Safety
Study: Pilots Exposed to High Amounts of UVA Radiation in Flight
For roughly every hour of flight time at 30,000 feet, pilots are exposed to the same amount of UVA radiation as that from a 20-minute tanning-bed session.

For roughly every hour of flight time at 30,000 feet, pilots are exposed to the same amount of ultraviolet A (long-wave) radiation as that from a 20-minute session in a tanning bed, according to a recent research letter published by the American Medical Association. Since UVA radiation can cause DNA damage in cells and lead to skin cancer, the study authors “strongly recommend the use of sunscreens and periodic skin checks for pilots and cabin crew.”