Pilot Heart Rate During In-Flight Simulated Instrument Approaches in a General Aviation Aircraft

摘要

Eight instrument rated pilots with flying experience ranging from 600 to 12,271 hours each flew 10 simulated ILS instrument approaches in a single engine, general aviation aircraft equipped with a primary flight display arranged in conventional 'T' configuration. Continuous heart rate data were recorded during each approach. Approaches were flown consecutively at approximate 10-minute intervals, with a 1-minute in-flight rest period prior to each approach. Principal findings were: heart rate increased significantly during each approach; mean increase in heart rate during the approaches was 5.2 beats per minute (BPM) and was of a relatively constant magnitude for each of the 10 approaches; and the overall mean heart rate level decreased on successive approaches for a total of 11.0 BPM for the 10 approaches. The results are discussed in terms of responses to stress introduced by the demands of the task. (Author)