Australian Federation of Air Pilots (AFAP) released (30-Oct-2017) a report describing the findings of an independent survey of 1132 Australian commercial pilots on their experiences of fatigue while working. The survey was conducted online between Jun-2017 and Jul-2017 by Transport and Road Safety Research at the University of New South Wales. The findings show that fatigue is a significant problem for commercial pilots in Australia. Key highlights include:
- 52.4% of pilots surveyed reported that fatigue is a substantial or major personal problem in their work;
- 46.1% had experienced fatigue during half or more of their shifts;
- Almost all reported that fatigue had produced negative effects on performance;
- Over two-thirds had made an error due to fatigue at some stage;
- 45% had experienced a microsleep while on duty;
- One in five had fallen asleep unplanned while on the flight deck. [more - original PR]