Risk of Fatigue Among Airline Crew During 4 Consecutive Days of Flight Duty

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Airline crew are being exposed to extended workdays and compressed work periods, with quick returns between duties, implying a heightened physiological and psychological strain that may lead to sleep deprivation and fatigue. The aim of the study was assessment of the effect of an extended day of flight duty and a compressed work week with regard to recovery, cumulative fatigue, and neurobehavioral performance.METHODS: We followed 18 pilots and 41 cabin crewmembers during four consecutive days of flight duty, comprising a total of ≥ 39 h, where the first day was ≥ 10 h. Information on demographics, work characteristics, health status, and physical activity was collected at baseline. Subjects completed logs for the first and fourth workday, including the Samn-Perelli Fatigue Checklist at three time points during these workdays. Two computer-based neurobehavioral tests were completed the evening prior to the first shift, and after the first and the fourth day of the work period.RESULTS: Number of flight sectors during the work period was 10–20. Self-reported fatigue levels increased during the workdays. Neurobehavioral test-scores did not deteriorate. The effects of each additional flight sector during the work period was elevated reaction times (RT) both among cabin crewmembers (B = 5.05 ms, 95% CI 0.6, 9.5) and pilots (B = 4.95 ms, 95% CI 0.4, 9.5). Precision was unaffected.DISCUSSION: Airline pilots and cabin crewmembers seem to obtain satisfactory sleep before and during the period of 4 consecutive days. The association between multiple flight sectors and increased fatigue supports previous findings.Goffeng EM, Wagstaff A, Nordby K-C, Meland A, Goffeng LO, Skare Ø, Lilja D, Lie J-AS. Risk of fatigue among airline crew during 4 consecutive days of flight duty. Aerosp Med Hum Perform. 2019; 90(5):466–474.

Acute and cumulative effects of scheduling on aircrew fatigue in ultra‐short‐haul operations

“…Some support is found in the study by Goffeng et al. (2019), which did not find any change in Samn‐Perelli fatigue scores or reaction time after 4 days of around 40 h of duty time. On the other hand, the same study found an impairment in reaction time performance with a higher number of sectors during the four‐duty day period (range 10–20 sectors).…”

“…Despite the absence of previous work on cumulative effects on fatigue, the lack of association (Table 4, model 1) between fatigue and accumulation of duty time, number of sectors and block time was somewhat unexpected. Some support is found in the study by Goffeng et al (2019), which did not find any change in Samn-Perelli fatigue scores or reaction time after 4 days of around 40 h of duty time. On the other hand, the same study found an impairment in reaction time performance with a higher number of sectors during the four-duty day period (range 10-20 sectors).…”

“…The results on sectors contrast with the findings of Powell et al (2007), who found that the number of sectors remained a significant predictor of fatigue after adjustment for several schedule characteristics, but sleep was not included in that study, which may have been crucial. Goffeng et al (2019) did not find a link between number of sectors and rated fatigue, although psychomotor vigilance test (PVT) reaction time showed a significant link. Honn et al (2016) showed in an experimental simulator study that the number of sectors (5 vs. 1) had a modest, but significantly, increased effect on KSS and Samn-Perelli ratings, as well as PVT lapses.…”

“…Goffeng et al. (2019) did not find a link between number of sectors and rated fatigue, although psychomotor vigilance test (PVT) reaction time showed a significant link. Honn et al.…”

“…In addition to restrictions pertaining to the 24‐h window, the European Flight Time Limitations also restrict the total number of hours worked per work period (“week”) to 60 h. However, empirical data on the effects of accumulated duty time on fatigue are lacking, except for one study that showed that fatigue at the end of the flight duty period did not change across 4 days with 39 h of work (Goffeng et al., 2019), whereas reaction time performance increased. Apparently, the cumulative effect of duty time and similar variables seems to be an understudied possible source of fatigue in aviation.…”