The Effects of Alcohol on Pilots During Flight Essay

Alcohol is something that has been part of human nature for thousands of years. It has been used by means of medical, social, religious, and cultural settings (Information about Alcohol, n.d.). Alcohol is going to be a product that will be a part of our lives for many years to come, definitely past our lifetime. A problem that we see today is the use of drinking and driving. This is one of life’s more dangerous and stupid activities, but people still decide to do it. People like to push their abilities to the edge, which could end up causing death to themselves and others. When we watch the news, there always seems to be at least one crash that involved a drunk driver. You have to remember that one incident happened in our city,†¦show more content†¦This then starts to create the sensation that someone is drunk by having the symptoms that include: slurred speech, blurred vision, uncoordinated balance, heavy sweating, and the dullness of pain. When you are fl ying, you definitely need some of those senses to be at their peak performance (News, 2001). Along with the central nervous system, the outer layer of the brain is also affected by alcohol. The main part of the brain that is affected is the frontal cortex. This part of the brain is in charge of conscious thought. When people drink alcohol, they tend to lose their conscious thought, or otherwise known as their inhibitions. Alcohol disturbs many parts of the brain, but another important area that is affected is the cerebellum. The cerebellum is located towards the back of your brain, and is in charge of controlling your balance, coordination, and your eye movements. When alcohol is consumed, the brain can misread the judgment of distances and heights. Throughout the course of a flight, the pilot is going to constantly be looking out the window to judge the distance and height of things. This is mostly important when the pilot is coming into land at the airport. If the pilot misjudges the correct distance to touchdown, everyone on the plane could die due to overshooting or undershooting. Pilots need their senses to be perfect while they are flying because they are in charge of potentially hundreds ofShow MoreRelatedThe On A Sleepy Mind And Sleepy Body888 Words   |  4 Pagessimilar to â€Å"that of drunkenness, [under] the effects of a large dose of alcohol† [1]. Many careers, which include high stress situations and strict timelines, often deprive employees of a good rest due to their working environment. An example of such would be the life of an Airline Pilot, where passenger safety, fast changing weather and inconvenient schedules prevent the Pilot from receiving enough rest. In a British study done in 2014, 86.1% of Pilots reported that they commenced a shift while fatiguedRead MoreWhy Should Spatial Disorientation Be Prevented?1645 Words   |  7 PagesPREVENTED? 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