Dr Billings will discuss his 60 years as a physician, flight surgeon and teacher, using as examples some research studies in which he has been involved to illustrate the breadth of research needs of the civil aviation community that have motivated his work.

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He will review the studies he has conducted in relation to passenger health in air travel, the effects of alcohol upon the performance of pilots in flight and as the principal initiator of the NASA Air Safety Reporting System (ASRS) which has formed the basis of similar safety systems in 11 nations and in medicine. He will recount the development of Cockpit/Crew Resource Management (CRM) in which he was involved and his recent concerns with regard to the problems of the rapidly increasing automation in air transport operations.

Drawing on his experience in clinical and aviation medicine practice in academia and government, he will discuss some lessons that he believes to be important for young people becoming involved in this most fascinating speciality, and the knowledge base and skills that he believes people should acquire to be fully effective in a career in aviation or space medicine.

2009 Stewart Lecture

Recorded: Thursday 10th December 2009

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About the speaker:

Dr Charles Billings

MS, MD, FRAeS Emeritus Professor, The Ohio State University, USA

Dr Billings who originally trained as a musician, attended New York University, received a Doctor of Medicine degree and then took training in internal medicine at the University of Vermont. He was drafted into the United States Air Force and attended the USAF School of Aviation Medicine. He then was assigned as a squadron flight surgeon for a Fighter-Interceptor Wing located at RAF Manston.

Upon his release from service, he took graduate training in aviation and occupational medicine at The Ohio State University. He was then offered the opportunity to teach in the department where he had been a resident. After 15 years at Ohio State, he joined the US National Aeronautics and Space Administration as a medical research officer, became chief of Aviation Safety Research, was promoted to senior scientist and finally selected a Fellow and Chief Scientist before his retirement from the NASA Ames Research Center.

He returned to The Ohio State University as an Emeritus Professor, and for the past 17 years he has worked in the School of Engineering in cognitive systems engineering and human factors research. He is a Fellow of the Royal Aeronautical Society and an Associate Fellow in the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, and an Emeritus member of the International Academy of Aviation and Space Medicine.

This Lecture event was sponsored by: