AOPA Turbine Pilot Magazine - May 2018 - 108

NEWS & NOTES
ASI NEWS

AOPA AIR SAFETY INSTITUTE

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To your health

NEW FROM ASI
FOWLED-UP FLIGHT
Not quite a decade ago, the Miracle
on the Hudson accident demonstrated
that a bird strike can severely cripple a
large passenger aircraft. Imagine what
it can do to a general aviation aircraft.
Bird Strike, a real pilot story from the
AOPA Air Safety Institute, invites you in
the cockpit of a Beechcraft Baron as it
climbed to 3,500 feet. That was when
the pilot noticed the birds. A splitsecond later, a four-pound red-tailed
hawk collided with the airplane, crashing
through the windshield and injuring
the pilot. This video recreation has you
come eye to eye with the hawk and learn
how the pilot successfully dealt with
the ensuing mayhem. Watch the story
unfold (www.airsafetyinstitute.org/RPS/
birdstrike) and learn what to do should
an unexpected feathered guest enter
your cabin.

Are you flying healthy?
BY MACHTELD SMITH

THE ONE-YEAR ANNIVERSARY of the
implementation of BasicMed is a good
time to take stock of your health and
renew your resolve to stay in shape.
One way to do this is to take the medical self-assessment online course
(www.airsafetyinstitute.org/medical
assessment) developed by the AOPA
Air Safety Institute. Medical SelfAssessment: A Pilot's Guide to Flying
Healthy is a great tool for all pilots, not
just those participating in BasicMed-
just ask the more than 30,000 pilots
who've taken it.
When it comes to your health and
flying safely, be proactive. The course
suggests getting a medical checkup regularly. It also offers thoughts on how
to stay healthy, how to detect signs of
adverse medical conditions, and what to
do should you discover a situation that
requires medical attention. While not a
replacement for professional medical
advice from your physician, the course
reviews practical information to help
you objectively assess your condition
to fly. For example, you can explore scenarios that guide you through several
self-assessment and decision-making

108 | AOPA PILOT May 2018

processes. You'll also learn about the
complex relationship of medications and
flying and the FAA's guidance on taking
medications. Did you know that the FAA
wants you to wait for at least five times
the maximum pharmacologic half-life
of the medication or, if that information is not available, wait for at least
five maximum dosing intervals to have
passed before flying? Or that drugs with
no apparent side effect on the ground
can create serious problems at even
relatively low altitudes? Some over-thecounter medications may also effectively
ground you-such as any medication
that warns of possible impairment and
to not operate motor vehicles or machinery while taking the drug.
If you have concerns about managing
in-flight physiological impairment, the
course has a chapter on that. But not just
on what to do when there is a problem.
The course suggests things you can do
to prevent problems from arising in the
first place, such as getting regular health
screenings and adapting diet and exercise to nurture a healthy body.
Get a better grasp of aeromedical
matters and physiology, including risk

WHEN OTHERS SAY NO, HE SAYS GO
While humorous in presentation, the
AOPA Air Safety Institute's Real Aviation
Heroes Pilot Safety Announcement
tackles a serious problem: irresponsible
behaviors of pilots who deliberately take
significant risks. Know of any daredevils
attempting dangerous stunts? Watch and
share this video (www.airsafetyinstitute.
org/PSA/realaviationheroes).

factors of significant medical conditions and how these affect your ability to
fly. Review the course periodically-it's
your body, your health. Also, download
the various documents and checklists to
take along in your flight bag-the preflight and inflight checklists especially
can help manage your health and safety
and that of your passengers before and
during every flight.
MACHTELD SMITH is an aviation technical

writer for the AOPA Air Safety Institute.

http://www.airsafetyinstitute.org/RPS/birdstrike http://www.airsafetyinstitute.org/RPS/birdstrike http://www.airsafetyinstitute.org/medicalassessment http://www.airsafetyinstitute.org/medicalassessment http://www.airsafetyinstitute.org/PSA/realaviationheroes http://www.airsafetyinstitute.org/PSA/realaviationheroes

AOPA Turbine Pilot Magazine - May 2018

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of AOPA Turbine Pilot Magazine - May 2018