Effects of Flight Workload on Urinary Catecholamine Responses in Experienced Military Pilots

This study investigated the flight responses induced by strenuous aerobatic demonstration flight and an air-to-air combat maneuvering flight in experienced pilots. Subjects were 54 military male pilots on a volunteer basis: 8 T-4 pilots (M = 35.8 yr., SD = 4.9), 15 F-4 pilots (M = 32.6 yr., SD = 5.1), 13 F-15 pilots (M = 33.8 yr., SD = 1.0), and 18 F-2 pilots (M = 33.7 yr., SD = 3.9). Samples of urine were collected approximately 30 min. before and 20 min. after the flights. The postflight adrenaline in all pilots was significantly higher than at preflight, while a significant increase in noradrenaline at postflight was not observed. The post-/preflight ratio of adrenaline in all pilots was relatively similar and high. These findings might be regarded as a result of autonomic nervous system response to the flight workload of military pilots. Especially is increment in sympathetic activity considered to play an important part in psychological adaptation to flight.