This study provides a practical example of fatigue risk management in aviation. The sleep and sleepiness of 44 pilots (11 tripsáxá4 pilot crew) working an ultra long-range (flight time >16áh) round-trip operation between Doha and Houston was assessed. Sleep was assessed using activity monitors and self-reported sleep diaries. Mean Karolinska Sleepiness Scores for climb and descent did not exceed 5 ("neither alert nor sleepy"¥). Mean daily sleep duration was maintained above 6.3áh throughout the operation. During in-flight rest periods, 98% of pilots obtained sleep and sleepiness was subsequently reduced. On layover (49.5áh) crew were advised to sleep on Doha or Universal Co-ordinated Time, but 64% slept during the local (social) night time. Pilots originating from regions with a siesta culture were more likely to nap and made particularly effective use of their daytime in-flight rest periods. The results indicate that the operation is well designed from a fatigue management perspective. (A) Reprinted with permission from Elsevier.
Abstract