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- Pilots performance and flight safety: flight physiology in unpressurized aircraft cabinsPublication . Zorro, Sara Marques; Silva, Jorge Miguel dos ReisLight aviation pilots are exposed to many different environmental situations due to the nonpressurized and non-acclimatized aircraft cabin. Some of those variations can push the human body to some limits, which associated with psychological factors may culminate in incidentes or even fatalities. Actually, a literature review on this theme suggests that a significant part of the incidents and fatalities, within the light aviation that uses non-pressurized aircraft cabins, are related to the human factor. This analysis might bring up a concealed but significant and worrying phenomenon in terms of flight safety: changes of pilot performance in the amendment of psychological and physiological parameters, concerning to diferente stress levels and to pressure variations during the various flight stages, respectively. This may be a concerning situation due to the disparity of human body reaction between diferente pilots to the same flight conditions. Nature, both in terms of environmental factors, as pressure and temperature, or in human physiological and psychological behaviour, during the different flight phases, is unpredictable. Therefore, it is very difficult to establish safety boundaries. This study general objective is to analyse the influence of flight environmental conditions and pilots psychophysiological parameters on task performance, during different flight situations, considering some of his everyday habits. To this end, a statistical analysis of a survey, regarding specific questions about the need for pilot’s attention monitoring systems, was made, and, in parallel, a portable and ergonomic monitoring system was built. This system equipment records cerebral oximetry, to study the hypoxia phenomenon and its importance, electrocardiography (ECG), and electroencephalography (EEG), in order to establish a correlation between the influence of mental workload and other physiological parameters during different flight stages. The specific purpose of this study is to define physiological limits for each pilot, through simulation tests contemplating different flight scenarios, in order to create an on board alert system to prevent possible incidents. With this research is also intended to suggest that a potential restriction on pilots licensing legislation for light aviation, within physiological limits definitions, would be a positive contribution to a safer flight environment.
- Ultralight Aviation and Hypoxia: Pilot Perspec- tives on Cerebral Oximetry MonitorizationPublication . Zorro, Sara; Silva, Jorge; Patrão, LuisThe current study features collected information from a heterogeneous group of pilots regarding their prior experiences of hypoxia. The study focuses on whether the group of assembled pilots has received hypoxia training and on their perceptions of the trainings relevancy. Also analyzed is whether the installation of a physiological monitoring system would be considered by pilots as being relevant to improving flight safety. A monitoring system for brain oximetry was tested in light aviation pilots during real flight conditions
- Air transportation: perception and impact of passengers with reduced mobilityPublication . Zorro, Sara; Macário, Rosário; Silva, JorgeAir transport has many restrictions for persons with reduced mobility (PRM). This study aims to better understand the needs of PRMs and the main constraints they face within airports and aircraft. The passengers’ air rights and how they are being met for PRMs were analysed. An online survey was used to gather information about accessibility constraints and PRMs’ perception of air travel. The specific regulations for these passengers are not being properly complied with. There is still room for both airports and airlines to improve PRM experience during air travel.