About Fit to Fly

Fit to Fly is an educational website for both flight crews and passengers.

The aim is to give advice on how to be able to “FLY FIT”, including advice on what can be done to better enjoy the flight as well as tips on how to feel comfortable on board the plane.

The website is managed by Geirthrudur Alfredsdottir an airline captain, MBA, but the writers are many and each and every one is an expert in their field. Great emphasize is placed on professionalism.

Geirþrúður completed an education as a sports teacher from the Icelandic School for sport teachers in 1982. Later, she started studying engineering at the University of Iceland and graduated with an engineering degree in January 1989. At the same time, or in 1987 she completed a commercial pilot license and began working as a pilot for Icelandair in the spring of 1989 and has worked with some intermittents as a pilot and a commander at Icelandair since. She has also been chairman of the ITSB (Icelandic Transport Safety Board) since 2013 and vice chairman since 2023.

While Geirþrúður was studying, and the first years after she finished her studies, she gave exercise lessons in certain gyms in the Reykjavík area. She has always been interested in fitness and general health. She initiated the establishment of the Health and Safety Committee of FIA – the Icelandic Pilots Association in 2010 and was the chairman of the committee from start, until it became a part of FIA’s Safety Committee (ÖFÍA) in February 2015. The Health- and Safety committee held the conference “Fit to Fly”, which was held in Reykjavik in November 2012.

In 2005 Geirþrúður finished her MBA from Reykjavík University and M.Sc. in Air Transport Management from City University in London in November 2013.

As well as working as a captain on B757/767, Geirþrúður  has been since June 2013, the Chairman of the Icelandic Transportation Safety Board (ITSB).

 

Authors of articles – Fit to Fly

Axel Sigurðsson, cardiologist, MD, PhD, FACC.

Ágústa Johnson, The director of Hreyfing.

Ásta Kristín Gunnarsdóttir, nurse and flight attendant.

Birna Markús, Head Trainer of Kine Academy and Master in Sports Science and Training.

Dagný Zoega, nurse and midwife.

Einar Jón Einarsson, Audiologist Ph.D., Adjunct lecturer at the University of Iceland, CEO and owner of Scandinavian hearing.

Einar Juliusson, Airline Pilot and Police Officer.

Eiríkur Örn Arnarson, Ph.D., head psychologist at the Landsspítali University Hospital Division of Psychiatry.

Elísa Viðarsdóttir,  B.S. nutrition, MSc food science, Master’s student in nutrition.

Erla Björnsdóttir, Psychologist.

Geirthrudur Alfredsdottir, Sports teacher, engineer, and airline captain. Founder and editor of “Fit to Fly”.

Guðmundur Daníelsson, vascular surgeon and operator of the Reykjavík Venous Center, RVC.

Hannes Petersen, Head of Dept. of Otorhinoloaryngology, Head & Neck Surgery, Landspitali University Hospital of Iceland, Associate Professor at Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Iceland, and consulting physician for the Icelandic Pilot Association.

Helgi H. Sigurðsson, MD, FRCSED (Gen), EBS-Vasc, surgeon, vascular surgeon, Domus Medica, Reykjavík.

Magnús Sigurðsson, Pharmacist and operates both Apótek Garðabæjar and Apótek Hafnarfjarðar.

Margret Leifsdottir, is a health coach;  IIN and an architect and editor of the website MargretLeifs“.

Margrét Pála Ólafsdóttir, is a nursery school teacher, has a diploma in school management, M.Ed. in child development and teaching and an MBA. She is the author of Hjallastefna (Hjalla policy). Hjallastefna is a methodology used  both in mursery and primary schools in Iceland as well as an educational company that operates numerous nursery and primary schools in Iceland.

Margrét Lára Viðarsdóttir, Clinical Psychologist and Sports Specialist.

Oddrun Helga Simonardóttir, is a health coach; IIN and editor of the website Heilsumamman or “The healthy mom”.

Ragnheiður Alfreðsdóttir, nurse, MSc.

Ragnheiður Ásta Guðnadóttir, food- and nutrition specialist, MSc.

Ronald W. Montgomery,  BS Engineering, Vision Research Specialist, FAA Civil Aerospace Medical Institute (CAMI).

Van B. Nakagawara, O.D. FAA Civil Aerospace Medical Institute (CAMI).

Vilhjálmur Rafnsson, Physician, Professor in Preventive Medicine, epidemiology, public health, at the University of Iceland.