Dr. Dan Johnson
Monday June 9, 2025
6:00 p.m.
Our speaker for June, Dan Johnson, originally from Isle, MN, now living in Menomonie, WI, is a retired Internal Medicine Doctor who worked in the Mayo Medical system and was an AME. He speaks widely and has done many Oshkosh and other seminars on Pilot Physiology. He's a pilot and Mooney owner, has done a LOT of glider flying, and has written many columns on pilot physiological effects (temperature, altitude, medication, etc) for a glider organization and publication. He is the medical advisor for the Perlan Project, a record altitude sailplane project operating in the Argentine Andes, where physiologic effects and mitigation is a limiting factor. Dan shared observations on numerous recent or memorable aircraft incidents where pilot physiological impairments were likely the major contributing factors to the unhappy results. He also shared a few humorous anecdotes about poor flight decisions he has made that led to exciting, not in a good way, results. Dan discussed the effect of altitude on decision making and shared his advice and practise on the use of supplemental Oxygen, which he uses whenever flying over 5000 feet. He recommended the Mountain High Oxygen system based on its efficient use of oxygen and the tactile feedback system it has for indicating proper operation. He admonished pilots to stay away from Benadryl, which has a 36 hour half life and causes significant cognitive impairment. He addressed numerous questions from the audience on the effect of specific medications. His columns are available online at tinyurl.com/DrDansColumns -- they are a really fantastic resource. Check them out!
