Australian and EASA based pilots’ duty schedules, stress, sleep difficulties, fatigue, wellbeing, symptoms of depression and anxiety
Introduction: Recent research has reported widespread high levels of fatigue among pilots. Pilot fatigue can affect their performance and has become a threat to flight safety. Objective: This study examines whether different flight time limitations (FTL) and rosters of EASA-based and Australian pilo...
| Main Authors: | , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Elsevier
2022-03-01
|
| Series: | Transportation Research Interdisciplinary Perspectives |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590198221002347 |
| _version_ | 1818156233682583552 |
|---|---|
| author | Marion Venus Martin grosse Holtforth |
| author_facet | Marion Venus Martin grosse Holtforth |
| author_sort | Marion Venus |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Introduction: Recent research has reported widespread high levels of fatigue among pilots. Pilot fatigue can affect their performance and has become a threat to flight safety. Objective: This study examines whether different flight time limitations (FTL) and rosters of EASA-based and Australian pilots were associated with different levels of stress, sleep difficulties, fatigue levels, symptoms of depression or anxiety and wellbeing. Method: 192 EASA-based and 180 Australian pilots completed a cross-sectional online survey, which asked for their schedules, stress, sleep problems, fatigue, wellbeing, and symptoms of depression and anxiety. These variables were compared for the groups of EASA-based and Australian pilots. Findings: Although EASA based and Australian pilots were scheduled for only 57–62% of maximum duty and flight hours, 71.8% EASA-based vs. 77% Australian pilots reported severe or high fatigue. Significant depression symptoms were reported by 17.2% Australian and 18% EASA-based pilots, 7% pilots reported significant symptoms of depression and anxiety. Australian pilots reported more demanding rosters, significantly more sleep problems and significantly lower wellbeing. Conclusions: Present regulations and FTL likely could not prevent high fatigue levels among EASA based and Australian pilots. Both groups were equally fatigued, although Australian pilots reported more demanding rosters. Pilots of both groups reported the same levels of stress, depression, and anxiety symptoms, while Australian pilots’ sleep and wellbeing were significantly more impaired. These results suggest that fatigue should not be regarded as an isolated problem for flight-safety. Fatigue is closely related to pilots’ physical and mental health, which may be at risk in the long run. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-11T14:55:03Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-e3bd86b8d0114e35b306bf58c92f63a6 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2590-1982 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-11T14:55:03Z |
| publishDate | 2022-03-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Transportation Research Interdisciplinary Perspectives |
| spelling | doaj.art-e3bd86b8d0114e35b306bf58c92f63a62022-12-22T01:01:21ZengElsevierTransportation Research Interdisciplinary Perspectives2590-19822022-03-0113100529Australian and EASA based pilots’ duty schedules, stress, sleep difficulties, fatigue, wellbeing, symptoms of depression and anxietyMarion Venus0Martin grosse Holtforth1Venus Aviation Research, Training & Pilot Support, Zurich, Switzerland; Department of Psychology, University of Bern, Fabrikstrasse 8, 3012 Bern, Switzerland; Corresponding author at: Venus Aviation Research Training and Pilot Support, Wassbergstasse 37, 8127 Forch, Zürich, Switzerland.Department of Psychology, University of Bern, Fabrikstrasse 8, 3012 Bern, Switzerland; Psychosomatic Competence Center, Inselspital, c/o Martin grosse Holtforth, 3010 Bern, SwitzerlandIntroduction: Recent research has reported widespread high levels of fatigue among pilots. Pilot fatigue can affect their performance and has become a threat to flight safety. Objective: This study examines whether different flight time limitations (FTL) and rosters of EASA-based and Australian pilots were associated with different levels of stress, sleep difficulties, fatigue levels, symptoms of depression or anxiety and wellbeing. Method: 192 EASA-based and 180 Australian pilots completed a cross-sectional online survey, which asked for their schedules, stress, sleep problems, fatigue, wellbeing, and symptoms of depression and anxiety. These variables were compared for the groups of EASA-based and Australian pilots. Findings: Although EASA based and Australian pilots were scheduled for only 57–62% of maximum duty and flight hours, 71.8% EASA-based vs. 77% Australian pilots reported severe or high fatigue. Significant depression symptoms were reported by 17.2% Australian and 18% EASA-based pilots, 7% pilots reported significant symptoms of depression and anxiety. Australian pilots reported more demanding rosters, significantly more sleep problems and significantly lower wellbeing. Conclusions: Present regulations and FTL likely could not prevent high fatigue levels among EASA based and Australian pilots. Both groups were equally fatigued, although Australian pilots reported more demanding rosters. Pilots of both groups reported the same levels of stress, depression, and anxiety symptoms, while Australian pilots’ sleep and wellbeing were significantly more impaired. These results suggest that fatigue should not be regarded as an isolated problem for flight-safety. Fatigue is closely related to pilots’ physical and mental health, which may be at risk in the long run.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590198221002347Airline pilotsPsychosocial stressSleep problems, fatigueMental healthWellbeing |
| spellingShingle | Marion Venus Martin grosse Holtforth Australian and EASA based pilots’ duty schedules, stress, sleep difficulties, fatigue, wellbeing, symptoms of depression and anxiety Transportation Research Interdisciplinary Perspectives Airline pilots Psychosocial stress Sleep problems, fatigue Mental health Wellbeing |
| title | Australian and EASA based pilots’ duty schedules, stress, sleep difficulties, fatigue, wellbeing, symptoms of depression and anxiety |
| title_full | Australian and EASA based pilots’ duty schedules, stress, sleep difficulties, fatigue, wellbeing, symptoms of depression and anxiety |
| title_fullStr | Australian and EASA based pilots’ duty schedules, stress, sleep difficulties, fatigue, wellbeing, symptoms of depression and anxiety |
| title_full_unstemmed | Australian and EASA based pilots’ duty schedules, stress, sleep difficulties, fatigue, wellbeing, symptoms of depression and anxiety |
| title_short | Australian and EASA based pilots’ duty schedules, stress, sleep difficulties, fatigue, wellbeing, symptoms of depression and anxiety |
| title_sort | australian and easa based pilots duty schedules stress sleep difficulties fatigue wellbeing symptoms of depression and anxiety |
| topic | Airline pilots Psychosocial stress Sleep problems, fatigue Mental health Wellbeing |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590198221002347 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT marionvenus australianandeasabasedpilotsdutyschedulesstresssleepdifficultiesfatiguewellbeingsymptomsofdepressionandanxiety AT martingrosseholtforth australianandeasabasedpilotsdutyschedulesstresssleepdifficultiesfatiguewellbeingsymptomsofdepressionandanxiety |