Pilot Fatigue. The Causes, Effects and Consequences

Fatigue is a very intangible human factor that affects every living person, and exists in all professions and professional environments. Recognizing, dealing with and adhering to preventative measures are the front line defenses against what we have shown to be an accident waiting to happen - pilot fatigue. "I know that I am too tired to fly sometimes, but you just sit down and do it. It may not always be the most proficient flight from start to finish, but we get them there safely", indicated the previously unnamed pilot interviewed for this paper. "That's not to say that we are dangerous in the cockpit, because 8 times out of 10 I am pretty well rested and on top of things from start to finish. But if you ask me, those 2 times I am not well rested is 2 times too many. Every pilot should feel that same way, but the fact is many either don't or pretend they don't. It's a wacky industry once you see the inside of it" he concluded, adding another footnote to what this author has already discovered to be a disturbing trend in the industry. When I set out to research this paper, I was a little concerned that a topic like pilot fatigue may be extremely difficult to pinpoint causes and effects of. I'm sorry to admit that I was wrong. What I have found, and learned, throughout the course of writing this is that pilot fatigue has claimed the lives of hundreds, probably thousands of people who have entrusted their safety to the professionals of the aviation industry. While pilot fatigue may be in itself a by-product of the unique aviation environment and how it effects all humans, it is readily apparent to this author that the effects human fatigue has on judgment and decision making is not something to be ignored or taken lightly, particularly if you are seated in the cockpit. It will take an indefinite amount of time for the regulations to be changed, an extensive amount of unity among pilots and their employers to work through those changes, and the patience and trust of the traveling public during this period to get effective safety measures in place to help combat the danger that pilot fatigue is. The most comforting part about the whole process is that pilot fatigue is finally being recognized as a danger, which is in itself a step in the right direction. This is really just the first step though, with many more needed. It is this author's hope that these steps will be taken proactively, and not reactively, after pilot fatigue has caused yet another loss of life. Unlike many of the reasons why aircraft accidents occur, pilot fatigue is preventable. …