Accidents in the aviation industry rarely occur, but reports indicate that in the few times they have happened, 80% are caused by human error. Out of this figure, 20% is due to pilot fatigue, which has led to fatal accidents. Due to fatigue, pilots experience impaired concentration; they are slow in reacting and in decision-making. A survey conducted by the British Airline Pilots’ Association among its 500 members, 43% admitted of sleeping involuntarily while in the cockpit. Notably, 31% admitted that upon waking up, they found their colleague pilot also asleep. This study delves on an existing aviation human factors and aviation safety issue, fatigue.
Types of Fatigues
In view of aviation safety, fatigue is an essential and crucial factor leading to human errors following decreased ability to carry out tasks demanding higher intellectual capacity. Fatigue is caused by high workload, jet lag, lack of sleep, inadequate mental or physical fitness, longer working hours, and inappropriate crew scheduling. Reports indicate that fatigue can be either acute or chronic. The remedy for acute fatigue is simply taking enough rest and avoiding flying. It is caused by working for long hours, insufficient sleeping time, jet lag, and intensive physical engagements. Chronic fatigue emanates from high workload, lack of mental fitness and financial issues.
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Analysis and Evaluation
An accident involving a Continental flight 3407 took place in February 2009 (Moore, 2012). The plane had taken off from Liberty International Airport located in Newark, New Jersey. However, a few minutes into the air, the plane rammed into a house killing everyone on board. Preliminary investigations revealed that, the pilots were adamant to answer to the warnings from the cockpit that the plane was moving in a sluggish manner. Report showed that the plane’s nose was in a raised position, making it move even slower (Moore, 2012). According to the accident report, prior to the flight, the two pilots on board had been involved in long flights and instead of taking rest in a hotel; they chose to spend in the crew lounge (Moore, 2012). It was established that fatigue was the reason the pilots failed to respond in time to remedy the slow speed. According the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), fatigue among pilots has been a major concern for a long time (Moore, 2012). In that regard, the organization has established rules for use across Europe indicating the time limits that pilots should fly while on duty.
Professionals in the aviation industry strongly believe that, inadequate sleep is the major cause of fatigue. However, it is not the only one. Other issues such as drunken passengers and bomb scares can equally contribute to negative performance by the pilot. Apart from spending prolonged hours on duty, fatigue among pilots can be triggered by disruptive schedules. Pilots working from very early in the morning to late at night risk getting fatigued. In addition, irregular rotations and complex time zones are likely to subject pilots to fatigue. Studies have revealed that, long commuting too can lead to fatigue (Goer, 2018). In a survey conducted among pilots in Europe, it was established that over 50% of the pilot participants commuted to their workstations (Moore, 2012). The pilots admitted that they had to leave home early to avoid being late for work. Mostly, this problem occurs because some pilots live in distant places from their workstations. In some cases, the pilot has to commute to another airport different from the one he is used to working. In essence, the study established that commuting for long hours was a major cause of fatigue.
Reports have cited jet lag as another serious problem causing fatigue among pilots. Although most pilots are allowed ample time to recover from jetlag, the body is left drained due to circadian rhythm interruption (Goer, 2018). Consequently, the pilots find it difficult to sleep whenever they are supposed to, and it becomes difficult for them to remain awake later while on duty. Revealingly, pilots with a tendency of operating within the same route in the same airplane on regular basis risk getting fatigue. However, experts have not ruled out the fact that just as other humans, pilots can be experiencing personal challenges (Goer, 2018). Such issues are likely to have impacts on pilots while carrying out their duties. In that regard, while looking at exhaustion on pilots, it becomes evident that it affects them both from personal and general perspectives (Goer, 2018). Just like other professionals, they suffer from motivation loss, and they are likely to perform duties with reckless abandon. Over time, their expertise in making sound decisions in a timely fashion equally diminishes.
Solutions to Fatigue
Following increased cases of fatigue among aviation workers, experts have advanced measures that can mitigate it. They have relied on data and fatigue reports to come up with standardized fatigue risk indicators (Goer, 2018). However, there lacks reliable techniques and gadgets that can be used to detect fatigue and as such, research is needed in order to establish tools that can be integrated into operational safety.
Airlines should come up with strategies of managing the risk of fatigue. By establishing Fatigue Risk Management Systems (FRMSs), airports will be in a position to bring together information regarding the sleeping and waking time in line with duty cycle (Goer, 2018). The system should offer a mechanism of identifying risky patterns and offer solution. The system is able to provide the aviation management assessment on crew alertness and determine whether the fatigue is within the recommended levels.
Fatigue awareness training and education should be mandatory and identified as a plan for managing risk. The training should aim at reminding pilots the impacts of remaining awake for a prolonged period while on duty (Goer, 2018). On yearly basis, fatigue awareness and training should be updated with adequate developments discovered in sleep science.
Aviation bodies should make effort of establishing materials and protocols for training pilots in decision making on easier and effective methods of commuting (Goer, 2018). The decision should be guided by current development made in decision science.
Pilots should be provided with reasonable schedules of work, which include appropriate shift patterns designed to have least negative impact (Goer, 2018). Employers should ensure pilots have access to optimum working conditions.
To avoid fatigue, pilots are supposed to embrace personal strategies that include planning sleeping patterns, meals, and rest (Goer, 2018). They should take full advantage of naps and rest breaks. In the event colleagues feel drowsy, they should be ready to help.
Pilot fatigue is the major cause of most aircraft accidents according to aviation reports. While fatigued, pilots tend to sleep in the cockpit, and their decision-making is affected negatively. Pilots suffer from fatigue ranging from acute to chronic. Following increased accidents due to pilot fatigue, the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has come up with rules outlining the number of hours a pilot should be on duty. Some of the factors associated with pilot fatigue include prolonged working hours, inadequate sleep, lack of enough time to relax the mind and physical body, and long commuting. To curb pilot fatigue, employers are advised to provide training and education to pilots on ways of managing their fatigue. On their part, pilots are supposed to spend sufficient time sleeping, and avoid prolonged working hours among other things.
References
Goer, Z. (2018). Fatigue in The Aviation: An Overview of The Measurements and Countermeasures. Journal of Aviation 2 (2): 185-194. DOI : 10.30518/jav.451741
Moore, K. (2012). Pilot fatigue 'one of the biggest threats to air safety'. Retrieved from https://www.bbc.com/news/health-19837178
