Pilots' Exposure to Social Media Worries IAF Chief

"I only hope these (social problems) are not carried with him (pilot) into the cockpit. This is where the aerospace medicine specialists come in. Because unless you are plugged in, unless you understand what he (pilot) goes through, unless you know him well, you will not be able to advise him or to caution him where he is actually going right or wrong," Browne told the specialists.

Noting that tremendous growth in manned flight operations had thrown up new challenges to aerospace medicine specialists, Browne said the task on hand was to surmount the daunting physiological and mental conditions of air force pilots.

"While technologies have improved the aircraft performance, it is the aerospace medicine support that enabled military pilots to foray into uncharted territory. Besides combating physical dangers, improvement in mental stamina have brought forth primarily due to some of the techniques in aeromedicine research and trials," Browne observed.

Admitting that aerospace medicine specialists have become a vital chord in the safety mechanism, the IAF chief said it was not just the physiological part, but the interface between what an aviator thinks and feels in the cockpit that was equally important.

"As the environment is changing all the time, if we remain static in our research and development, we would leave the operators far behind," Browne added.

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