Measuring Pilot Physiology During In-Flight Training and Implications for Real-Time Monitoring.

Area of Science:

• Aerospace Medicine
• Human Factors Engineering
• Physiological Monitoring

Background:

• Real-time monitoring of pilot physiological responses can identify degraded states and prevent performance impacts.
• Few studies have quantified physiological data during actual flight, especially during extreme maneuvering.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the feasibility of recording quantitative physiological data in flight during extreme maneuvering.
• To evaluate the quality and signal loss of electroencephalography (EEG) and electrocardiography data during such conditions.

Main Methods:

• An observational study collected continuous EEG and electrocardiography data from three Army aviators during upset prevention and recovery training.
• Flights were conducted in a small, acrobatic fixed-wing aircraft.

Main Results:

• Electrocardiography signals showed excellent quality with minimal signal loss.
• Electroencephalography recordings had near-zero data loss, with acceptable signal quality across flights.

Conclusions:

• This study successfully demonstrates the collection of quantitative physiological data during extreme flight maneuvers.
• The findings support the potential for real-time pilot monitoring systems in various flight scenarios to assess cognitive states.