Aviat Space Envir Md
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Aviat Space Envir Md · Jul 1999
Comparative StudyReport of ejections in the Spanish Air Force, 1979-1995: an epidemiological and comparative study.
Ejection seats have saved many lives with more than 80% of pilots having survived an ejection. Nevertheless, ejection injuries are seen in all modern air forces. ⋯ The pilot position in the ejection seat, plane control, ejection inside the envelope, the pilot's training in how to assume the necessary body position at both egress and landing phases are determining factors for successful ejections.
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Aviat Space Envir Md · Jul 1999
Case ReportsLow-altitude overflights of fighters and the risk of hearing loss.
Much data are available on noise properties which cause hearing loss. There are not, however, reports on the effects of low-altitude overflight noise on the permanent threshold shift (PTS). ⋯ According to these results and the principles of noise evaluation, there should be no risk of permanent hearing loss when the distance to an overflying jet fighter is more than 200 m. However, we have received two claims, and the audiometric analyses of two subjects who had suffered hearing loss in one ear in Finland during the 1990s may indicate that there is very likely a connection between the incidents and the hearing losses.
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Aviat Space Envir Md · Jul 1999
Case ReportsCerebral arterial gas embolism in air force ground maintenance crew--a report of two cases.
Two cases of cerebral arterial gas embolism (CAGE) occurred after a decompression incident involving five maintenance crew during a cabin leakage system test of a Hercules C-130 aircraft. During the incident, the cabin pressure increased to 8 in Hg (203.2 mm Hg, 27 kPa) above atmospheric pressure causing intense pain in the ears of all the crew inside. The system was rapidly depressurized to ground level. ⋯ The second case was lost to follow-up. Decompression illness (DCI) generally occurs in occupational groups such as compressed air workers, divers, aviators, and astronauts. This is believed to be the first report of DCI occurring among aircraft's ground maintenance crew.