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Introduction: The psychological workload of flying has been shown to increase heart rate (HR) during flight simulator operation. The association between HR changes and flight performance remains unclear., Methods: There were 15 pilots who performed a combat flight mission in a Weapons Tactics Trainer simulator of an F-18 Hornet. An electrocardiogram (ECG) was recorded, and individual incremental heart rates (deltaHR) from the HR during rest were calculated for each flight phase and used in statistical analyses. The combat flight period was divided into 13 phases, which were evaluated on a scale of 1 to 5 by the flight instructor., Results: HR increased during interceptions (from a mean resting level of 79.0 to mean value of 96.7 bpm in one of the interception flight phases) and decreased during the return to base and slightly increased during the ILS approach and landing. DeltaHR appeared to be similar among experienced and less experienced pilots. DeltaHR responses during the flight phases did not correlate with simulator flight performance scores. Overall simulator flight performance correlated statistically significantly (r = 0.50) with the F-18 Hornet flight experience., Conclusions: HR reflected the amount of cognitive load during the simulated flight. Hence, HR analysis can be used in the evaluation of the psychological workload of military simulator flight phases. However, more detailed flight performance evaluation methods are needed for this kind of complex flight simulation to replace the traditional but rough interval scales. Use of a visual analog scale by the flight instructors is suggested for simulator flight performance evaluation.

Background: Information processing and stress tolerance are necessary features for instrument flying (IFR), especially among student pilots. Psychological workload of IFR flight may lead to stress reactions such as neuroendocrine activity., Methods: Neuroendocrine responses to an IFR flight with Vinka piston-engined primary trainer were studied in 35 male volunteers who participated in the basic military flying course of the Finnish Air Force (FAF). The student pilots performed a 40-min IFR flight mission and a control session on land in randomized order between 11.00 h and 15.00 h. The IFR flight included 3 NDB approaches and was evaluated by flight instructors. Blood samples were collected 15 min before, 5 min and 60 min after the flight as well as control session, and. Plasma ACTH, beta3-endorphin (BE), cortisol, prolactin, adrenaline (A) and noradrenaline (NA) were measured. Psychological evaluations included psychomotor test (Wiener), Multi Coordination and Attention Test, ability tests and personality tests (CMPS and 16 PF). The overall psychological evaluation was made by an aviation psychologist., Results: Plasma ACTH was significantly higher before and 5 min after the flight compared with control levels, but plasma BE increased significantly only before the flight. Plasma cortisol was significantly elevated before and 5 min after the flight. Plasma prolactin, NA and A increases were significant 5 min after the flight. High A levels after the flight correlated significantly with poor IFR flight performance as well as with poor psychomotor test results., Conclusions: The plasma prolactin and NA increases after the flight represented a direct type of stress reaction to the flight situation. The plasma BE response to IFR flight was an anticipatory stress reaction, but plasma ACTH, cortisol and A responses included both anticipatory and direct types of stress reactions. Psychological factors, flight performance and neuroendocrine responses to IFR flight appear to be associated with each other. Therefore, neuroendocrine reactions as a response to the psychological workload of military flying could be used for identifying stress tolerance in military pilots.

Background: Military flying sets high demands on the mental performance and stress tolerance of pilots. Neuroendocrine responses could be a method for evaluating stress tolerance., Methods: Psychological workload and neuroendocrine responses associated with the psychomotor Wiener's test were studied in 80 male volunteers. These personnel had applied for the basic military flying program of the Finnish Air Force (FAF). After the first blood sample at 0930 h, the subjects were randomly assigned to test (n = 40) and control groups (n = 40). The test group performed the psychomotor test, which lasted 10 min. The second blood sample was collected 1 min after the test. The control group was clinically examined and the blood sample was taken in the same way., Results: A high plasma ACTH level before the psychomotor test predicted (r = 0.36, p = 0.02) a poor overall result in the psychomotor test. After the psychomotor test, plasma adrenocorticotropin (ACTH) and beta-endorphin levels were significantly higher than before the test. They were also higher than in the control group. Plasma cortisol and prolactin levels increased after the psychomotor test, but the increase was not statistically significant. High ACTH, cortisol and prolactin increments were specific to a high amount of delayed (over 2 s) psychomotor responses, as a marker of information overload., Conclusions: Elevated plasma ACTH, cortisol and prolactin levels, after the psychomotor test, were associated with a high amount of the delayed responses. This indicates that high neuroendocrine responses were connected with problems in stress tolerance during information processing. High neuroendocrine reactions under information load could, therefore, be used for identification of lowered stress tolerance.

Methods: To investigate the influence that psychological workload, associated with simulated combat military flight, has on secretion of stress hormones we measured concentrations of plasma corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH), pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC) related adrenocorticotropin (ACTH), beta-endorphin (BE), and cortisol in 10 Finnish Air Force (FAF) military interceptor pilots. They performed the same 20-min combat flight mission in a Saab J35 Draken S simulator, including four radar attacks during one-on-one situations with increasing cognitive tasks and psychological strain. Blood samples were collected -35 min, 1 min, 30 min and 60 min after the flight mission. Control blood samples were collected from the subjects at the same time of day in randomized order before or after the flight mission. During the control period the subjects were allowed to perform ground duties., Results: Plasma CRH was undetectable in samples drawn before or after the flight and control period. Plasma ACTH was significantly (p < 0.05) elevated before the simulated combat flight when compared with the respective value in the control experiment. This is an anticipatory type of stress reaction. Plasma BE did not change significantly after the simulated flight. Plasma cortisol increased significantly (p < 0.05) 1 min after the simulated flight. One of the ten pilots had an extreme POMC and cortisol activation after the flight mission, suggesting that the pilot's stress tolerance was less than average., Conclusions: We conclude that stress, produced during simulated combat military flight, increases POMC and cortisol secretion. An anticipatory-type stress reaction was found to be associated with the simulated combat flight, as judged from the increased preflight plasma ACTH.