Originally Posted by Alaska Gator

What Is Melanoma?

Melanoma is the most serious type of skin cancer.

Melanoma is the most serious type of skin cancer. It begins in skin cells called melanocytes.
Melanocytes are the cells that make melanin, which gives skin its color. Melanin also protects the deeper layers of the skin from the sun's harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays.
When people spend time in the sunlight, the melanocytes make more melanin and cause the skin to tan. This also happens when skin is exposed to other forms of ultraviolet light (such as in a tanning booth). If the skin receives too much ultraviolet light, the melanocytes may begin to grow abnormally and become cancerous. This condition is called melanoma.

Melanoma rate among commercial airline pilots is about 3 times the rate of the general population. However, day vs. night, pax vs. freight does not change the rates. I believe that is why the current scientific thought leans toward circadian disruptions as the cause of this increased rate.

Originally Posted by CaptDan

At FDX you used to be able to check your monthly radiation exposure. It hasn't been around for awhile. OK, I haven't checked in awhile. I'll check after this post.

Originally Posted by AirTrucker

Melano is a prefix meaning "black" and oma is the suffix meaning
"tumor"

Originally Posted by KnightFlyer

"It's not a tuma!"



sorry

Originally Posted by Alaska Gator

The instrument you describe is called a dosimeter, incidently FDX is the only airline that issues dosimeters to its pilots. A dosimeter is a measuring device, most use a known crystilline structure and then measure its change. The change in structure is then compared to a charted value to calculate the amount of radiation the device / wearer was exposed to.

More than you wanted to know !

However, you are correct in your reference to classification of "Radiation Workers". The Department of Energy regulates radiation workers in the US. However, under government agreement the FAA regulates all things related to aviation. If the DOE could inject itself in aviation, pilots would be listed as "radiation workers" and our total radiation exposure would have to be tracked. Also we would be required to have special education from our employers on the subject. If / when we reached perscribed limits we would have to be limited in our exposure...basically benched. The EU actually has some statues like this that affect aviation.

This is one of those cases where the US FAA trumps OSHA, DOE and other government regulatory agencies. In this case we are held to a lower standard!

There is an AC out on this subject that deals with education. However, AC's are advisory in nature and thus no company, at least that I'm aware of, provides any education to its pilots on radiation exposure. Sorry, don't have the # handy, but it easy to find. It was a product of the research done on the SST project back in the 60's and early 70's. At that time there was concern over increased exposure due to the high FL's that Concorde etc. would be operating.

Originally Posted by 42GO

For what it is worth, I have worked at FDX well over 30+ years and in all of the trips requiring dosimeters for high radiation flights, I have never had a single flight where it even registered activity on my dosimeter.