But pilots have to pass regular fitness tests to even fly and the people performing those are called aviation medical examiners (AME).

Yet while these airlines’ aviation experts run rigorous tests to ensure passengers’ safety, long-haul and extra-long-haul flights still can have a range of physiological effects.

After finishing his flight training at Springbank Air Training College, Ethan Larson was flying high, preparing for a job interview that could’ve helped his career as a pilot take off.

A new program at Texas A&M University will charge doctors with discovering more about the effects of long-duration space flight.