AVIATORS AT RISK

Human error has been found to cause or contribute to most aviation acc idents. Excess emotional stress may have an adverse effect on pilot pe rformance and is known to increase the risk of an aircraft mishap. Fam ily problems, social stressors, career instability, worry, aircraft ac cidents, and difficult flight schedules are ct few of the many potenti al sources of emotional stress in aviation. Pilots who fail at stress coping may become depressed or even self-destructive. They may externa lize their feelings, oct out, or blame others for their misfortunes. T he aviator at risk may demonstrate ''warning signs'' such as defensive ness, arrogance, hostility, financial irresponsibility, excesses in ro utine habits, fatigue, deteriorating pilot performance, or increased r isk taking. The aeromedical practitioner's role is to educate aircrew members and help them understand stress and its effect on pilot perfor mance. The time may come when an aviator is confronted by multiple str essors, and inadequate stress coping or failure on the part of the avi ation community to recognize the ''warning signs'' may have disastrous results.