CPL Human Performance flashcards
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32 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.
- Hypoxic hypoxia
- Reduced oxygen partial pressure in the lungs, as at altitude. Supplemental oxygen and descent correct it; other hypoxia types are not fixed by oxygen alone.
- Time of useful consciousness
- The period from loss of oxygen to inability to act, about 3-5 minutes at 25,000 ft and 15-20 seconds at 40,000 ft. Exertion and cold shorten it.
- Hypemic hypoxia
- Oxygen cannot be carried because haemoglobin is reduced or occupied, as in anaemia, blood loss, or carbon monoxide poisoning. Breathing oxygen helps only partly.
- Barotrauma
- Pressure injury to air-filled body spaces during altitude change, most often the middle ear on descent. Equalise early by Valsalva, Toynbee, or swallowing.
- Semicircular canal function
- Each canal senses angular acceleration in one plane. In a constant-rate turn the signal fades, so the pilot falsely feels straight and level.
- Otolith organs
- The utricle and saccule sense linear acceleration and gravity direction. They cannot distinguish acceleration from a pitch or bank change.
- Sympathetic nervous system
- The fight-or-flight division of the autonomic nervous system. It raises heart rate, dilates pupils and bronchi, and mobilises energy during stress.
- Cerebral hypoxia effect
- Brain oxygen shortage impairs judgement and self-assessment before symptoms are noticed. Treat suspected hypoxia with oxygen and descent, not observation.
- Empty-field myopia
- In a featureless sky or over water the eye rests focused about one metre away. Distant aircraft become blurred, so scan far and near deliberately.
- Off-centre viewing
- Looking 5-10 degrees to the side of a dim target at night places its image on rod-rich retina, improving detection of faint traffic or terrain.
- Dark adaptation
- Full night-vision adaptation takes about 30 minutes. A few seconds of bright white light can undo several minutes of it.
- Black-hole approach illusion
- A runway without surrounding ground lighting appears high, prompting a low approach. Use the glidepath indicator and published minima, not visual impression.
- Somatogravic illusion
- Linear acceleration during take-off or go-around is misread as a nose-up attitude, so the pilot pitches down. Cross-check the attitude indicator and airspeed.
- Coriolis illusion
- A head movement during a sustained turn creates a tumbling sensation and nausea. Avoid head movements while turning under instrument conditions.
- The leans
- A slow roll below canal threshold leaves the pilot believing the aircraft is level. A deliberate glance at the attitude indicator corrects the false sensation.
- Graveyard spiral
- In a prolonged constant-rate turn without visual reference the pilot may not perceive bank or descent. Trust the instruments to recover.
- Somatogyral illusion
- After a sustained turn stops, the pilot feels a turn in the opposite direction. The sensation is false; confirm with instruments before correcting.
- DECIDE model
- A decision cycle: Detect the change, Estimate its significance, Choose an outcome, Identify actions, Do them, and Evaluate the result.
- Confirmation bias
- Seeking and favouring information that supports an existing plan while ignoring contrary evidence. Actively look for data that contradicts the plan.
- Plan continuation bias
- Continuing a plan despite changing conditions, often called get-there-itis. Pre-briefed abort or diversion criteria counter it.
- Working memory capacity
- Short-term memory holds about 7 plus or minus 2 items for 15-30 seconds. Checklists and standard calls offload it during high workload.
- Situational awareness levels
- Level 1 is perceiving elements, Level 2 is comprehending their meaning, Level 3 is projecting future state. Loss of Level 3 is most dangerous.
- SHELL model
- A model of error at interfaces: Software, Hardware, Environment, and Liveware around the central Liveware (pilot). Mismatches at interfaces produce error.
- Threat and Error Management
- A framework with three parts: threat avoidance, error trapping, and undesired aircraft state management. It treats error as normal and manageable.
- Slip versus mistake
- A slip is correct intention with wrong execution, such as a mis-set altitude. A mistake is a wrong intention or plan from the start.
- Just culture
- A reporting culture that treats human error with correction, at-risk behaviour with coaching, and reckless behaviour with sanction, protecting safety reports.
- Yerkes-Dodson curve
- Performance peaks at moderate arousal. Too little arousal causes complacency; too much narrows attention and increases error.
- Circadian low points
- The body clock dips around 0300-0500 and 1500-1700, raising sleepiness and error risk. Plan critical tasks away from these windows where possible.
- Sleep inertia
- Grogginess and reduced performance for 15-30 minutes after waking, worst after deep sleep. Avoid immediate critical decisions after waking.
- Caffeine half-life
- About 5-6 hours. Late caffeine worsens sleep quality and masks fatigue rather than restoring performance.
- Automation complacency
- Monitoring vigilance falls as trust in automation rises, so failures are detected later. Keep active monitoring and cross-check raw data.
- Mode confusion
- The crew believes the aircraft is in a different automation mode than it is. Verify armed and active modes after every change.