ATPL/CPL and Caffeine

[Gman36]

Hi,

Can anyone help me with what I thought was a simple request but it turns out that NATS/UK CAA/EASA don't think so!! Does anyone know the daily recommended maximum dose of caffeine intake for ATPL/CPL pilots? What is the published dosage that degrades a pilots performance? What is the authority for these answers ie CAA/NATS/EASA/ICAO/IATA etc Thanks guys and girls for all the assistance much appreciated.:ok:

[WASALOADIE]

The maximum recommended daily amount for flight crews is 300mg of caffeine.

(I used to teach HPL for an ATO)

[Excel90]

you can check that figure in atpl books

[paco]

250 - 300 - and a Costa Americano has 375!

[Gman36]

Thanks guys, Its interesting because no one can give a definitive answer. I have received answers claiming anything from 200mg to 400mg is acceptable. However, there appears to be no authority for these answers merely, what has been written! (but who wrote it, what is their authority?) When you read the texts it refers to everything that people are thinking about ie how many Americano's can I have in one day, but the texts don't quote exact figures or quote a valid reference. What I had thought was a simple quest turns out to be a much bigger problem and yup, ive been to ICAO, IATA, CAA, NATS etc! All help most gratefully received.

[mftx7jrn]

I believe Paco is correct- EASA quotes 200-300 mg per day. I seem to remember it is one of the HP exam questions.

[paco]

Officially, EASA thinks that excessive consumption is more than 250 mg per day. The usual reference for HPL is a huge book which I don't have with me, but I will look at my earliest opportunity. However, given that most human factors questions were extracted from the newspapers, who knows?

As a matter of interest, when I joined the Army, they showed us a movie of someone who had been injected with a week's worth of caffeine in on hit - he was walking around like a drunk. I rather think the intensity might have had something to do with it.

[Homsap]

I would say it is fairly pointless to set a limit, it is like everthing else, that it should be in moderation. Having said that it is a bit of a joke EASA setting a limit, when they have not done much about FTLs. Sleepy pilots drink more coffee to stay awake.

Finally I know someone who is a pathologist and sje will not drink any caffiene!

[Gman36]

Again, interesting comments. I am working on the figure of 300mg. However, if you start to seriously research the subject you start to come across anomalies. A lot of the "organisations" state that pilots "should be aware" and "recommended that pilots treat with caution" when using caffeine. I never spill mine! But try to get actual figures with a definitive authority behind them is hard. I have read books and articles and all differ. Why I believe it is so hard to answer is for several reasons 1. No in-depth serious research has been carried out into caffeine 2.Caffeine is now in so many types of food, drink and medication and 3. The physiology of the individual makes it difficult to compute (we are all different...but the same!) along with the individuals activity. So, still looking for that definitive answer!

However, caffeine CAN be fatal. In March this year (2017) a fit and healthy 16 year old drank a "fizzy" soft drink, a Café Latte and a can of Red Bull all within two hours died of cardia arrhythmia brought on by the large intake of caffeine over a short period of time. Conversely, like you guys I know a lot of people that if you cut their veins they bleed coffee and "appear" to be okay. Physiology, I believe, is the reason why authorities in the aviation field are reluctant to put figures on the dosage, its just too hard for them to call and theirs no money in it! By the way, 100g of caffeine WILL kill you! Many thanks to all, still interested in your thoughts etc and DONT SPILL THE COFFEE!