Effects of Pyridostigmine Bromide on A-10 Pilots during Execution of a Simulated Mission; Performance.

摘要

This report documents the performance results of a study that was conducted to determine the effects of pyridostigmine bromide (PYB) (30 mg 3x/day) on pilot performance. Data was collected in an A-10 flight simulator with an Advanced Visual Technology System (AVTS). The subjects were 24 A-10 pilots who were trained on the following simulated tasks over three 55-min sessions: takeoff, patterns, emergency procedure and landing; air-to-air refueling; conventional low-angle strafing; and low-level ingress to a simulated target and threat area (RED FLAG). Next, during two test sessions, 48 h apart, the pilots were tested using a double-blind procedure on the same tasks in a PYB condition and in a placebo condition. In the two test sessions, 12 of the pilots wore chemical defense ensembles (CDE) and the other 12 wore standard flight gear (SFG). The results indicate that there are no operationally significant effects of pyridostigmine bromide that would preclude an A-10 pilot from accomplishing a tactical mission, including air-to-ground attack, under a chemical warfare threat. Chemical warfare, Flight simulators, PYB, Drugs, Performance measurement, Pyridostigmine bromide. Flight simulation, Pilot performance,