ECA Leaflet on COVID-19: health and safety aspects

Since so many authorities have published guidance to limit spreading of the virus – covering different areas in more detail – and some incorrect information is also out there, it may be difficult for flight crews to find relevant information for their specific task. This leaflet is an attempt to address this issue by collecting official guidance regarding the coronavirus in a single paper. Referenced text is reproduced as-is. The hyperlinked references (e.g. [EASA]) provide easy access to check the source and check for possible updates.

Position Paper IFALPA: Smoking and Aircrew

Cigarette smoking is the single most important preventable environmental factor contributing to premature death in the world. The high morbidity and mortality rates are due to the e ects of cigarette smoke on several diseases, but primarily on lung cancer, ischaemic heart disease, stroke, and peripheral vascular disease.

Briefing Leaflet IFALPA: Sleep Apnea Information for Pilots

The prevalence of sleep apnea in adults is estimated to be 7%. In contrast, the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) records instances of sleep apnea in Class I medical certified pilots as only 0.5%. Sleep apnea seems to be badly under diagnosed within the pilot community. As sleep apnea results in daytime sleepiness, when left undiagnosed it can pose a significant safety risk in aviation.

Briefing Leaflet IFALPA: Malaria Information for Pilots

Malaria is a common and life-threatening disease found in many tropical and subtropical countries. Malaria is transmitted to humans by the bite of an infected female anopheles mosquito. This Briefing Leaflet provides a summary of malaria risk, notes anti-malarial drugs suitable for pilots, and recommends protection measures for pilots to consider.

Briefing Leaflet IFALPA: Medication and Flying

Even a minor illness in a pilot can cause a major problem while flying. In addition, accidents have occurred because of pilot’s disability related to disease and/or medication. Many symptoms that are negligible on the ground may worsen while flying, so in many cases the underlying illness itself is usually the major reason not to fly. Therefore, licence holders should be encouraged always to consult their AME (authorised medical examiner) before taking any medication. Quite often other physicians than AMEs show a serious lack of knowledge in the field of aviation medicine and therefore consultation with AME and not a general practitioner or other non-aviation familiar doctor is highly encouraged.