The effect of cumulative helicopter flight time on the human body
The four bits that a lot of my colleagues dealt with over the years, as summarized by a USN safety/medical message in either the late 90's or early 00's:
Neck/cervical issues (helmet related and vibration related)
Lumbar (the big one) and mid back issues (My old boss had three surgeries)
Hemorrhoids
Hearing loss
Neck/cervical issues (helmet related and vibration related)
Lumbar (the big one) and mid back issues (My old boss had three surgeries)
Hemorrhoids
Hearing loss
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A friend and coworker of mine (pilot) wrote his masters thesis on this subject, I’ll see if he can supply a link to his paper.
As part of his research he measured the vibration levels at the pilot seat on every test flight his crew flew using a Chadwick 8500 and the assistance of his crew chief(who also happened to train me on vibration analysis/rotor tuning when I first entered our Test Flight section).
He compiled quite a number of the Chadwick printouts before all was said and done to document his work. As much as I like IVHUMS I sometimes miss the 8500, it just worked, unlike the crapshoot you had with AVA.
As part of his research he measured the vibration levels at the pilot seat on every test flight his crew flew using a Chadwick 8500 and the assistance of his crew chief(who also happened to train me on vibration analysis/rotor tuning when I first entered our Test Flight section).
He compiled quite a number of the Chadwick printouts before all was said and done to document his work. As much as I like IVHUMS I sometimes miss the 8500, it just worked, unlike the crapshoot you had with AVA.
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Re the Gazelle, Shy, I wonder if the way the pedals were offset toward the centre of the aircraft rather than directly in front of the seat may have put some extra 'twist' on the spine? I never noticed the offset until on Loan to the AAC, and while in the hangar trying to work out why one student in particular couldn't get the hang of running landings a REME pointed it out to me.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/6230074/
I read the actual report years ago but can’t find it now. But I recall the conclusion clearly - posture not vibrations.
Personally, I have just over 11,000 hours rotary and all my back problems relate to foolishness as a teenager and inattention to posture while sitting, in later life. Pretty sure my flying isn’t a factor.
My favourite seat was the 212 - nylon netting stretched over a well formed metal frame!
I read the actual report years ago but can’t find it now. But I recall the conclusion clearly - posture not vibrations.
Personally, I have just over 11,000 hours rotary and all my back problems relate to foolishness as a teenager and inattention to posture while sitting, in later life. Pretty sure my flying isn’t a factor.
My favourite seat was the 212 - nylon netting stretched over a well formed metal frame!
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Re the Gazelle, Shy, I wonder if the way the pedals were offset toward the centre of the aircraft rather than directly in front of the seat may have put some extra 'twist' on the spine? I never noticed the offset until on Loan to the AAC, and while in the hangar trying to work out why one student in particular couldn't get the hang of running landings a REME pointed it out to me.
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Is there audio with that ?
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Just run the Hearing Test on YouTube and I lost the sound around indicated age of 71 on the gauge - not bad as I'm 78, 16350 hours over aproximately 37 years of flying, including over 8000 hours on Bell machines, 205, 214B, 206 & 212, plus 6500 on the S61N (North Sea & Falklands) then a handful of hours, 650-ish, on the 332L1, not to mention the Sioux and Gazelle.
My high tone hearing is suffering a little though, but I am informed that that is due to normal age related loss.
its a bitch getting old, but I'm still here to complain about it !!😉😉👍👍
My high tone hearing is suffering a little though, but I am informed that that is due to normal age related loss.
its a bitch getting old, but I'm still here to complain about it !!😉😉👍👍
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43 years on board, in the cockpit. 5 years before that 'alongside' (avionics) 13,000 hrs approx. All ok apart from high tone that started going towards the end of Wessex SAR flying, (window slid back always, throat mike required due engine exhaust noise.) No aches and pains yet. No meds. I think the 50lb body trim in 2008 helped.
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It might be affected by the limitations of the speaker of the equipment you’re trying to listen with. If the speaker can’t transmit the frequency, you’re certainly not going to hear it.
Edit: After a disappointing initial test result, I wanted to check this for myself. I have just tried different ways of hearing this test….firstly on my iPad; the built in speaker, a pair of plug in earphones, then a pair of Bluetooth earphones (the latter are official Apple items).
I also tried the plug in earphones into my desktop PC, followed by the plug in stereo speaker (a Sony unit).
They all produced quite different results!
I was more pleased to discover that my best result (the PC and the Sony speaker) shows that my high tone perception is as good as someone 25 years younger than myself, which ties in with my last aircrew medical.
Edit: After a disappointing initial test result, I wanted to check this for myself. I have just tried different ways of hearing this test….firstly on my iPad; the built in speaker, a pair of plug in earphones, then a pair of Bluetooth earphones (the latter are official Apple items).
I also tried the plug in earphones into my desktop PC, followed by the plug in stereo speaker (a Sony unit).
They all produced quite different results!
I was more pleased to discover that my best result (the PC and the Sony speaker) shows that my high tone perception is as good as someone 25 years younger than myself, which ties in with my last aircrew medical.
Last edited by ShyTorque; 27th Nov 2023 at 14:08.
That hearing test gives me the same result with or without my hearing aids, so it may have less than stellar authenticity.
Since I have Profound Hearing loss it does have quite an impact on life generally, maybe why I tend to do 45,000kms a year on my motorbike and not have to worry about listening to people!
Since I have Profound Hearing loss it does have quite an impact on life generally, maybe why I tend to do 45,000kms a year on my motorbike and not have to worry about listening to people!
Interesting post. My two bobs worth as am now still flying as a CPLH about 200 hrs a year at 75 as passing medicals and enjoying it as much as when the adventure started in 1968.
No apparent internal physical issues so far at nearly 24K hrs but skin cancers have been problematic probably due to early exposure as a kid compounded with 55 yrs in the bubble.
Regular skin checks have found a couple of melanomas I didn't know were there and which were removed in time to then not be a problem.
Hearing probably held as I would wear ear plugs all the time when possible as the old SPH4 was a noisy helmet in the early days.
Didn't like visors as they were a layer which reduced sharpness and light slightly when working low looking for things - riveted a peak on the helmet to keep eyes in the shade. No glasses for reading or distance as yet!
Back related stuff - I'm 5ft 6 and have kept exactly the same weight since 20 yrs old - except some of it is now in different places. Have always made the effort to do some sort of physical excercise no matter where in the world I've been - even as simple as walking around the LZ a few times. Have never done weights etc except tipping fuel barrels onto their end etc and if there is a chance to pump fuel in I take it. Probably because of these things i've been able to keep mobility and even now can still run no probs using a descent set of running shoes.
Lucky enough not to get AIDS - avaition induced divorce syndrome - after an amazing 51 years with a very understanding lady and family.
I think I've been lucky
Question - before I forget - a couple of us following this post realise we know of zero high time heli pilots who have or had dementia. As our mob isn'tt the most intelligent beings, we are thinking its probably because the continous high level brain activity associated with our profession when flying may have helped. Would be interested in anyother views on this.
Fly Safe and enjoy life
No apparent internal physical issues so far at nearly 24K hrs but skin cancers have been problematic probably due to early exposure as a kid compounded with 55 yrs in the bubble.
Regular skin checks have found a couple of melanomas I didn't know were there and which were removed in time to then not be a problem.
Hearing probably held as I would wear ear plugs all the time when possible as the old SPH4 was a noisy helmet in the early days.
Didn't like visors as they were a layer which reduced sharpness and light slightly when working low looking for things - riveted a peak on the helmet to keep eyes in the shade. No glasses for reading or distance as yet!
Back related stuff - I'm 5ft 6 and have kept exactly the same weight since 20 yrs old - except some of it is now in different places. Have always made the effort to do some sort of physical excercise no matter where in the world I've been - even as simple as walking around the LZ a few times. Have never done weights etc except tipping fuel barrels onto their end etc and if there is a chance to pump fuel in I take it. Probably because of these things i've been able to keep mobility and even now can still run no probs using a descent set of running shoes.
Lucky enough not to get AIDS - avaition induced divorce syndrome - after an amazing 51 years with a very understanding lady and family.
I think I've been lucky
Question - before I forget
- a couple of us following this post realise we know of zero high time heli pilots who have or had dementia. As our mob isn'tt the most intelligent beings, we are thinking its probably because the continous high level brain activity associated with our profession when flying may have helped. Would be interested in anyother views on this.Fly Safe and enjoy life
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tcamiga,
Well done on remaining so healthy. I think you may be correct regarding good brain activity. Although I’m now retired from flying, my main hobbies are to do with vehicles in one way or another (these days obviously ground based) and most of my friends and acquaintances are similar people. I’ve often wondered if maintaining motor skills (in all senses of the term) and good hand/eye coordination keep brain degradation at bay for longer. Because like you, I’ve noticed that bike riders keep relatively “sharp” for a very long time. I’ve also wondered if video games such as the traditional “Space Invaders” have a similar benefit because they presumably make the brain process multiple items at once.
Well done on remaining so healthy. I think you may be correct regarding good brain activity. Although I’m now retired from flying, my main hobbies are to do with vehicles in one way or another (these days obviously ground based) and most of my friends and acquaintances are similar people. I’ve often wondered if maintaining motor skills (in all senses of the term) and good hand/eye coordination keep brain degradation at bay for longer. Because like you, I’ve noticed that bike riders keep relatively “sharp” for a very long time. I’ve also wondered if video games such as the traditional “Space Invaders” have a similar benefit because they presumably make the brain process multiple items at once.
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