Are pilots exposed to a lot of UV rays? What can you do?
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: Tropopause
Age: 40
Posts: 89
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Are pilots exposed to a lot of UV rays? What can you do?
I've been curiously reading lately and understand that there are two main types of UV radiation that effect us.
UVA and UVB.
UVA(the visible light you see) radiation penetrates deep into the skin and is responsible for premature aging of the skin and skin cancer. Tanning beds can emit 2 to 5 times more UVA radiation than the sun.
UVB (the infrared light you feel as heat) radiation is stronger than UVA radiation. It mainly affects the outer layers of the skin, causing sunburns, premature aging of the skin, and skin cancer. These rays are strongest during summer months.
I've read contradicting things that the cockpits windshield blocks out most the UVA.
If it doesn't, does this make a pilot a lot more exposed to radiation weather he/she likes it or not and there's very little that can be done about it?
Premature aging / wrinkles and cancer are the biggest effects of UV.
Is a pilot badly exposed to this?
Is there anything that can help?
Do you do anything to help?
Appreciate the responses and thanks in advance.
UVA and UVB.
UVA(the visible light you see) radiation penetrates deep into the skin and is responsible for premature aging of the skin and skin cancer. Tanning beds can emit 2 to 5 times more UVA radiation than the sun.
UVB (the infrared light you feel as heat) radiation is stronger than UVA radiation. It mainly affects the outer layers of the skin, causing sunburns, premature aging of the skin, and skin cancer. These rays are strongest during summer months.
I've read contradicting things that the cockpits windshield blocks out most the UVA.
If it doesn't, does this make a pilot a lot more exposed to radiation weather he/she likes it or not and there's very little that can be done about it?
Premature aging / wrinkles and cancer are the biggest effects of UV.
Is a pilot badly exposed to this?
Is there anything that can help?
Do you do anything to help?
Appreciate the responses and thanks in advance.
I suspect the metal around the flight decks and the thick windscreens/heating elements would shield you from most of the UV. Most pilots have quality sunglasses to protect from glare, as much as from UV.
What is probably more significant, over a lifetime of flying, would be the Xrays and Gamma rays. These can penetrate low-density materials. (Such as aluminium, kevlar, and plastic.)
What to do? I'll leave that to the pilots to answer. I work just above ground level.
What is probably more significant, over a lifetime of flying, would be the Xrays and Gamma rays. These can penetrate low-density materials. (Such as aluminium, kevlar, and plastic.)
What to do? I'll leave that to the pilots to answer. I work just above ground level.
Join Date: May 2013
Location: have I forgotten or am I lost?
Age: 71
Posts: 1,126
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
first of all get your physics right.
uv, ultraviolet radiation is just light slightly off the blue end of the visible light frequencies.
heat is transmitted by infrared radiation which is just off the red end of the visible light frequencies.
we in australia are exposed to far more light than you are in the higher latitudes. australians love the beach and we live to enjoy old age.
even poms who have migrated live to a ripe old age in australia.
the simple message is dont get sunburnt.
beyond that what you are reading is mainly all codswallop, but of course it is all wrapped in pseudo scientific language so you'll be utterly absorbed by it.
oh "pilots exposed to it all" ...wear a baseball hat the right way around to shield the face, the headphones take care of the ears and a long sleeved shirt will protect the arms, a pair of jeans protect the legs.
(I know. all this is so difficult to master that either I must be an utter legend or you're a bit of an idiot. your choice.)
uv, ultraviolet radiation is just light slightly off the blue end of the visible light frequencies.
heat is transmitted by infrared radiation which is just off the red end of the visible light frequencies.
we in australia are exposed to far more light than you are in the higher latitudes. australians love the beach and we live to enjoy old age.
even poms who have migrated live to a ripe old age in australia.
the simple message is dont get sunburnt.
beyond that what you are reading is mainly all codswallop, but of course it is all wrapped in pseudo scientific language so you'll be utterly absorbed by it.
oh "pilots exposed to it all" ...wear a baseball hat the right way around to shield the face, the headphones take care of the ears and a long sleeved shirt will protect the arms, a pair of jeans protect the legs.
(I know. all this is so difficult to master that either I must be an utter legend or you're a bit of an idiot. your choice.)
Ozzis are exposed more b'cos of few clouds and also b'cos the sun is about 5 million KM closer to Oz in Oz-summer time..
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Auckland, NZ
Age: 79
Posts: 722
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I am not a pilot, but I've just had a skin cancer chopped out, so I have a little to contribute.
UVa and UVb are different parts of the ultraviolet spectrum--UVa closer to visible blue, UVb further away (shorter wavelength). The shorter the wavelength, broadly, the stronger the effects.
One major effect of UV is skin cancer: mostly basal skin carcinoma, which won't kill you, but can result in nasty ulcers. Australians and NZers get high exposure to UV (in part because of the ozone hole), and as a result have high rates of skin cancer. UV may also exacerbate melanoma, which will kill you, probably, but UV seems to have only an indirect effect on melanoma (it can mess up DNA, apparently, which bears thinking about).
High UV exposure may also cause cataracts, and some other eye problems.
Various things absorb UV, whilst transmitting visible light: ozone in the upper atmosphere, air, glass, some plastics. Glass and plastics can be treated to increase UV absorption.
High altitude, therefore, increases exposure to UV (I once lived on the NSW Great Dividing Range, at about 3,600' ASL: sunburn was a real problem). Shielding by glass or plastic will reduce exposure, to a varying extent, subject to thickness and precise composition of the transparencies.
Photochromic sunglasses go dark when exposed to UV light: they do not work satisfactorily inside a closed car, so I would imagine that the flight deck of an airliner, a fortiori, would NOT have a high UV level. On the other hand, a low wing light aircraft could be Nature's own tanning bed, depending on the material of the canopy. Apparently, polycarbonate is good at UV shielding. On the other hand, again, it is possible to get sunburned even through glass, if exposed long enough. Therefore it would seem sensible to take precautions, as seen in all the best photographs of Australasian glider pilots: broad-brimmed hat, good quality sunglasses, preferably wrap-around, and plenty of SPF 30+.
If in doubt, it can't be too hard to get a reliable UV meter on loan or hire.
Keep safe--half my contemporaries seem to be having BCCs cut out.
UVa and UVb are different parts of the ultraviolet spectrum--UVa closer to visible blue, UVb further away (shorter wavelength). The shorter the wavelength, broadly, the stronger the effects.
One major effect of UV is skin cancer: mostly basal skin carcinoma, which won't kill you, but can result in nasty ulcers. Australians and NZers get high exposure to UV (in part because of the ozone hole), and as a result have high rates of skin cancer. UV may also exacerbate melanoma, which will kill you, probably, but UV seems to have only an indirect effect on melanoma (it can mess up DNA, apparently, which bears thinking about).
High UV exposure may also cause cataracts, and some other eye problems.
Various things absorb UV, whilst transmitting visible light: ozone in the upper atmosphere, air, glass, some plastics. Glass and plastics can be treated to increase UV absorption.
High altitude, therefore, increases exposure to UV (I once lived on the NSW Great Dividing Range, at about 3,600' ASL: sunburn was a real problem). Shielding by glass or plastic will reduce exposure, to a varying extent, subject to thickness and precise composition of the transparencies.
Photochromic sunglasses go dark when exposed to UV light: they do not work satisfactorily inside a closed car, so I would imagine that the flight deck of an airliner, a fortiori, would NOT have a high UV level. On the other hand, a low wing light aircraft could be Nature's own tanning bed, depending on the material of the canopy. Apparently, polycarbonate is good at UV shielding. On the other hand, again, it is possible to get sunburned even through glass, if exposed long enough. Therefore it would seem sensible to take precautions, as seen in all the best photographs of Australasian glider pilots: broad-brimmed hat, good quality sunglasses, preferably wrap-around, and plenty of SPF 30+.
If in doubt, it can't be too hard to get a reliable UV meter on loan or hire.
Keep safe--half my contemporaries seem to be having BCCs cut out.
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Wanderlust
Posts: 3,404
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Flying around 40000ft Pilots are definitely exposed to UV and also radiation. At least among tropical country's pilots cataracts around 60 years is not uncommon. I do not know how much race and genetics is involved in this.
Join Date: May 2011
Location: FL400
Posts: 398
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
dubbleyew eight,
Brilliantly rude and patronising answer there.
How about you get your physics right instead of berating someone for asking a completely sensible question?
Heat is only partly transferred to the earth from the sun by infrared. Roughly half is direct infrared transfer from the sun, the other half being created from the absorption of light energy to create infrared.
Brilliantly rude and patronising answer there.
How about you get your physics right instead of berating someone for asking a completely sensible question?
Heat is only partly transferred to the earth from the sun by infrared. Roughly half is direct infrared transfer from the sun, the other half being created from the absorption of light energy to create infrared.
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Pasadena
Posts: 633
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
The ozone layer that screens UV is above aircraft altitudes.
Most glass also screens UV. So, UV is not an onboard risk.
UVA and UVB are broad bands. The solar spectrum is a blackbody at ~6000K, so UV light from the Sun is fading quickly shortwards of blue light to the ~310nm atmospheric cutoff.
You need to worry about UV on the ground, not onboard.
Follow the Australian advice on the matter.
Aircrew are subject to enhanced cosmic ray radiation, at polar latitudes, at high altitudes and during solar storms. I understand that Concorde crews were licensed radiation workers.
Most glass also screens UV. So, UV is not an onboard risk.
UVA and UVB are broad bands. The solar spectrum is a blackbody at ~6000K, so UV light from the Sun is fading quickly shortwards of blue light to the ~310nm atmospheric cutoff.
You need to worry about UV on the ground, not onboard.
Follow the Australian advice on the matter.
Aircrew are subject to enhanced cosmic ray radiation, at polar latitudes, at high altitudes and during solar storms. I understand that Concorde crews were licensed radiation workers.
Join Date: May 2013
Location: have I forgotten or am I lost?
Age: 71
Posts: 1,126
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Brilliantly rude and patronising answer there.
Join Date: May 2011
Location: tiny office, great views
Posts: 28
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
uncertain about the uva or uvb radiation, but in my airline we get yearly estimate of cosmic radiation. there is lot of it i.e. compared to nuclear powerstation worker where crews gets more. i remember a good article from aerosafety have a read
Flare-Ups | Flight Safety Foundation
Flare-Ups | Flight Safety Foundation
Join Date: Dec 1999
Location: UK
Posts: 2,584
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I've been curiously reading lately
UVA(the visible light you see)
UVB (the infrared light you feel as heat)
UVB (the infrared light you feel as heat)
Suggest you go find a diagram of the spectrum of light to see why.
This is roughly equivalent to telling us that you can see in the dark and that cabbages are bananas.
Dear me!
To answer the OP:
Yes. Some have thin films and/or absorbing material in the laminate somewhere. "Most" is a relative term - at 40,000', what is left after "most" has been filtered out can still be significant.
I wear sunblock on the flight deck, as I have found myself with the first symptoms of mild sunburn after a long daylight flight. I am sensitive in that respect, having virtually no natural pigmentation, so am a bit of a canary for UV exposure. Others may not notice anything at all.
I also avoid direct exposure (newspapers are good for this
). As someone pointed out earlier in the thread, the main problem is on the ground, especially at high altitude. For near-albinos like me, it's literally minutes before burning starts.
Here's a graph from NASA showing Ozone and UV levels in a representative atmospheric cross-section:
Note that in the 10-15km altitude range, where most jets operate, you are already above some of the ozone (which is why airliners have ozone converters) and are experiencing significantly higher levels of UV-a and UV-b.
I've read contradicting things that the cockpits windshield blocks out most the UVA.
Premature aging / wrinkles and cancer are the biggest effects of UV.
Is a pilot badly exposed to this?
Is there anything that can help?
Do you do anything to help?
Is a pilot badly exposed to this?
Is there anything that can help?
Do you do anything to help?
I also avoid direct exposure (newspapers are good for this
). As someone pointed out earlier in the thread, the main problem is on the ground, especially at high altitude. For near-albinos like me, it's literally minutes before burning starts.Here's a graph from NASA showing Ozone and UV levels in a representative atmospheric cross-section:
Note that in the 10-15km altitude range, where most jets operate, you are already above some of the ozone (which is why airliners have ozone converters) and are experiencing significantly higher levels of UV-a and UV-b.
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Greensburg, PA
Age: 52
Posts: 106
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Knew a FO once whose mother made him a lead lined vest to wear when he flew and who also took his airline provided spirulina pills to offset the effects of radiation. Haven't asked him lately how that's working for him...
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Western USA
Posts: 555
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Here's my experience.
I flew the North Pac for years between ANC and Asia. The sun was on my left arm for hours headed westbound and I began to notice little lesions (not really the technical term) on my arm. After wearing a long-sleeve cruise shirt, the lesions began to disappear or reduce in appearance. The left sleeve of the shirt also noticeable faded.
After some research on this, I found that the cockpit windows do not block any UV. My ophthalmologist suggested that I get a UV block coating on my sunglasses, which I did.
Scoff if you will, but there is something to this UV concern.
I flew the North Pac for years between ANC and Asia. The sun was on my left arm for hours headed westbound and I began to notice little lesions (not really the technical term) on my arm. After wearing a long-sleeve cruise shirt, the lesions began to disappear or reduce in appearance. The left sleeve of the shirt also noticeable faded.
After some research on this, I found that the cockpit windows do not block any UV. My ophthalmologist suggested that I get a UV block coating on my sunglasses, which I did.
Scoff if you will, but there is something to this UV concern.