ABSTRACT
The previous chapter dealt with some of the more common sources and effects of the psychosocial stressors experienced by aircrew. This chapter is concerned with the physical stressors imposed on pilots. It has to be stressed right from the start, though, that the aeromedical aspects of these factors are only considered superficially (for a full treatment of these aspects see Rainford and Gradwell, 2006). This chapter is concerned with the human performance aspects of environmental stressors such as temperature and humidity, the flight deck atmosphere, noise, vibration and disorientation. Furthermore, the emphasis is firmly placed on the more regularly experienced values of these parameters rather than the effects of grossly abnormal values, as may be experienced in extreme circumstances or by military pilots in fast jets.
