Combatting Fatigue in Crewmembers

CIA DOCUMENT

AI Summary

The document discusses Aeroflot's efforts to combat crew member fatigue through medical research, physical conditioning, and the use of automated testing equipment to ensure pilot fitness and alertness.

Key Findings

- Aeroflot is engaged in aerospace medical research focused on crew performance. - They have developed devices to test pilots' biological functioning and motor response. - Cosmic ray particles cause pilots to see flashes of light during night flights. - Physical conditioning is emphasized to reduce fatigue and improve recovery. - Automated testing for physical fitness and mental alertness is being implemented. - Prophylactic facilities for crew members are established at major airports for rest and relaxation.

OCR Text

_ Approved for Domestic CoJkcrion Division Foreign I nrdlig.cnn: I nformario,1 Rc.:pon 01•£CTOIAlf Of OP(u.IIONS COUNTRY USSR OC0 REPOU NO. 00- B-321/33474-76 SU6J£CT Combating Fatigue in Crewmembers/ Aeroflot Work Cycles/Use of Drugs/ Biologic a l Effects of Ai r c r nfc Noise/ DATE OIS!ll. NO. PAGES lo November l.976 4 f { DA TE Of ! I J l 1 i I SOURCE Radi a t 1 •o n R esearc h/UFO Phenomena, 1 Prototype Pilot Biological Psychomotor REFERENC ES Nl~~=~:•~i !i~:,~::::t•tial Navigation1 .. ·- · .. .. I___ THIS IS UNEVALUATED INFORMATION -·-------- ·----· -·-··----· ·----·- 8 SUMMARY: Aeroflot of-ficials are actively involved in aerospace medical research. They are concerned with the medical aspects of physical conditioning which impinge upon crewcember perfor•m• ance and have perfected several devices which test pilot bio­ logical functioning and motor response ability. Or Inal Ge"orgiyevich Akoyev, a noted radiation biologist explainr,d cosmic ray particles (phosphenes) which are causing Aeroflot pilots to "see" flashes ·of light during night flying. Or [fnu] Akutin, cvhern:ti:ist at the Civil Aviation Institute of Leningrad showed ~ _ prototype pilot biological psychomotor testing equip­ .____a:e_ n~t~ w~ i-c~ m- e~asures blood pressure, pulse rate, cardiovascular function and 1110tor ability. The equipment is automatic and test­ ing is _completed in approximately three minutes. l j l, The Soviets deal with crelllllember fatigue in several ways. First, :hey emphasize and' prOlllote physical conditioning. •If a creWl!lember 1s phy$ically fit, he wil l be less prone to fatigue and will recover sooner after tiring flights, Aeroflot provides exercise facilities at all major alr•• pores,and these facU.ities are supervised by a well known a.thlete. The second thing they do is to thoroughly test each cre,,,oeober prior to flir,~~ to insu~e his physi~al fitn~s• and 111ental al,ertness. At the present ti-.ttf., these tests are cond~ted by a medical team headed by a doctor, usualiy a woun. A crewmetnber 1a not alloved to fly if he fails the examina·tfon.: • These teats are nov being automated aad will take only l-3 minutes whim the prototype equipment becomes operational. Finally, there is a third Approach Aeroflot 1s using--a prophylactoriWll. Each 111.ljor airport has one, a 3 to 4 story building set off from the 11141n airport buil~1ngs, .but easily acces-! sible by foot. These facilities are well landscaped and are designed to provik. total rest and relaxation for trans1e~t crewaembera." They have a lat'te kitcher, 5 ¢ 3 ., I

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CIA
Confidence85
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