JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-Randolph –
With the goal of prevention at the forefront of their work, the 359th Aerospace Medicine Squadron Aerospace and Operational Physiology Training Unit is doing its part to combat mishap rates and prevent loss of life.
With new technological advancements being made to military aircraft, finding ways to make the human element more compatible with this cutting-edge technology is more important than ever.
Aerospace physiology exists to decrease preventable aircraft mishaps and loss of life.
“It used to be that technology was the limiting factor in flight, but now humans are the limiting factor because our bodies can only take so much while flying at such high speeds and varying altitudes,” said Master Sgt. Jaron Wagner, the unit’s flight chief.
Aerospace physiology teaches pilots and aircrew students the effects of altitude and low-pressure environments on the body, Wagner said. Helping students mitigate mission and self-imposed stressors, such as diet and exercise habits, sleeping patterns, medications and smoking, helps them learn the ways in which their performance can be impacted.
The aerospace and operational physiology unit uses several tools to conduct their training.
“We train instructors how to teach about night vision goggles, we use the hypobaric chamber to simulate higher altitude and experience hypoxia, we use the Barany Chair to induce spatial disorientation and we use the Reduced Oxygen Breathing Device to simulate hypoxia without having to simulate higher altitude,” Wagner said. “The main goal of our instruction is to allow aircrew to experience their symptoms, recognize their symptoms and learn how to correct their symptoms in order to prevent mishaps.”
The aerospace and operational physiology unit at JBSA-Randolph sees over 5,000 student come through its doors every year with the purpose of learning how to combat the physiological dangers of flying such as hypoxia and spatial disorientation.
“Hypoxia is an oxygen deficiency which impairs mental and physical functioning, and in some cases can cause unconsciousness,” said Wagner. “Spatial disorientation is also extremely dangerous for pilots because they think they’re flying one direction but they’re not. They might try to over correct or turn the plane the wrong way which could be fatal.”
By allowing students to experience hypoxia and spatial disorientation in a safe, controlled environment, aerospace physiologists are taking a proactive approach to lowering mishap rates and fatalities in the Air Force.
“This training is crucial because lives are important and equipment is expensive,” Wagner said. “The goal is to prevent loss of life, limb and aircraft.”
Second Lt. Rodrigo Vener, aerospace and operational physiologist, believes the preventative nature of aerospace physiology is what makes their work so important.
“Ultimately, it comes down to the fact that these are people’s family,” Vener said. “We’re dealing with people’s lives. It’s my responsibility to make them as safe as possible before they go up in that jet.”
Vener says aerospace and operational physiologists ensure students are properly trained in all scenarios so they have the experience and authority to recognize and correct an emergency situation.
“Teaching students what these threats look and feel like, and then teaching them how to combat these threats, gives them experience and authority when facing an emergency situation,” Vener said. “You can’t speak on something with authority if you’ve only ever read about it; you have to experience it and then you’re better trained to deal with the problem. We give them that training in a safe, controlled environment.”
The preventative instruction given by the JBSA-Randolph aerospace physiologists not only supports the JBSA mission, but also the Air Force mission.
“What we do helps the Air Force maintain air superiority,” Wagner said. “The Air Force mission is to fly, fight, win and we can’t do that if we’re crashing planes and losing pilots.”