The Effects of Alcohol on Pilot Performance During Instrument Flight

Abstract

Sixteen instrument-rated pilots, eight of whom were very experienced professional aviators, flew instrument landing system approaches in a Cessna 172 under simulated instrument flight conditions while sober and while under the influence of 40, 80, and 120 mg% of blood ethyl alcohol. Each pilot flew four approaches to minimums on each of two occasions at each alcohol level. The data collected during these approaches included continuous measurement of aircraft position with respect to localizer and glide path centerlines and airspeed. Note was made of procedural errors committed during the flights. It is concluded that even 40 mg% of blood alcohol exerts decremental effects on performance which are incompatible with flight safety.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jan 01, 1972
Accession Number
AD0740778

Entities

People

  • Charles E. Billings
  • Ralph J. Gerke
  • Robert C. Chase
  • Robert L. Wick

Organizations

  • Ohio State University

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Air Platforms
  • Biomedical

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Aircraft Equipment
  • Aircrafts
  • Analysis Of Variance
  • Computer Programs
  • Computers
  • Data Science
  • Environment
  • Experimental Design
  • Flight Instruments
  • Information Science
  • Instrumentation
  • Materials
  • Measurement
  • Regression Analysis
  • Statistical Analysis
  • Test And Evaluation
  • Vehicles

Fields of Study

  • Medicine

Readers

  • Aviation Safety and Air Traffic Management
  • Aviation Science / Aeronautics.
  • Brain and Cognitive Science; Experimental Psychology; Cognitive Neuroscience