Recent changes in hypoxia training at the Royal Air Force Centre of Aviation Medicine.

Hypoxia training at the Royal Air Force Centre of Aviation Medicine (RAF CAM) has traditionally involved the use of a hypobaric chamber to induce hypoxia. While giving the student experience of both hypoxia and decompression, hypobaric chamber training is not without risks such as decompression sickness and barotrauma. This article describes the new system for hypoxia training known as Scenario-Based Hypoxia Training (SBHT), which involves the subject sitting in an aircraft simulator and wearing a mask linked by hose to a Reduced Oxygen Breathing Device (ROBD). The occupational requirements to be declared fit for this new training method are also discussed.