COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF HEART RATE VARIABILITYIN AVIATOR CADETS AND INSTRUCTORS DURINGGROUND TRAINING

ABSTRACT Introduction. Somme scientific evidence suggests that heart rate variability (HRV) is a reliable indicator of the autonomic nervous system activity and could be used to characterize the stress response of pilots during flight and flight simulation. The objective of this study was to evaluate the physiological responses to stress and stress management among aviator cadets and instructors during ground training using HRV indexes. Material and methods. A cohort of 9 aviator cadets and 5 aviator instructors were subjected to eight distinct simulated conditions to mirror various aspects of flight training: baseline, mental arithmetic, color-word interference test, a psychomotor reaction task, and periods of recovery and relaxation. This study is a comparative analysis, focusing primarily on HRV parameters and indexes. Our results revealed noteworthy differences between the two groups, which may carry significant implications for pilot training programs, stress management, and the potential of HRV as a reliable stress and performance marker. Conclusions. Increased stress leads to increased HRV and autonomic nervous system adaptability of aviator cadets during simulated conditions on ground training. This research has a contribution to the enrichment of the limited literature on physiological markers of stress in aviation training environments.