The sleeping killer

Managing fatigue on the flightdeck

Fatigue is undoubtedly one of the mortal enemies of safe aircraft operation. Its insidious effects creep into the eyes and minds of flightcrew with alarming subtlety over all manner of time frames.

On occasions it may be the result of an extended tour of duty, or a sequence of ‘back-of-clock’ flying. At other times it can result from cumulative factors, gradually building over time. Regardless of the cause, the onset can range from lowered levels of awareness to full-blown micro-sleeps and beyond. Make no mistake, just as on the roads, fatigue is a lethal threat.