those who sleep too much can actuallyfeel more tired than when they went tobed. This has been linked to a dropping ofthe body's basal metabolism from theprolonged sleep. In other words, the en-tire body-chemically, mentally, andphysically-is moving slower. Forpilots, this can mean slower reactionsphysically and mentally, which can havefatal consequences in the flying environ-ment. The extra seconds needed to com-pute a holding pattern entry can produce a

collision,with terrain.Because each person requires different

amounts of sleep, it behooves pilots todetermine what their requirements are.Experts say this is most easily done by

Psychologistsbasically agree that

all torms of lightexercise are

beneficial in stav-ing off the elfects

of fuisue.

simply going to bed when tired and wak-ing up when refreshed. It sounds ob-vious, but it's not necessarily easy to doin today's environment. The premise is toavoid an imposed schedule for sleepingand let the body signal its requirementsinstead. Once thc correct amount of sleeptime has been found. it should then bereinforced to produce a good strong habitpattern for sleeping. After a time, theperson will probably find he no longerneeds an alarm clock as his body willawaken him at the best time, usually righton schedule.Rock Around the ClockThe notion of allowing the body to deter-mine its own best sleep pattern presup-poses that one's lifestyle will allow such a

pattern to form. But some pilots findthemselves working hours which varyconsiderably from week to week. Some

are even working on rotating shifts,which have them flying during daytimewhen they feel awake. This is done, inpart, by regulating the levels of variouschemicals in the bloodstream. Certainhormonal levels change when the sungoes down. (It has been found that thelevel of melatonin in the bloodstream, forexample, rises with the onset of darknessand increases until the individual isasleep. It remains fairly constant untilmorning, when the level begins droppingprior to waking up.) Body temperaturealso falls during the hours ofdarkness as

the body prepares for sleep. It has been

Reprlnted by permlcslon from Avla-tlon Saftey, l71l Eact PutnamAvenue, Rlverslde, Conn. 06878.

NI rtShts resewed.

6 Palmetto Aviation July, 1985

found that heart rate decreases during theearly morning hours (usually around 3 or4 a.m.).

A significant effect of consistentlyworking against the circadian rhythm isits impact on the subject's health andsocial functioning. Psychologist Dr.Chaytor Mason told us that pilots work-ing for some ofthe overnight package andcargo services have been experiencinghigher rates of loss of medical certificatesthan their daylight-flying counterparts,and seem to be having more difficulties athome, too. Dr. Mason said he was notsure whether a factor in the home, such as

a spouse's dissatisfaction with a pilot'snight flying job, causes more stress in thepilot's life, leading to more health andpersonal problems, or whether the stressof working against the circadian clockcauses the problem.

When someone is forced to workagainst his circadian ryhthm, what can he

do to minimize the adverse effects? Thisquestion, unfortunately, has no singleanswer.

CircumstancesIt all depends on the circumstances which

the individual is trying to adjust to.Flights across time zones will require dif-ferent strategies than flights which are

being made at "off-hours. "Flights which cross time zones present

unique conditions. The body finds its ex-ternal time cues shifted, with some re-sulting circadian confusion. It has beenfound that the human body will generallycompensate for one time zone per day.Pilots who have just completed a flight toEurope may have to wait up to eight daysfor their bodies to completely adjust tothe new time zone (if they have crossed

one week, darkness the next. And ofcourse, flights which traverse severaltime zones impose a similar condition.

The net effect of both of these cir-cumstances is to throw off the body's in-ternal clock. Commonly known as circa-dian rhythms, these internal clocks tell uswhen to sleep, when to eat, when to per-form various bodily functions.

There is evidence to suggest that thecircadian clock is set by the time cuessupplied by the environment. The regularcycle of daylight and darkness deter-mines when our bodies feel sleepy andeight time zones).

The effects of time zone changes arenot as pronounced on flights from east towest. It has been found that peoplearriving in the U.S. from Europe have aneasier time re-adjusting to the newschedule. While no reason for this hasbeen confirmed, it is suspected that most

people find it easier to adjust to the longerday which the east to west time-zonechange produces than they do to thelonger nights which travel in the oppo-site direction brings on.

For pilots who find themselves work-ing constantly changing schedules,however, the situation can be quite dif-ferent. The body is still receiving thesame external cues in terms of light anddark. But now it must be able to functionat peak efficiency at any time. This kindof scheduling can lead to the body chas-ing the circadian clock but with no realhope of catching up. Those who workrotating shifts find themselves just settl-ing into one clock setting, when they arecalled upon to reset the clock and transi-tion to another shift.

The implications here are the same as

those for crossing time zones-how canthe pilot remain as sharp as he wouldduring a normal day? The vast majorityof those who work under these conditionsfind their own, individual way to cope.There has been some input from thescientific community on this, however.

Dr. Charles Ehret of the ArgonneNational Laboratory in Chicago hasespoused a dietary approach to over-coming this "shift-lag." This diet is in-tended to be implemented during the in-dividual's off-duty days (i.e. weekend)and should enable him to transition fromone shift to the next more easily. The dietconsists of regulating the intake of pro-teins and carbohydrates while simul-taneously shifting the sleeping pattern.Extended over the course of the week-end, it permits the body to be better ad-justed at the start of the new work week.

Quality sleepFatigue can also find its source in thequality of sleep. Restless nights with thesleep pattern interrupted often find thesleeper awakening quite tired from the

Studies tound thupilots tcnd to rclarconsidembly whenthe airyoft k insight.

night's exertions. Pilots with a baby athome have no doubt been subjected to this.Those without children have probablybeen awakened during the night by othercauses. The effect is the same, however.

If the interruption is not consistent, inother words happening only once duringthe night, the effects will not be pro-nounced. But if the person finds himselfawakened several times during the night,the effects can be dramatic. f his will be'true even if the person gets a total of eighthours of sleep.

The key is the amount of time whichthe person spends in REM (rapid eyemovement) sleep. According to psych-ologists, this stage of sleep begins about90 minutes after the person first fallsasleep. It is considered one of the mostcritical stages of sleep. It is when the per-son dreams.

Several studies have shown that peopledeprived of REM sleep will awaken feel-ing worse than when they went to bed,particularly if the deprivation has con-tinued over two or three'nights. Thus, ifthe person's sleep is consistently disturbedbefore he enters REM sleep (the babycries, an unmuffled truck passes by), theeffect will be almost like getting no sleepat all.

REM deprivation can be caused bythings other than disturbed sleep. Sleep-ing too deeply, when under the influenceof alcohol or drugs, for example, willprevent the body from reaching REMsleep. Psychologist Dr. Harvey Wich-man tells us that the body will not enterREM sleep until all alcohol has beenmetabolized. Until the blood alcohollevel drops, the body will lie in very deepsleep. For someone who has really tiedone on, this could take all night, leavingthe victim feeling not only hung-overfrom the alcohol but also sleep-deprivedeven though he may have been uncon-scious for over eight hours.

July; 1985 Palmetto Aviation 7

Still of the NightFor some pilots, like those involved in airambulance work, the call to fly can comeat very odd hours, often in the middle ofthe night. For these pilots, there is noprospect of returning to bed when thingsquiet down. They must fly now.

Dr. Wichman suggests that pilots whofind themselves in this situation be extracareful in their flying. As an aid towaking up, he suggests that doing lightexercises before and during flight couldhelp the pilot in maintaining his alertness.Fighting against both sleep loss and thecircadian clock, these pilots must takesteps to prevent themselves from fallinginto a torporous state through inactivityduring the flight. The doctor suggeststhat talking to people (controllers orcopilots) will help provide the neededstimuli to help keep the brain active.

Several psychologists we spoke withsuggested that some forewarning of theimpending flight could be used by thepilot to his advantage, provided thiswarning came far enough in advance topermit some small amount of sleep beforetakeoff.

As applied to an air ambulance pilot, ithas been suggested by several aviationpsychologists that dispatchers who findthey have to awaken pilots in the middleof the night could help the pilot con-siderably by calling as far in advance offlight time as possible. If the pilot couldbe warned a few hours in advance, hecould go back to sleep for a short time.Knowing he would have to get up shortly,his body would attempt to compensate forthe anticipated loss of REM sleep.

Flying FatigueFatigue can also come during flight fromvarious aspects of the flying environ-ment. While not very demanding phys-ically (pilots certainly do not exertthemselves physically as much as

longshoremen do), the cockpit requireslarge amounts of mental activity. lt alsoimposes its own special stresses on thebody.

That long IFR flight, featuring severalclearance amendments, routing changes,and tricky navigation problems, can taxone's mental abilities. Prolonged flightunder these conditions can certainly pro-mote reduced mental acuity, and has been

shown to lead pilots into makingmistakes.

More insidious, but just as fatiguing, isa flight where nothing happens. Longperiods of scanning the instruments withlittle conversation or break in the scan-

ning routine is, to say the least, boring.Boredom is fatiguing.

Fatigue can also be brought on by some

Fatigued pilots sotnetimes couldn't calch thingstossed et then by surprise,

of the cockpit and cabin amenities. Pres-surized aircraft tend to have very dry airin the cabin at altitude. This leads to milddehydration-a fatiguing state. Pilotsoften compound this by drinking coffee,cola and sweetened drinks. Coffee andcola both iirntain caffeine and both act as

diuretics. They prod the kidneys on togreater efforts, drying the body outfaster. The drier the pilot gets, the morefatigued he gets. The most obvious wayaround this trap is to avoid caffeinatedand sweetened beverages. Since water iswhat is being lost, then water (or fruitjuice) is what should be taken in toreplace it, the experts say.

Another source of cockpit fatigue is

noise. It is well known that noise is phys-ically tiring. This is particularly true ofcontinuous, droning type noise, such as

aircraft engines. During World War II, a

pilot ferrying a P-38 fighter across theAtlantic found the drone of the enginesputting him to sleep. When the fatiguebecame too much for him to handle, he

found relief by doing barrel rolls in theheavily loaded aircraft. The adrenalinboost he got from scaring himself was

enough to let him finish the flight toGreenland.

While pilots do not generally fly air-craft which are capable of performingrolls safely, there are other ways offighting cockpit fatigue. Breaking uproutine is probably one of the bestremedies for fatigue on the flight deck.

According to the aviation psych-ologists we spoke with, the trick is tohave a variety of stimuli for the brain towork on. Dr. Wichman suggests thattalking with people on the ground, likeFlisht Watch or some other airborne ser-

vice, is probably one of the best ways toaccomplish this. Not only does it providea break from the routine of the flightdeck, but also provides the opportunity togather potentially invaluable informa-tion.

Another trick he recommends is to dosmall mental chores, like checking posi-tion off as many navigational aids as

possible. This will help alleviate theboredom and fatigue and also enhance thesafety of the flight. Likewise, checkinggroundspeeds, computing fuel burn, orany number of items which might other-wise get deferred until later in the flightcan help reduce fatigue.

One way to both reduce fatigue andprevent its further onslaught, accordingto Dr. Wichman. is to move around.Pilots tend to sit quite motionless at thecontrols. This tends to dull the senses and

reduce circulation. Moving about, evenif it is only flexing the arms and legswhile seated, will tend to provide stimulito the brain and aid tremendously in re-storing circulation. It will also cause therelease of small amounts of adrenalin,which will act as a short-term pick-me-up.

Dr. Wichman also told us that whenstrong symptoms of drowsiness set in, thekey is to produce some sort of change inthe environment. Long-distance drivershave used the trick of opening the win-dow and letting cold air blow on theirfaces. Even Lindbergh used this trick,and it works. Eating a strong mint orcandy will be effective in providingstimulus, as will pinching oneself orbiting a lip. Dr. Wichman told us of onepilot he knows who places a rubber bandloosely around one wrist. When the pilotstarts feeling tired, he just stretches therubber band out and lets it snap smartlyagainst the wrist. The short, stinging painthis produces gets the adrenal glandsgoing, providing a nice boost.

Long and ShortWhether flying the Atlantic, orjust flyingthe pattern, fatigue can be as deadly as anairframe failure. According to one experton aviation psychology, as cockpit tasksbecome more cognitive (mental) innature, fatigue can force the pilot intomaking errors. The subtle and insidiousnature of fatigue's effects can delay thepilot from taking remedial actions until itis too late-when fatigue has robbed himof critical abilities. The only real cure isprevention-rest, relaxation, and properplanning. But for the aviator who isforced to fly when fatigued, being awareof his body's needs, or the effects offatigue, and of some of the methods forcombating it will make those tiring flightseasier and safer.

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SOUTH CAROLINAAERONAUTICS COMMISSIONP.O. Drawer 1987

Columbia. South Carolina 29202

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CAP Cadets enioy Parris lsland encampmentMore than 70 Civil Air Patol Cadets

from cities all over South Carolinarecently completed a week's encamp-ment at Panis Island and got a taste ofthe famous Marine Corps haining.

"The last time we brought thi: cadetsto Panis Island was in 1980 and..theyreally loved it," CAP Maj. Heyward In-abinett said.

Inabinett, commander of theBeaufort CAP squadron said, "everyyear we ask them where they want togo and they say, 'We want to go toPanis lsland!' "

One week of summer camp at amilitary base is an annual affair for thecadets and a requirbment to movefrom the cadet enlisted to the officerranks, lnabinett said.

The cadets, both male and female,ranged from 13 to 18. years old.

Inabinett says the drill instuctorsmade the haining week a big challengefor the cadets.

"At other cadet encampments, the

senior cadets run the program," hesaid. "But here, the DIs take chargeand the kids love the strict militarydiscipline and the Marine atmospherethey get from them."

During the week, the cadets'schedule included running the obstaclecourses, drill all week, hand to handcombat; pugil sticks and bayonet assauhhaining; classes orl customs andcourtesies, map and compass and rankstructure; firing the M-16 and riding ina helicopter at the Beaufort MarineCorps Air Station.

Cadet lLT Rodney Cordona, whocommands the Greenville cadets, sayshe really enjoyed the hand-to-handcombat taining and was really im-pressed with his drill instuctors.

"They're nice. . well, they're notnice, but I respect them a lot and I

think they're good. I would like to beable to handle my cadets the sameway they handle us."

The-female cadets were no less im-

pressed. Cadet LtCol. Debra Scott,from Beaufort, was one of two girlswho completed the challenge course byinching her way to top in the ropeclimb and she gives a lot of credit forher perseverence to her drill instuctor.

"l liked the Challenge Course and Ihave a lot of respect for my drill in-

-

stuctor. It took a while to get used tothe routine. The first day was reallyhard, but I liked everything."

Two Panis Island Drill Inshuctors,Sgts. Peter A. Vargas and WilliamLancaster, who were in charge of thecadets, said the experience was reallyfun for them.

"They're pretty motivated," Vargassaid. "lt's interesting to see that theirreactions are about the same asrecruits."

"lt went real smooth," Lancasteradded. "They catch on real quick. All Ican say is I hope pe'get some of themfor Marine recruits in the future."*