Viagra: Have You Wondered? | Aero-News Network
Aero-News Network
RSS icon RSS feed
podcast icon MP3 podcast
Subscribe Aero-News e-mail Newsletter Subscribe

Airborne Unlimited -- Most Recent Daily Episodes

Episode Date

Airborne-Monday

Airborne-Tuesday

Airborne-Wednesday Airborne-Thursday

Airborne-Friday

Airborne On YouTube

Airborne-Unlimited-07.14.25

Airborne-NextGen-07.15.25

AirborneUnlimited-07.16.25

Airborne-FlightTraining-07.17.25

AirborneUnlimited-07.11.25

Thu, Feb 20, 2003

Viagra: Have You Wondered?

It's a Drug; FAA Says to Give it 12 Hours

Note: this is written from our readings of official and professional documents, and not from any empirical, personal trials. [Tim doesn't need it, and Jim's too old to get any benefit from it --ed.]

Viagra, subject of public jokes and private adulation, is still a drug, and it can interfere with flying -- and you are subject to the same limitations as with any prescription drug, in its use.

Sildenafil, the generic name for the little blue pill, is not a potency-enhancer, any more than Rogaine is a hair-grower. Rogaine works by blocking DHT, which is a contributor to male-pattern baldness.

Viagra attacks cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP). Viagra blocks "PDE5," which is directly responsible for producing smooth muscle relaxation in the corpus cavernosum and allowing the inflow of blood. Thus, by inhibiting PDE5, sildenafil has the potential to improve male erectile function.

So, what does that have to do with flying? Well, one of its effects is to affect color acuity, making some colors appear more blue. Since color differentiation is a required ability of pilots, and sildenafil can temporarily impair that ability, you shouldn't fly an aircraft within 12 hours of taking the PDE5 blocker.

Sildenafil, we're told, alters nitric oxide metabolism. That can also affect cone cell functions in the retina, making objects appear bluish.

Some have asked if Viagra can lower blood pressure. Well, that's an interesting question. It's quite possible that... no, let's stay scientific here. Sildenafil itself does not lower blood pressure, but it can act, we're told, with blood-pressure-lowering ("anti-hypertensive") drugs, to perhaps lower BP farther than planned.

Twelve hours from "throttle down" to "throttle up?" ... from "gear down" to "gear up?" ...from "flying high" to "flying?" Just remember to give it time... we don't care how you remember; just remember.

FMI: www.hf.faa.gov/docs/508/docs/cami/00_20.pdf

Advertisement

More News

ANN's Daily Aero-Term (07.15.25): Charted Visual Flight Procedure Approach

Charted Visual Flight Procedure Approach An approach conducted while operating on an instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan which authorizes the pilot of an aircraft to proceed >[...]

Aero-News: Quote of the Day (07.15.25)

“When l became the Secretary of Defense, I committed to rebuild our military to match threats to capabilities. Drones are the biggest battlefield innovation in a generation, >[...]

ANN's Daily Aero-Linx (07.15.25)

Aero Linx: Stearman Restorers Association Welcome to the Stearman Restorers Association. The Stearman Restorers Association is an independent “Not for Profit” 501C-3 Co>[...]

NTSB Final Report: Kjelsrud Gary Kitfox

Airplane Exhibited A Partial Loss Of Engine Power When It Was About Halfway Down The Runway Analysis: The pilot of the experimental amateur-built airplane was departing from his pr>[...]

NTSB Prelim: Cessna A150L

The Flight Path Was Consistent With Low-Altitude Maneuvering On June 18, 2025, about 0922 mountain standard time, a Cessna A150L airplane, N6436F, was substantially damaged when it>[...]

blog comments powered by Disqus



Advertisement

Advertisement

Podcasts

Advertisement

© 2007 - 2025 Web Development & Design by Pauli Systems, LC