Amphetamines with your flight, Sir?

[Jump Pilot]

From the Toronto Star regarding the friendly fire bombing accident in Afghanistan involving Canadian ground troops:

As The Star first reported Aug. 1, pilots (U.S. Airforce) are routinely given the stimulant Dexedrine, generically known as dextroamphetamine, to stay alert during long combat missions. To sleep when they return to base, pilots are given "no go pills," or sleeping pills, called Ambien (zolpidem) and Restoril (temazepam). Both Schmidt and Umbach were also using these pills to get rest.

John Pike, a military analyst with the Washington-based think tank Globalsecurity.org, said the report's key finding that amphetamine use was not properly monitored raises important questions.

"I think the existing guidelines for amphetamine use are surprisingly tolerant and permissive," Pike said in an interview. "I continue to think that the behaviour of the pilots looks like these drugs were potentially a contributing factor."


Just wondering if the use of "go" and "no go" is true.


www.globalsecurity.org/org/news/2002/020914-speed1.htm

 

[dav8or]

I think I fly better after stopping a Starbucks for a triple expresso

 

[ExAF]

Go/No-Go Pills

Yes they were for real and are actually called go/no-go pills. I cannot vouch for their use in combat ops, but I know they used them when fighter units would do long deployment/ocean-crossing flights. They were supposed to help the body adjust to the massive change in circadian rhythm both before and after the deployment flight. They were administered/dispersed under the guidance/care of a flight surgeon. I'm not sure how they are used these days if at all. Cheers.