FLIGHT SIMULATOR PERFORMANCE OF YOUNGER AND OLDER AIRCRAFT PILOTS - EFFECTS OF AGE AND ALCOHOL

Objective: To determine if older pilots forgot more about a learned fl ight task after a 10-month delay than did younger pilots and if the an ticipated greater skill loss led older pilots' performance to be more disrupted by alcohol. Design: Repeated measures comparative group desi gn examining the effects of alcohol versus placebo in two age groups ( younger and older) and at two timepoints: acute intoxication, at a Blo od Alcohol Concentration (BAC) of 0.10%, and 8 hours post-drink. Setti ng: University medical center research laboratory. Subjects: Fourteen younger (mean age = 27; SD = 4.21; range 21-34) and 13 older (mean age = 60; SD = 6.27; range 51-69) pilots, recruited from local flying clu bs, with current FAA medical certificates.