Pilot-Maintenance & fitness to fly

Q: What is maintenance & how does it apply to pilots?

Maintenance (of aircraft) is broadly defined as: “those actions necessary to inspect, restore or maintain an item or system in a serviceable condition”. As pilots, we are familiar with the concept of aircraft maintenance, such as: completing the Daily Inspection (DI), reviewing the maintenance release (MR) or calculating the hours remaining to the aircraft’s next 50 or 100 hourly service, all to ensure our aircraft is serviceable. Yet, how often do we think about, or consciously perform, “maintenance” on the highly sophisticated “biological machine” - our body - that we “pilot” 24/7?

Q: How is regular pilot maintenance relevant to my flying & aviation safety?

Like aircraft, pilots also require regular maintenance to remain “serviceable” or fit-to-fly, both now & into the future. This is important both when we are young & as we begin to accumulate “hours” in service (age). Pilots who fail to properly maintain their “biological machine” risk impaired performance & eventually compromised medical certification.

For example: mentally running through the IMSAFE checklist (Illness, Medications, Stress, Alcohol, Fatigue & Emotions) is akin to the Daily Inspection (DI). While working out in the gym to maintain strength, fitness & well-being is like the 50 hourly service. Both of these “maintenance” items ensure we are fit-to-fly, free from medical restrictions.

By way of an aviation analogy: as a pilot would you skip an aircraft’s daily inspection (DI)?...gloss over the MR?…or routinely exceed the aircraft’s 50 hourly maintenance schedule?...then jump in the cockpit & go flying anyway?

Just like neglecting your own maintenance, chances are you might get away with it for a while…until you didn’t.

Q: What are the symptoms of poor pilot maintenance?

In general, the initial indicators of poor pilot maintenance can include: fatigue, stress or low mood, increasing alcohol consumption, weight gain, decreased exercise capacity, snoring, elevated cholesterol, blood pressure or blood sugar levels, sunspots & skin cancers. If these symptoms are not recognised, & the causes corrected, a pilot is at risk of being declared unfit-to-fly, & having conditions or restrictions placed on their medical certificate.

Consider this real-life example: pilot “JR” neglected his health-maintenance by eating fast-food, skipping exercise & leaving his “internal maintenance engineer” to deal with it. He mostly got away with it, but gradually over the years he started to gain weight, develop high cholesterol & then high blood pressure (indicators of poor pilot maintenance). One-day, during his annual class 1 medical his fasting blood glucose level (BGL) was abnormal (pre-diabetes) - resulting in CASA initially grounding him, then placing conditions on his medical certificate - annual heart & eye tests - at extra cost $$$.

Q: Isn’t my “annual maintenance” with my DAME enough?

The short answer is NEGATIVE. This is because, while the annual (or bi-annual) medical certification with a DAME is an important part of a pilot’s scheduled health-maintenance, it is only concerned with whether a pilot meets the medical standard right now. It does not consider the trajectory of a pilot’s health indicators.

AvMed Tip: a good DAME will notice a pilot’s: weight, BMI or cholesterol levels creeping up…notify the pilot, explain why it poses a potential threat to their medical certificate & provide general advice about corrective actions. Does your DAME do this?

Q: Who should be on your maintenance team & how often should it be performed?

While your body has an incredible, in-built automated maintenance system, it still needs a core team of “maintenance engineers” comprised of:

1. You the Pilot | Chief maintenance engineer - are responsible for daily, 48 hourly & (booking) scheduled maintenance visits

   
   

2. General Practitioner | General maintenance engineer - who is responsible for the 6 to 12 monthly scheduled & corrective maintenance check-ups

   
   

3. Aviation Medical Examiner | Certifying maintenance engineer - who is responsible for the annual “maintenance release” or medical certificate

Allied maintenance engineers - such as: a dentist, personal trainer, nutritionist, psychologist & medical specialists (cardiologists or dermatologists) are responsible for helping you maintain a specific area of your health & well-being.

Q: What should pilot maintenance include & how often should it be performed?

While the exact health maintenance cycle varies with your “hours” (age) & specific health conditions, your maintenance team should observe a cycle of scheduled preventative maintenance & unscheduled corrective maintenance. For example, this is how your Health Maintenance Release (MR) might look:

Note that you are your own Chief maintenance engineer & are responsible for the majority of the day-to-day maintenance of your “biological machine” & well-being.

Q: What countermeasures can you employ as apilot & chief maintenance engineer to maintain your health & well-being?

The short answer is…forge good health habits…starting today. This is because once your behaviour is habitual, it occurs easily with little conscious thought.

Which of these FIVE core health habits do you need to work on?

1. Sleep Habit - Do you go to bed at a consistent time & regularly get 7 to 9 hours of quality sleep?

   
   

2. Dietary Habit - Do you enjoy a healthy diet? Low in salt, sugar & saturated fat with low-GI whole-grain carbohydrates, fruits, leafy green vegetables, healthy fats (like avocado & lean meat like fish & chicken) & little alcohol?

   
   

3. Exercise Habit - Do you exercise 20 to 30 mins - every day? Or at least 30 to 45 mins - 3 times per week?

   
   

4. Weight Habit - Are you the same weight as this time last year? Are you outside your weight & balance envelope? Do you talk to your GP or a dietician about how to shed the extra baggage?

   
   

5. Check-up Habit - Do you have a good regular GP you like & trust? Have you scheduled 6 to 12 monthly check-ups to review your dentition, general health, blood pressure & cholesterol levels?

Remember: It is never TOO EARLY or TOO LATE to start!

So why not start today?

Got more questions?

Start a conversation: info@aerokare.com.au

References & links to more information:

1. https://skybrary.aero/articles/aircraft-maintenance

2. https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/servicesandsupport/regular-health-checks

3. https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/health-screening-tests https://www.hcf.com.au/health

4. agenda/health-care/treatments-and-procedures/health-checks-by-age-the-tests-you-should-be-having