Bronze C HUMAN FACTORS

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Bronze CHUMAN FACTORS
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FITNESS TO FLY

• PSYCHOLOGICAL AND
• PHYSIOLOGICAL FACTORS
• RELEVANT TO GLIDER PILOTS

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PSYCHOLOGICAL

• AFFECTING OR ARISING IN THE MIND

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PHYSIOLOGICAL

• THE WAY IN WHICH A LIVING ORGANISM OR BODILY PART
  FUNCTIONS.

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FITNESS TO FLY

• AGE
• MEDICALS
• PHYSICAL WELL BEING

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AGE

• NO MINIMUM AGE CAN SOLO AT 16
• NO MAXIMUM AGE BUT PHYSICAL AND MENTAL FITNESS
  MAY REDUCE WITH AGE

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MEDICALS

• TO FLY SOLO YOU MUST HAVE A SELF DECLARATION FORM
  ENDORSED BY YOUR DOCTOR.
• AT AGE 45 A NEW SELF DECLARATION MUST BE MADE
  ENDORSED BY THE PILOTS DOCTOR.
• THIS MUST BE RENEWED AT 50, 55, 60, 65 THEN
  ANNUALLY.

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NOTE

• IT IS THE PILOTS RESPONSIBILITY TO CHECK THAT
  THEIR MEDICAL IS VALID.
• IF YOUR DRIVING LICENCE IS REVOKED ON MEDICAL
  GROUNDS YOU AUTOMATICALLY BECOME UNFIT TO FLY
  SOLO IN A GLIDER

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PHYSICAL WELL BEING

• ANYONE KNOW THE ACRONYM -
• IM SAFE

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PHYSICAL WELL BEING

• ILLNESS
• MEDICATION
• STRESS
• ALCOHOL
• FATIGUE
• FLYING CURRENCY
• EATING

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ILLNESS

• MINOR ILLNESS CAN DISTRACT EG -
• HEADACHE.
• STOMACH UPSET.
• COLDS. COVERED LATER.

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MEDICATION

• MANY MEDICINES CAUSE DROWSINESS. READ THE
  INSTRUCTIONS .
• DO NOT FLY FOR 24 HOURS AFTER A LOCAL ANAESTHETIC
  (DENTIST)
• 48 HOURS AFTER GENERAL ANAESTHETIC.
• DONT FLY WITHIN 24 HOURS OF BLOOD DONATION.

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STRESS OR OTHER DISTRACTION

• ARGUMENT
• WORK PROBLEMS
• DEBTS
• DEPRESSION
• FAMILY ILLNESS
• LAUNCH POINT AGGRAVATION
• MENSTRUAL CYCLES
• IN FLIGHT NOISE EG WIND NOISE

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ALCOHOL

• ALCOHOL IS A DEPRESSANT
• A PINT OF BITTER WILL AFFECT JUDGEMENT AND THUS
  HIGHER RISKS THAN NORMAL ARE ACCEPTED.

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RAILWAYS AND TRANSPORT ACT

• STATES 20MG/100ML IE A QUARTER OF THAT WHICH
  APPLIES TO DRIVING A CAR.
• NOTE THAT THIS APPLIES TO ANYONE INVOLVED IN
  GLIDING OPERATIONS EVEN A WING TIP HOLDER.

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HOW LONG HOW MUCH ?

• ABOUT AN HOUR TO REMOVE 1 UNIT OF ALCOHOL FROM
  BLOOD
• FOOD HAS LITTLE EFFECT ON THE ALCOHOL ABSORBED
• LETS LOOK AT SOME EXAMPLES OF DRINKS -

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LAST ORDERS AS IT WERE
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FATIGUE

• A GOOD NIGHTS SLEEP IS ESSENTIAL.
• EXCESSIVE FLYING MAY CAUSE YOUR CONCENTRATION TO
  WANE.
• BOREDOM ON A LONG FLIGHT CAN CAUSE FATIGUE.
  SILVER DURATION A PARTICULAR CASE. TRY TO HAVE A
  PURPOSE SUCH AS LOCAL TRIANGLES.

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CURRENCY

• IF YOU FEEL OUT OF PRACTICE GET A CHECK FLIGHT !
• SIMPLY STAYING WITHIN YOUR CLUBS CURRENCY RULES
  MAY NOT BE ENOUGH.
• A LOG BOOK MUST BE KEPT UNTIL YOU HAVE A SILVER
  BADGE.

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FOOD

• HUNGAR REDUCES ALERTNESS
• MAINTAIN BLOOD SUGAR LEVELS.
• COMPLEX FOODS BREAD, PASTA AND FRUITS PROVIDE
  LONG LASTING ENERGY.
• SUGARY SNACKS ONLY PROVIDE A SHORT TERM BOOST
  FOLLOWED BY A SHARP REDUCTION IN ENERGY LEVELS.

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COMFORT

• DISCOMFORT WILL REDUCE CONCENTRATION LEVELS.
• HOWEVER DO NOT USE SOFT CUSHIONS TO IMPROVE
  COMFORT. THEY WILL COMPRESS DURING HIGH G
  POSSIBLY PREVENTING YOU FROM REACHING CONTROLS
  AND IN THE EVENT OF AN ACCIDENT MAY INCREASE
  SPINAL INJURY.
• USE DYNAFOAM.

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TO PEE OR NOT TO PEE

• YOU WILL NOT BE ABLE TO CONCENTRATE WITH A FULL
  BLADDER
• A HEAVY LANDING MAY CAUSE YOUR BLADDER TO
• EXPLODE !
• MAKE SOME SORT OF PROVISION TO EMPTY BLADDER
• AVOID DIURETICS EG CAFFEINE .

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PREGNANCY

• BEST AVOIDED
• BUT IF YOU MUST
• CONSULT YOUR DOCTOR
• ERRR. IF YOU SEE WHAT I MEAN
• PROBABLY DONT FLY FOR FIRST 3 MONTHS
• OR THE LAST 3 MONTHS

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PSYCHOLOGY

• FACTORS WHICH ARE RELEVANT TO YOUR STATE OF MIND
  WHEN YOU FLY -
• MINIMISE WORK LOAD
• SPEAK UP
• ATTITUDE

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WORK LOAD

• WAYS TO REDUCE WORKLOAD-
• MNEMONICS.
• SYSTEMATIC APPROACH.
• WRITE INFORMATION DOWN.
• CHECK LISTS.
• CURRENCY.
• RIGGING DONT GET DISTURBED.
• IDENTIFY AIR BRAKE LEVER IN CIRCUIT FOR EXAMPLE.

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COURAGE OF CONVICTIONS

• WE ARE ALL TAUGHT FROM AN EARLY STAGE THAT ANY
  BODY CAN STOP A LAUNCH.
• IF YOU ARE WITH AN EXPERIENCED PILOT EXPRESS YOUR
  CONCERNS IF YOU FEEL AN UNSAFE COURSE OF ACTION
  IS BEING FOLLOWED.

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INDIVIDUAL ATTITUDES

• CAN YOU THINK OF ANY ? START YOU OFF -
• PEOPLE WITH NO FEAR !

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CHARACTERISTICS

• MACHO
• ANTI AUTHORITY
• BOMB PROOF
• IMPULSIVE
• FATALIST
• VERY NERVOUS
• GUNG HO

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EMO TENDANCIES

• YOU CAN FLY SAFELY EVEN IF YOU HAVE SOME OF THE
  WORRISOME TENDANCIES ON THE PREVIOUS SLIDE.
• JUST BE AWARE OF THEM.

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PHYSIOLOGY

• THE WAY IN WHICH BODILY PARTS FUNCTION -

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TOPICS

• EYE SIGHT
• BAROTRAUMA
• EARS
• SPATIAL DISORIENTATION
• DEHYDRATION
• OXYGEN
• HYPERVENTILATION
• SCUBA DIVING
• HYPOTHERMIA
• G
• CARBON MONOXIDE

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BAROTRAUMA

• WIND !
• AIR IN YOUR INTESTINES BECOMES PAINFUL AS
  PRESSURE REDUCES WITH HEIGHT.
• AVOID FOOD THAT MAY EXAGERATE THE PROBLEM !
• RARELY AIR CAN BE TRAPPED IN TEETH WHICH CAN
  CAUSE TREMENDOUS PAIN.

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EYE SIGHT

• HAVE YOUR EYE TESTED EVERY 2 YEARS
• UK DRIVING REQUIREMENT IS READING A NUMBER PLATE
  AT 20 METRES .
• CONSIDER SUN GLSSES TO PROTECT EYS FROM UV
  RADIATION
• CARRY A SPARE PAIR OF GLASSES.

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EARS

• THREE PARTS TO THE EAR -
• OUTER EAR
• MIDDLE EAR
• INNER EAR

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EUSTACHIAN TUBE

• A BLOCKAGE IN THE EUSTACHIAN TUBE WILL CAUSE
  SEVERE DISCOMFORT DURING FLIGHT.
• AIR IN THE MIDDLE EAR EXPANDS DURING THE DESCENT
  ESCAPING THROUGH THE EUSTACHIAN TUBE.
• IT IS EASIER FOR AIR TO GO INTO THE MIDLE EAR
  THAN IT IS TO GO OUT .
• THUS THE EUSTACHIAN TUBE STAYS CLOSED UNLESS
  ACTIVELY OPENED BY MUSCLE ACTION SUCH AS
  SWALLOWING.

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• IF THE TUBE IS NOT REGULALRY OPENED DURING
  DESCENT A PAINFUL PRESSURE DIFFERENCE CAN RESULT.
• OTHER PROBLEMS COULD BE TEMP DEAFNESS,
  DIZZINESS NAUSEA.
• IF YOU SUFFER PAIN DURING A RAPID DESCENT TRY THE
  VALSALVA PROCEDURE.

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VALSALVA PROCEDURE

• CLOSE NOSE AND MOUTH
• PUT TONGUE AGAINST ROOF OF MOUTH
• BLOW GENTLY AGAINST THE RESISTANCE

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COLDS

• TISSUE IN THE NOSE SWELLS DURING A COLD AND THUS
  MORE LIKELY TO SUFFER THE PROBLEMS PREVIOUSLY
  DESCRIBED.
• THE PAIN CAN DISTRACT FROM THE PRIMARY TASK OF
  FLYING THE AIRCRAFT.

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SPATIAL DISORIENTATION

• THE SEMI CIRCULAR CANALS PROVIDE BALANCE AND
  ORIENTATION THROUGH THE SEMI CIRCULAR CANALS.

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SEMI CIRCULAR CANALS
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HOW DOES THE BALANCE SYSTEM WORK

• Movement of fluid in the semicircular canals
  signals the brain about the direction and speed
  of rotation of the head--for example, whether we
  are nodding our head up and down or looking from
  right to left. Each semicircular canal has a
  bulbed end, or enlarged portion, that contains
  hair cells. Rotation of the head causes a flow of
  fluid, which in turn causes displacement of the
  top portion of the hair cells that are embedded
  in the jelly-like cupula

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MOTION SICKNESS

• THE MISMATCH BETWEEN VISION AND THE SENSORY
  INPUTS FROM THE INNER EAR.
• DISOREINTATION CAN OCCUR IN CLOUD. INNER EAR
  STOPS SENDING INFO TO BRAIN AFTER 10 TO 20
  SECONDS. LOW RATE OF TURN INNER EAR FAILS TO
  SENSE ANY ROTATION. THEREFORE PILOT MAY BE IN A
  TURN WITHOUT KNOWING IT.

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ACTION

• PILOT MUST RELY ON THE INSTRUMENTS
• THIS REQURES TRAINING DO NOT TRY TO TEACH
  YOURSELF CLOUD FLYING.

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DEHYDARATION

• AN INSIDUOUS CONDITION THAT CAUSES -
• TIREDNESS
• IRRITABILITY
• CONFUSION
• HEADACHE
• VISUAL SNOW

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THIRST

• THE BODIES MECHANISM FOR AVOIDANCE IS NOT VERY
  GOOD.
• ONCE YOU FEEL THIRSTY YOU ARE ALREADY DEHYDRATED.
• PERHAPS A BETTER INDICATOR IS THE COLOUR OF YOUR
  URINE !

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URINE

• DEEP YELLOW URINE INDICATES THAT YOU ARE
  DEHYDRATED.
• DRINK WATER AND DO NOT FLY AGAIN UNTIL YOUR URINE
  IS CLEAR

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WATER LOSS

• A PERSONS BODY, DURING AN AVERAGE DAY IN A
  TEMPERATE CLIMATE SUCH AS THE UK LOSES APPROX 2.5
  LITRES OF WATER. THIS CAN BE THROUGH THE LUNGS AS
  WATER VAPOUR, THROUGH THE SKIN AS SWEAT OR
  THROUGH THE KIDNEYS AS URINE.

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WATER REPLACEMENT

• Water loss can increase by an order of magnitude
  or more through perspiration all of which must
  be promptly replaced. In extreme cases, the
  losses may be great enough to exceed the body's
  ability to absorb water from the gastrointestinal
  tract in these cases, it is not possible to
  drink enough water to stay hydrated, and the only
  way to avoid dehydration is to reduce
  perspiration (through rest, a move to a cooler
  environment, etc.).
• Probably not a cockpit !

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WORLD HEALTH ORG RECOMMENDATION FOR WATER INTAKE
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OTHER FACTORS

• AVOID DIURETICS E.G. TEA COFFEE
• WEAR A SMALL BRIMMED HAT
• AVOID ALCOHOL THE NIGHT BEFORE
• CARRY ENOUGH WATER IN THE COCKPIT
• WHAT DOES ENOUGH LOOK LIKE ?

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OXYGEN

• ATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE FALLS WITH HEIGHT -
• AT SEA LEVEL 1013 MB
• 10,000 FEE T 700 MB
• 18,000 FEET 500 MB

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OXYGEN

• NOTE -
• THE PROPORTION OF OXYGEN IN THE AIR REMAINS
  CONSTANT WITH INCREASING ALTITUDE. THE LOWER
  PRESSURE MEANS LESS OXYGEN DIFFUSES THROUGH THE
  LUNGS INTO THE BLOODSTREAM.

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MORE OXYGEN

• RECEPTORS IN THE BRAIN MONITOR LEVELS OF OXYGEN
  AND CARBON DIOXIDE. THE RECEPTORS ARE MORE
  SENSITIVE TO CARBON DIOXIDE SO IT THE LEVEL OF
  C02 THAT REGULATES THE BREATHING.
• LACK OF OXYGEN IS CALLED HYPOXIA

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NOTE

• ANOXIA RESULTS WHEN OXYGEN IS NOT BEING DELIVERED
  TO A PART OF THE BODY. IF THE CONDITION DOES NOT
  INVOLVE TOTAL OXYGEN DEPRIVATION, IT IS OFTEN
  CALLED HYPOXIA, ALTHOUGH THE TWO TERMS HAVE BEEN
  USED INTERCHANGEABLY

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HYPOXIA

• PERSONALITY CHANGE
• LACK OF INSIGHT
• LOSS OF JUDGEMENT
• LOSS OF SELF CRITICISM
• OVER CONFIDENCE
• EUPHORIA
• LOSS OF MEMORY
• MENTAL AND MUSCULAR INCOORDINATION
• SENSORY LOSS
• CYANOSIS
• SEMI CONSCIOUSNESS, ULTIMATELY DEATH

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WHEN DO YOU NEED OXYGEN

• YOU CAN ONLY TELL BY USING THE ALTIMETER AS YOU
  MAY BE SUFFERING FROM SYMPTONS MENTIONED !
• AIR NAV ORDER IS BEING AMENDED FOR MANDATORY
  CARRYING OF OXYGEN FOR FLIGHTS ABOVE FL130 OR IF
  FL100-FL130 FOR MORE THAN 30 MINS. LAWS AND REGS
  STATES ABOVE 10,000FEET AMSL.
• 35,000 FEET IS THE SAFE LIMIT WITH OXYGEN SYSTEMS.

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SMOKING BLOOD OXYGEN

• SMOKING REDUCES BLOOD OXYGEN LEVELS BY 4 TO 8
  PERCENT !
• CARBON MONOXIDE THE MAIN COMPONENT IN TOBACCO
  SMOKE HAS 300 TIMES GREATER AFFINITY FOR
  HAEMOGLOBIN THEN OXYGEN.
• PIGGOT SUGGESTS SMOKERS USE OXYGEN 3,000 FEET
  LOWER !

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HYPERVENTILATION

• ANXETY MAY GIVE RISE TO BREATHING TOO HARD AND
  TOO RAPIDLY I.E. HYPERVENTILATION.
• SYMPTONS BEING -
• LIGHT HEADEDNESS
• DIZZINESS
• ANXIETY
• TINGLING IN HANDS, FEET AND LIPS.

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CURE ?

• DONT PANIC !
• CONSCIOUSLY REDUCE THE RATE OF BREATHING
• SYMPTONS OF HYPOXIA HYPERVENTILATION SIMILAR.
  IF SURE IT IS HYPERVENTILATION BREATH INTO A BAG.

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SCUBA DIVING

• DIVERS BREATHE AIR UNDER PRESSURE FORCING AIR
  INTO THE BLOOD.
• THE NITROGEN IN THE BLOOD TAKES TIME TO DISPERSE
  AFTER SURFACING.
• DO NOT FLY WITHIN 24 HOURS OF DIVING TO A DEPTH
  GREATER THAN 30 FEET BECAUSE OF THE RISK OF
  DECOMPRESSION SICKNESS (BENDS).
• TRAPPED NITROGEN FORMS BUBBLES IN THE JOINTS AND
  BODY ORGANS.

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HYPOTHERMIA

• LOWER TEMPERATURE AT HEIGHT IN COLD WEATHER MAY
  GIVE RISE TO -
• DROWSINESS
• WEAKNESS LOSS OF COORDINATION
• SLURRED SPEECH
• SHIVERING
• AGRRESIVE OR WITHDRAWN BEHAVIOUR
• CONFUSION

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G EFFECTS

• HIGH G MANOEUVRES CAN CAUSE BLACK OUT EVEN AT LOW
  ALTITUDE.
• GREY OUT STARTS AS LOW AS 3G.
• WHAT G DO WE PULL IN A K21 LOOP ?
• TOLERANCE VARIES FROM INDIVIDUAL TO INDIVIDUAL.
• NEGATIVE G IS GENERALLY MUCH MORE UNPLEASANT.
• A FEW PEOPLE ARE VERY SENSITIVE TO NEGATIVE G.

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CARBON MONOXIDE

• MOTOR GLIDER LEAKING EXHAUST CAN GIVE RISE TO -
• HEADACHE
• FATIGUE
• SHORTNESS OF BREATH
• CONFUSION
• DIZZINESS AND FAINTING

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CONCLUSION

• PHYSICAL MENTAL STATE IS THE MOST IMPORTANT
  FACTOR IN FLYING SAFELY
• KEEP A GOOD LOOK OUT
• MAINTAIN CURRENCY
• BE AWARE OF YOUR MENTAL ATTITUDE
• DO NOT GET DEHYDRATED
• AWARE OF HEIGHT NEEDING OXYGEN
• MINIMISE WORKLOAD
• DONT FLY WITH A COLD
• BE AWARE OF EFFECTS OF ALCOHOL

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• ENJOY YOUR FLYING