Pilot Fatigue

The issue of pilot fatigue is receiving renewed attention due to the increasing evidence that pilot fatigue can be a significant aviation safety issue.Paper Masters has writers that have done studies on pilot fatigue and can help you formulate your research project on the problem.

In the past, the approach to pilot fatigue has been to allocate a set amount of time in a twenty-four hour period for pilots to work and rest. This approach, however, has not addressed factors such as the differences in fatigue tolerance between individual pilots and the quality of rest during the allotted off-duty periods. At the same time, the regulations regarding pilot duty periods as well as the practices of carriers do not reflect the empirical evidence developed by research regarding the nature of fatigue and the point at which fatigue impairs performance.There is also some degree of conflict between pilots, airlines and the FAA regarding the appropriate amount of time that pilots can be on duty, and whether non-flight time due to weather delays or aircraft maintenance are equivalent to flight time.At the current time, pilots must depend on self-management in order to reduce the safety risks of fatigue.

There are a large number of symptoms associated with fatigue that can significantly impair pilot performance and the overall safety of the flight evolutions.

• In a state of high fatigue, judgment and decision making capability can decrease by 50%
• Memory can decrease by 20%
• Attention can decrease by 75%

Other symptoms of fatigue include:

• Impaired vision
• Indifference to performance
• Reduced interaction with others
• Motor skills also degrade as a result of fatigue, significantly increasing response time to emerging situations

There is a significant amount of scientific data indicating the nature and degree of fatigue induced impairment as well as data indicating the average times of onset of the symptoms of fatigue. At the same time, there are multiple causative factors for pilot fatigue, which involve the behaviors of the individual and the nature of flying that involves disruptions to the natural sleep patterns and rhythms of pilots.