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The consequences of gross hypoglycaemia with unconsciousness or confusion occurring during a flight are potentially catastrophic. Primary concerns encompass the impact on performance of in-flight hypoglycaemia and aeromedically relevant complications such as ischaemic heart disease and diabetic retinopathy. Traditionally, flying and the use of insulin have been considered incompatible. The relationship between diabetes and aviation has been emotive and controversial, with a perception of conflict between individual rights and the need for aviation safety. This aeromedical decision requires a very different set of information, skills and expertise from that required for clinical decisions. This clinical information is vital in the next step of the process, which is to make an occupational risk management decision. In terms of aeromedical legislation, the clinical specialist helps to identify whether the condition is relevant to air safety and then contributes to the store of information about prognostic probabilities. Managing the consequences and determining the risk after consequence modification.
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The steps involved in making aeromedical decisions include:Īssessing the pilot’s functional capacity ĭetermining the likelihood of a clinical event ĭetermining the likelihood of an undesirable aviation outcome ĭetermining the acceptability of the risk ĭetermining the risk after likelihood modification and
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Assessment takes into account a range of factors including the individual’s age amount and currency of experience medical condition, treatment and possible side effects and the type and extent of flying that he or she intends to undertake. In assessing fitness of pilots to fly, aviation medicine practitioners consider the overall risk that the applicant’s medical condition presents to aviation safety, and the utility and reliability of risk mitigation efforts. There are three levels of aeromedical certification in AustraliaĬlass 2 - for private and recreational pilots and In Australia, civil aviation medicine - and in particular, the medical certification of pilots - is practised under the jurisdiction of the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA). It is also concerned with third-party risk on the ground. It is concerned with the health and safety of those who fly, both crew and passengers, as well as the selection and performance of those who hold aviation licenses. Statistics,epidemiology and research designĪ medical specialty which combines aspects of preventive, occupational, environmental and clinical medicine with the physiology and psychology of man in flight.Statistics, epidemiology and research design.
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