Tired Pilots?

[dmr727]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dy.../12/31/AR2007123101689.html?hpid=sec-business

Sounds like NASA doesn't want to scare us, but it also sounds like there are some real safety issues out there. Flying in the U.S. is exceptionally safe, but perhaps the FAA and the airlines don't want anyone to know that there are ways to make it even safer. Hmmm....

 

[John Jacob]

On a related note...

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Pilots_on_New_Year_high_get_grounded/articleshow/2665716.cms

They ran spot checks at major Indian airports on new year's eve, and caught five drunken pilots and cabin crew. The scary thing is, are there a similar number of drunk pilots flying on the other 364 days of the year when there are no spot checks?

 

[dmr727]

Wow, that is spooky. Hopefully they just caught the exceptions to the rule! In the States I really don't think many airline pilots drink while on the job. Obviously you get some bad apples in the bunch, but it doesn't seem to be an issue system wide.

 

[ezekielrage_99]

Despite the lack of analysis by NASA scientists, Griffin said there was nothing in the database that should concern air travelers.

I especially liked that line, the article was talking about the "lazy" factor only to be backed up by a lack of analysis.... the irony...

 

[theBB]

I especially liked that line, the article was talking about the "lazy" factor only to be backed up by a lack of analysis.... the irony...

According to NPR, NASA actually did the analysis, but the results, such as the number of near collusions, looked much worse than what they believed they should be. Then, they decided to just release the raw data. $11 million of our tax money goes toward collecting this data and we don't even know what the data tell. Supposedly, NASA has asked for some outside help, but I am afraid truth, for now, comes second to the profits of an industry the government is supposed to be regulating.

 

[dmr727]

but I am afraid truth, for now, comes second to the profits of an industry the government is supposed to be regulating.

I think you're exactly right. The problem as I understand it, is that pilots know that management will see to it that better rest will result in smaller paychecks. So they're not too eager to make waves about this. Obviously management doesn't want to make waves either. So nothing is being done.

The other issue is that it's difficult to prove than an accident was due (or at least partly due) to fatigue. Were the pilots truly tired, or did they just make a mistake? Management will certainly just blame the pilots for merely making a mistake.

 

[juanm]

I knew a pilot who admitted to holding his breath sometimes when flying...
It's the world freediving champion, though, so you'd think he knows where his limits are...

 

[alphaone]

As a pilot myself I can attest to the fact that flying an airplane is probably one of the most mentally (and at times physically) strenuous jobs that there are. It is very easy to get very tired very quickly in a high workload situation (co-pilots help with dividing the workload, although it still sometimes it gets out of control). Also many pilots are severely underpaid, which, when you think about it, adds to the fatigue factor. So the findings in this report really don't surprise me. Now the question is, what's the answer to the problem? Better airplanes? Pay raises? More controllers? Airports designed by a sane person? There's a laundry list of items and they probably all need to be improved upon. The thing with this industry sadly is that it usually takes a major accident to push reform forward.

Thank your pilots when you fly! They work their asses off to keep you safe and comfortable.

 

[adk]

Pilots' unions have always been lobbying for longer rest periods. In the US pilots are required to have an 8 hour "rest period" (it may be 10 hours, I don't remember) in between duty days. But it often happens that a crewmember's last flight of the night arrives at midnight and their first flight of the next day departs at 8am. While this is technically an 8 hour rest period, the pilot will not be in his/her hotel room until 1:00 or 1:30 and will have to be back at the airport at 6:30 or 7:00, resulting in five or less hours of sleep.

 

[blairwillis]

I always figured that the turbulence bump that just kind of shook the plane out of the middle of nowhere was simply the pilot nodding off.

Then the warning, "the captain has request you return to your seats and fasten your seatbelts, we may be encountering some additional turbulence," meant that it might take a while for the coffee to kick in.