The following lecture has been approved for University
The following lecture has been approved for University Undergraduate Students This lecture may contain information, ideas, concepts and discursive anecdotes that may be thought provoking and challenging It is not intended for the content or delivery to cause offence Any issues raised in the lecture may require the viewer to engage in further thought, insight, reflection or critical evaluation
Fatigue in Short-Haul Pilots The importance of “discretion time” flying Professor Craig Jackson Acting Head of School of Social Sciences BCU
Fatigue is understood in Long-Haul Flights “One of the worst dangers of pilot fatigue is apathy. The severely fatigued pilot can be indifferent as to the outcome of the flight and their operational performance. ” - British Midland NASA’s “Ames” 10 year program Fatigued Pilots: Willing to accept poor performance Gradual and cumulative effects Fatigued pilots less vigilant Show signs of poor judgment
The following do not counteract fatigue…. Skill Arkansas 1999. Increased effort / strong will 11 killed in American Airlines crash Stamina Physical Condition Guam 1997. Education 228 dead after a Korean Air crash. Training Experience New York 1990. 73 killed in Avianca crash Professionalism Motivation Pilot Fatigue MAIN factor in all Caffeine three crashes - NTSB Medication / Pharmaceuticals
Microsleep “Nodding off” Uncontrolled spontaneous episodes of sleep Can last seconds or minutes Disengages from reality and becomes unresponsive Fail to respond to outside information Aircraft cruising at 450 knots on glide path can travel nearly 730 feet during a one-second lapse. 123 feet
Flight Time Limitations FAR 121. 471(a) reads: No certificate holder conducting domestic operations may schedule any flight crewmember and no flight crewmember may accept an assignment for flight time in scheduled air transportation or in other commercial flying if that crewmember’s total flight time in all commercial flying will exceed – FTL’s unrealistic in low cost multisector operations. 1, 000 hours in any calendar year; 100 hours in any calendar month; 30 hours in any 7 consecutive days; 8 hours between required rest periods. “FTL’s were absolute limits and should not be used as normal rostering practice, yet low cost airlines push us to
Discretion Time allowed, above FLT to enable pilots to complete duties if delays occur e. g. waiting for fuel, strikes, procedural problems FLT over 24 hr period Flight duty #1 Rest period Flight duty #2 OK Flight duty #1 Delay extends duty #1 into Rest Period
Study Aims Quantify the extent of the problem - prevalence Perfect a working methodology Findings Compare budget pilots with scheduled pilots Relationship between take off / landings and fatigue The role of “Discretion” in fatigue Discussion points
Fatigue and Length of Service as a Pilot. . ?
Strong Anecdotal Evidence. . ? “I had just completed a multi sector operation over 3 days and was driving home. I was 15 minutes away from home when I felt so overwhelmingly tired I had to pull over for a few minutes, when I promptly fell to sleep. It was 8 hours later before I woke up. ” Captain of an A 320 Civil Airline
Why pick on Short-Haul (Budget) Airlines? • Fatigue important factor in aviation safety • Low cost, multi sector operations grown • Increase chances of fatigue • 21% reported accidents attributed to fatigue • Research into long-haul was intensive • Short-Haul largely neglected • Short Haul, multi-sector pilots affected by fatigue • Last few years, more crews flew into discretion • Flight Time Limitations becoming inadequate • 1993 European working time directive
Methodology of Study Discussion Groups Diary keeping Questionnaire on PPRUNE website Demographics Operational details Occupational history Fatigue Scale (Chalder et al. 1993 ) Physical fatigue + Psychological fatigue = Total fatigue score Caseness vs. Non-caseness
Summary of Results Discussion groups n=45 Diary Keeping n=20 Questionnaire n=169 158 male (93%) 11 female (7%) Mean age 38 years ± 9 (min 21, max 59) Data were adjusted for time of completion and world location
Summary of Results 76% (n=128) of the sample reported severe fatigue 50% (n=85) reported they had been asked (by airline) to change their “recorded” duty times to fit in with FTLs No difference on any fatigue measures and: • Age • Sex of pilots • Aircraft type • Years of service • Number of take-offs-landings 82% reported fatigue levels more significant than 2 years ago
Sectors (take offs & landings)
Risk Factors for Severe Fatigue
Relationship Between Fatigue Measures
Discretion-Time Flying
Testimonials from Interviewed Pilots “I do not believe I will be alive age 60 at this present rate of overwork. ” “Constant fatigue, tiredness, poor performance, lack of any job satisfaction rules my life. ” “Companies will roster to what they legally can, then expect you to go into discretion to get the job done. ” “FTL’s are unrealistic in low cost operations. ” “I would be in excess of FTL’s but for the ‘massaging’ of our duty start time. ” “Recently I had an incident which was out of character and entirely due to fatigue. ”
Conclusions High level of severe fatigue – both quantified & anecdotal Fatigue not associated with number of sectors Use of discretion strongly associated with fatigue Concerns about fatigue and health associated with fatigue Low cost pilots have more and severe fatigue Results from other studies concur: (NASA, AIR NZ, France, UK)
Moving Forward Results both provocative and alarming Severe fatigue rampant in shorthaul & low cost industry Can be translated into operationally relevant practice Could save future aviation disasters Chronobiology in aircrew scheduling
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