Noise, vibration and changes in wakefulness during helicopter flight.
The investigation was carried out in cooperation with the helicopter school AF 1 in Boden. Measurements were made in two different types of helicopter, Hkp 3 and Hkp 6. Three different parameters were recorded during the flights: noise, vibrations, and wakefulness. Noise and vibration exposures were mainly correlated to the main rotor energy and frequency. Both types of exposure were dominated by lower frequencies, below 10 Hz. Analyses of wakefulness during long-distance flights, about 4 h, and short-distance flights, less than 2 h, were based on EEG and EKG recordings. As expected the level of wakefulness was influenced by the stress upon the pilots. Take-offs and landings, as well as unexpected events during the flight, were correlated to an increased level of wakefulness. In some cases flying was correlated to a gradual increase of weariness. The correlation between weariness, types of flying, and the external environmental factors of noise and vibration, is also discussed.
D000337:Aerospace Medicine; D000401:Aircraft; D004569:Electroencephalography; D006801:Humans; D009622:Noise; D009624:Noise, Transportation; D011674:Pulse; D013997:Time Factors; D014732:Vibration; D014851:Wakefulness / Q000502:physiology*