Pilot Fatigue

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Recommended: Combating pilot fatigue

Fatigue is a growing concern and issue in the aviation industry. Although it has been for some time, recently mounting workloads and stress have factored into creating an escalating problem with real casualties and repercussions. “Pilot fatigue, heavy workloads… may have contributed to an air ambulance crashing into the sea at night during a medical mission…” (Crash Blamed 2006 p.31). Fatigue is an “insidious” condition that affects a pilot in a way that might make him feel justified in his decisions. (Wald 2008 C3). Without realizing the effects of sleepiness and stress, pilots often times make the wrong decision, believing it to be the right one, and suffering severe consequences, such as: passenger injures, crew injuries or even death, which occurs more often than not. Even though a pilot is well trained and may feel competent, he/she is still human and needs to recharge. (Waking up 2009 pB2). It behooves the industry, pilots, and citizens to carefully and stringently review and resolve scheduling issues as well as human factor for the sake and safety of all. Commute, Workload, Salary Help to Induce Fatigue There are several immediate causes of fatigue that pilots encounter. An immediate cause of pilot exhaustion is simply the pilot not getting sufficient hours of sleep. “This is not a 9-to-5 job, being an airline pilot, and how common is it to be flying when you really haven't had a night's sleep for many, many hours, and frankly, when you might be more tired than you should be?” (Were Crash Pilots…) Moreover, a pilot’s demanding expectations concerning paperwork and admin duties are also partly to blame. “A pilot’s exhaustion caused by his heavy administrative workload…contributed to the fatal crash of... ... middle of paper ... ... 2009. NA. Discovering Collection. Gale. Kansas State University Libraries. 3 Oct 2011 Pilot fatigue grows as problem for airlines; As the industry's finances worsen, pilots fret about falling asleep at the controls as flying hours get longer. July 26, 2004 p02 The Christian Science Monitor, p.02. Retrieved November 04, 2011, from Custom Newspapers via Gale 82% of Americans Rank Pilot Fatigue as Most Important Air Travel Concern. July 24, 2001 p5233PR Newswire, p.5233. Retrieved Nov 04, 2011, from Academic OneFile via Gale Crash blamed on pilot fatigue. Nov 10, 2006 p31 The Times (London, England), p.31. Retrieved Nov 14, 2011, from Custom Newspapers via Gale Wald, M L (June 12, 2008). Pilot fatigue is blamed for Michigan accident.(Finance). International Herald Tribune, p.14. Retrieved Nov 04, 2011, from Custom Newspapers via Gale

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