The purpose of this study was to examine a pilot's sensitivity to a change in angular motion after alcohol ingestion and determine the duration of effect after the time the blood alcohol content (BAC) reached zero. An earlier study determined that a pilot's threshold for detecting angular motion was affected by 30% with low doses of alcohol ingestion. An important question remaining is whether the pilot's sensitivity to angular motion will continue to be significantly affected after the time BAC reaches zero. Twelve instrument-rated pilots flew a partial panel rotating simulator under an in-flight scenario, and thresholds were measured before and after alcohol administration. As expected the pilot's sensitivity to angular motion (at BAC < 0.04%) registered a higher (> 30%) threshold and remained elevated when BAC returned to zero. However, within one hour after BAC reached zero, the mean thresholds had returned to their initial prealcohol level.
","abstract_html":"<p>The purpose of this study was to examine a pilot's sensitivity to a change in angular motion after alcohol ingestion and determine the duration of effect after the time the blood alcohol content (BAC) reached zero. An earlier study determined that a pilot's threshold for detecting angular motion was affected by 30% with low doses of alcohol ingestion. An important question remaining is whether the pilot's sensitivity to angular motion will continue to be significantly affected after the time BAC reaches zero. Twelve instrument-rated pilots flew a partial panel rotating simulator under an in-flight scenario, and thresholds were measured before and after alcohol administration. As expected the pilot's sensitivity to angular motion (at BAC < 0.04%) registered a higher (> 30%) threshold and remained elevated when BAC returned to zero. However, within one hour after BAC reached zero, the mean thresholds had returned to their initial prealcohol level.</p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Bolinger, Regina G."],"institution":null,"degree_name":"Master of Aeronautical Science","degree_level":"Thesis - Open Access","degree_discipline":"Graduate Studies","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":["John A. Wise","David W. Abbott","V. David Hopkin"],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":1995,"date_issued":"1995-04-01T08:00:00Z","date_published":"1995-04-01T08:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-27T19:25:16Z","subjects":["angular motion","pilot","blood alcohol content","threshold","Aviation"],"languages":[],"rights":[],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://commons.erau.edu/db-theses/303","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor","label":"Contributor","values":["John A. Wise","David W. Abbott","V. David Hopkin"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Bolinger, Regina G."]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Graduate Studies"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Thesis - Open Access"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Master of Aeronautical Science"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["angular motion","pilot","blood alcohol content","threshold","Aviation"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://commons.erau.edu/db-theses/303"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["The purpose of this study was to examine a pilot's sensitivity to a change in angular motion after alcohol ingestion and determine the duration of effect after the time the blood alcohol content (BAC) reached zero. An earlier study determined that a pilot's threshold for detecting angular motion was affected by 30% with low doses of alcohol ingestion. An important question remaining is whether the pilot's sensitivity to angular motion will continue to be significantly affected after the time BAC reaches zero. Twelve instrument-rated pilots flew a partial panel rotating simulator under an in-flight scenario, and thresholds were measured before and after alcohol administration. As expected the pilot's sensitivity to angular motion (at BAC < 0.04%) registered a higher (> 30%) threshold and remained elevated when BAC returned to zero. However, within one hour after BAC reached zero, the mean thresholds had returned to their initial prealcohol level.
"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Low Level Alcohol and its Residual Effect on a Pilot's Threshold for Detecting Angular Motion"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor":["John A. Wise","David W. Abbott","V. David Hopkin"],"dc:creator":["Bolinger, Regina G."],"dc:description.abstract":["The purpose of this study was to examine a pilot's sensitivity to a change in angular motion after alcohol ingestion and determine the duration of effect after the time the blood alcohol content (BAC) reached zero. An earlier study determined that a pilot's threshold for detecting angular motion was affected by 30% with low doses of alcohol ingestion. An important question remaining is whether the pilot's sensitivity to angular motion will continue to be significantly affected after the time BAC reaches zero. Twelve instrument-rated pilots flew a partial panel rotating simulator under an in-flight scenario, and thresholds were measured before and after alcohol administration. As expected the pilot's sensitivity to angular motion (at BAC < 0.04%) registered a higher (> 30%) threshold and remained elevated when BAC returned to zero. However, within one hour after BAC reached zero, the mean thresholds had returned to their initial prealcohol level.
"],"dc:identifier":["https://commons.erau.edu/db-theses/303"],"dc:subject":["angular motion","pilot","blood alcohol content","threshold","Aviation"],"dc:title":["Low Level Alcohol and its Residual Effect on a Pilot's Threshold for Detecting Angular Motion"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Graduate Studies"],"thesis:degree_level":["Thesis - Open Access"],"thesis:degree_name":["Master of Aeronautical Science"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-27T19:25:16Z"}