Assessment of the perception of aerobatic pilots regarding flight activity

Abstract

Introduction In order for an ergonomic assessment to be comprehensive, it must include the workers’ perception in the process of identifying and eliminating risks, aimed at improving their health, and living and working conditions. Objective To assess the perception of pilots from the Brazilian Air Demonstration Squadron (EDA) regarding their own work. Materials and methods This was a qualitative cross-sectional study of descriptive nature. A semi-structured interview was conducted with all EDA pilots, whose answers were recorded and later transcribed and categorized according to the method of content analysis proposed by Bardin. Results Mean age was 34 ± 4 years and mean time at EDA, 24 ± 21 months. Response categorization demonstrated that heat was the most commonly cited external factor, followed by Gz force. Regarding physical overload, the most common complaint regarded the upper right limb during flight. Considering physical overload during flight, rotating the control stick laterally was the most commonly mentioned maneuver. Communication among group members during work (both administrative and in flight) was perceived by most as open and direct. Conclusion The pilots’ perception allowed a broad assessment of their working conditions, which can help direct specific future assessments (i.e. biomechanical) and interventions that can ensure health gains and maintenance for this population. The current study provided great insight into the working conditions of Brazilian Air Force demonstration pilots, leading to the possibility of providing them with better health care.