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I A publication of the Civil Aviation Medical Association VOL 15, NO. 1 JANUARY 2012 President's Report The Aging Brain, Cognition, and Time Waits for No One Aeromedical Concerns BY HUGH J. O'NEILL, M.D., M.H.Sc., D.Av. Aeromedical Concerns Related to Age and MED., F.EO.M.I Cognition BY RICHARD RONAN MURPHY, MBCnB In This Issue IME MARCHES ON and another year starts. Have "Si jeunesse savoit; si vieillesse pouvoit" (tr.) "Ifonly youth Tyou ever noticed how quickly time goes as had the knowledge; if old age had the ability" FROM THE EDITOR 2 you get older? —Henri Estienne (1528-1598) What happened to all that time you prom- EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT'S ised yourself when you stopped "normal" work? HE YEAR 2010 ended with more than 650,000 REPORT 3 Where are you Albert, when we need you most? TU.S.-certified pilots, nearly 10% of whom Plans and the Future were over the age of 65. More than 4,700 are over ANNUAL MEETING PHOTOS .4 the age of 80. Nearly two-thirds of the pilots over The beginning of a year is a good time to take age 65 held commercial, CFI, or ATP certificates, CAMA BOARD MEETING stock of the past and plan for the future. This is and nearly a quarter of those over age 80 were NOTES 7 what your Board and executive committee will flight instructors (1). Older pilots represent a sig- be doing in Dallas this February. There is a man- nificant proportion of certified pilots and bring How TO LIVE TO 100 10 datory requirement to review Bylaws at a regular a valuable wealth of knowledge and experience to interval. We will take this opportunity to review the cockpit, and to the aviation industry. NEW MEMBERS 11 everything from our Mission Statement, the aims, Normal aging and flight performance Slight cognitive decline is not unusual with MEMBER 'GONE WEST' ... 12 goals and objectives of our organization and its advancing age (2), though knowledge and expe- governance. This may seem a tall order but change rience accumulate over time. Older age does not SUSTAINING, CORPORATE, AND for its own sake is not the point of the exercise. The inevitably lead to cognitive decline, and signifi- LIFE MEMBERS 13 Board may decide that only small corrections are cant cognitive decline should not be considered needed for the future. One is mindful of the saying "normal aging." THE FIRST AIRCRAFT CARRIER not to fix something that is not broken. However, The effect of aging on flight performance LANDING 14 and safety has been the subject of considerable there have been many good ideas, which have scientific study. It has been shown that certain ON THE HORIZON 16 Continued on page 2 Continued on page 8 FLIGHT PHYSICIAN January 2012 President's Report from page 1 member of the latter society, Dr. Amescua, was a former President of not come to fruition but are still a CAMA. Perhaps this will be the year From the Editor matter of record. In particular, there when some of our Chinese colleagues exists an excellent and thoughtful will attend. The annual meeting is I would like to introduce long-term report from Robin Dodge just across the water, in California! myself as the new editor of and Jack Hastings that deserves re- the Flight Physician. Being visiting. Medical Teaching Opportunities Offered the editor is an honor (?) be- Visiting Success At our meeting in Tucson, Ari- stowed on the new president- CAMA has enjoyed success over zona, the Board was asked to take elect of CAMA, and because the past three years, particularly in part in developing a medical teach- there is no instruction manu- the past two during the presidency ing program for pilots. We declined al with the position, you will of James Heins. This is seen in our this opportunity put forward by the understand the reason for record attendances at the annual sci- Aircraft Owners and Pilots Associa- the changes in publication entific meeting and CAMA Sundays. tion and the Experimental Aircraft deadlines. Keeping up this high standard Association. The proposal was to I am an AME in solo will be the thrust of our efforts in extend the exemption that permits private family practice and a the immediate future. Thank good- sports pilots to use a driver's medical private pilot living in Weath- ness that we have a committed and instead of the evaluation by a trained erford, Texas. My business talented group of volunteers to guide medical examiner. Their stated inten- is called Dr. Mark-Private us forward. In part, our success is tion is to progress to all class 3 pilots, the result of working with the FAA if this is accepted by the FAA. The MD and is an insurance- in the field of AME education. We part played by AMEs will be replaced free, direct-pay practice. My owe Dr. Fred Tilton and his staff a by a "do-it-yourself" medical training father, also in Weatherford, debt of gratitude, and we will make package for pilots. There are a large had a family practice for every cooperative effort to continue number of contentious issues in this 50 years, and to keep from this work. proposal, which I will not review getting us confused (and here. However, it is my suggestion to because no one could spell or Welcome International Members all members of CAMA that they fa- pronounce our last name cor- While the majority of our mem- miliarize themselves thoroughly with rectly), we went by Dr. Jack bers are practicing as aeromedical this move. We are in the business of and Dr. Mark, thus the "Dr. examiners for the FAA, we seek to in- aeromedical education and would be Mark." crease our international membership. pleased to extend this to pilots in a co- It is always delightful to welcome our operative relationship. The Board will Happy Landings, Nigerian colleagues who attend the discuss the issue again, in a few weeks. Dr. Mark (Eidson) annual scientific meeting faithfully each year. Also, Dr. Gebremariam The Future P.S. For any suggestions, from Ethopia and Dr. Barlev from The coming year will be interest- articles, or comments, please Israel, are members of the Board who ing for CAMA and the United States! let me know. travel far to be with us. On a personal Let us hope, not too interesting; more Dr.MarkPrivateMD@gmail. level, I hope to increase our asso- of that later. In the meantime, my com ciation with the European Society of wife Ann, and I wish you and your Aviation Medicine and the Mexican families a happy, healthy, and pros- Aeromedical Society. A distinguished perous New Year. FP FLIGHT PHYSICIAN January 2012 Executive Vice President's Report FIJGHrPHYSICIAN BY DAVID P. MILLETT, M.D., MPH A Publication of the Civil Aviation Medical HE BIG EVENT since Illig in recognition of her safety and Association (CAMA) Tour last publica- preventative medicine programs tion was the Annual provided to the aviators of Alaska. Scientific Meeting in • The final award was the Forrest and President Hugh I. O'Neill, M.D. Tucson, Arizona. The Pamela Bird Recognition awarded October 6-8, 2011, to physician and astronaut Dr. Dr. Millett President-Elect convention was out- Story Musgrave. Dr. Musgrave is MarkC.Eidson,M.D. standing in all aspects. a life member of CAMA and was Dr. Jack Hastings formulated a recognized for his contributions Secretary-Treasurer world-class program on cognitive to the development of space travel Gordon L. Hitter, D.O. function in aviation. The atten- life-support systems, including the dance was terrific! There were 155 design of new generation space Executive Vice-President David P. Milktt, M.D., MPH participants, 44 guests, 12 visiting suits. During his multiple mis- presenters, and 3 VIPs for a grand sions into space, he was noted for Executive Editor total of 214 persons. According to his advancement and research on Mark C. Eidson, M.D. the Federal Aviation Administration, extra-vehicular activities. 97 participants completed the FAA- The keynote speaker for Honors .Associate Editors AME refresher training. Night was our own member and Petra A. Illig, M.D. A large group of 136 attended the award-winner, Dr. Story Musgrave. Stephen Leonard, M.D. Honors Night Dinner. Five members His presentation covered many top- Alex M.Wolbrink, M.D. were introduced as new Fellows for ics — from how he obtains dirt for his Ingrid Zimmer-Galler, M.D. 2011: Doctors Avinoam Barlev, Petra farm in Florida to his experiences in Historian, By-Laws/Constitution Illig, David Salisbury, Per-Johan space as an astronaut. A. Duane Catterson, M.D. Cappelen, and Story Musgrave. Since In his presentation were beauti- the Honors Program began six years ful photos of the objects of interest The editors of F%hfPhysician wel- ago, there have been 53 members in his life.