Aviation Commons^™

Understanding Collegiate Aviation Pilot Mental Performance Studies And Future Research Opportunities, Debra Henneberry, Stephanie Brown, Flavio Coimbra, Julius Keller

National Training Aircraft Symposium (NTAS)

According to the Federal Aviation Administration (2022), fatigue is defined as “a condition characterized by increased discomfort with lessened capacity for work, reduced efficiency of accomplishment, loss of power or capacity to respond to stimulation, and is usually accompanied by a feeling of weariness and tiredness” (p. 2). Further outcomes of fatigue include tiredness, weakness, lack of energy, lethargy, depression, and lack of motivation (ICAO, 2016). Stress can release cortisol which can in turn cause sleep issues leading to fatigue (Harvard, 2021). In one study Mendonca, Keller, and Albelo (2023) found 69% (n = 192) percent of collegiate aviation pilots …

Fatigue In Aircraft Maintenance Technician Schools, Natalie Zimmermann, Peng Hao Wang, Keegan Pullen

International Journal of Aviation, Aeronautics, and Aerospace

Fatigue has long been identified as a human factor in aviation. Subsequently, a series of studies have highlighted fatigue-related elements within the context of the aviation industry, focusing on the flight deck – with some extension to flight students – and aviation maintenance activities. However, the latter has not been as deeply examined as its flight crew-centered counterpart. Similarly – if not more significantly – fatigue experienced by aircraft maintenance technician (AMT) students is scarcely explored, especially in comparison to the research conducted to understand fatigue in flight schools. AMT students are subject to comparable, but not the same, experiences …

Investigation Of Pilots' Visual Entropy And Eye Fixations For Simulated Flights Consisted Of Multiple Take-Offs And Landings, Salem M. Naeeri Ph.D., Ziho Kang Ph.D., Ricardo Palma Fraga M.S.

Journal of Aviation/Aerospace Education & Research

Eye movement characteristics might provide insights on pilots' mental fatigue during prolonged flight. The visual entropy, eye fixation numbers, and eye fixation durations of ten novice pilots and ten expert pilots were analyzed for a four-hour simulated flight task consisting of four consecutive flight legs. Each flight leg lasted approximately one hour and contained five flight phases: takeoff, climb, cruise, descend, and landing. The pilots maneuvered the simulated B-52 aircraft following instrument flight rules (IFR) in a moderate-fidelity Microsoft Flight Simulator environment. Our results indicate that experts’ eye movement characteristics were significantly different from those of novices. In detail, novices' …

Contributory Factors Of Fatigue Among Collegiate Aviation Pilots: An Ordinal Regression Analysis, Flavio A. C. Mendonca, Julius Keller, Daniel Kwasi Adjekum

Publications

Fatigue is a pervasive safety hazard in aviation affecting several aspects of a pilot's’ ability to safely perform their jobs. Several factors can contribute to fatigue, including inadequate sleep, stress, long work hours, excessive workload, and inadequate nutritional habits. In addition to flight training, some factors including academic, social, part-time work, and emerging time management skills are unique for Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 141 collegiate aviation pilots. By utilizing the Collegiate Aviation Fatigue Inventory (CAFI-II) at eight flight programs (n = 422), the current study examined factors such as fatigue training received, time spent working/studying and …

Fatigue And Its Management In The Aviation Industry, With Special Reference To Pilots, Rajee Olaganathan, Timothy B. Holt, Jackie Luedtke, Brent D. Bowen

Publications

Abstract Fatigue is a significant contributing factor that reduces human ability and leads to accidents and threatens the safety of aircraft and human lives. Approximately 70% of fatal accidents that occur in commercial aviation operations are due to human factors. More specifically, crew fatigue contributes to nearly 15 to 20% of the accidents (Akerstedt, 2000). These accidents and incidents are associated with pilot fatigue because of the long duty periods, disruption of circadian rhythms, and inadequate sleep that are common among both commercial and military pilots. Though fatigue is seen in all the disciplines associated with the aviation industry, this …

Understanding Fatigue Within A Collegiate Aviation Program, Flavio Mendonca, Julius Keller, Erik Levin, Aaron Teo

Publications

Objective: The purpose of this study was fivefold: to investigate the symptoms that would prompt collegiate aviation pilots perceive they are fatigued; to investigate the time of the day they are most fatigued; to investigate their academic and personal schedules; to investigate the methods collegiate aviation pilots utilize to ensure they are fit to fly; and to investigate whether they have received any academic and/or flight fatigue identification and management training.

Background: Fatigue is a pervasive safety hazard in aviation affecting several aspects of flight crew members’ ability to perform their job. Fatigue in aviation and its consequences has been …

An Analysis Of Self-Reported Sleepiness And Fatigue Measures From Collegiate Aviation Pilots, Flavio A. C. Mendonca, Julius Keller, Thomas Laub, Sarah Wolfe

Publications

Fatigue can be deleterious to pilot performance. The National Transportation Safety Board has called on the aviation community to reduce fatigue related accidents. Currently, there are few studies and guidance specific to collegiate aviation pilots. The current study is part of a larger effort by the authors to gain a clearer understanding of fatigue within the collegiate aviation environment. Collegiate aviation pilots are a unique group with different schedules, lifestyles, and demands when compared to airline, military, and on-demand pilots. The purpose of this study was to examine self-reported fatigue and sleepiness measures. Research instruments included the Karolinska Sleepiness Scale …

Measuring Fatigue And Sleepiness In Collegiate Aviation Pilots, Julius Keller Ph.D., Flavio A. C. Mendonca Ph.D., Erik Levin, Aaron Teo

National Training Aircraft Symposium (NTAS)

The National Transportation Safety Board has communicated the need to reduce fatigue related accidents through the top ten most wanted list. Additionally, the International Civil Aviation Organization and Federal Aviation Administration have continuously promoted fatigue risk management. Most fatigue related research as well as safety standards in aviation involve air carrier and military operations. However, there has been a recent revival of fatigue related research in collegiate aviation. A recent study found that 85% of collegiate aviation pilots (n = 141) reported fatigue negatively impacted their flight training activities. Results of a qualitative study indicated poor knowledge and behaviors by …

Fatigue Identification And Management In Flight Training Among Collegiate Aviation Pilots, Flavio Mendonca Ph.D., Julius Keller Ph.D., Michael Robertson Ph.D., Matt Romero

Publications

Objective: The purpose of this study was fivefold: to investigate the symptoms that would prompt collegiate aviation pilots perceive they are fatigued; to investigate the time of the day they are most fatigued; to investigate their academic and personal schedules; to investigate the methods collegiate aviation pilots utilize to ensure they are fit to fly; and to investigate whether they have received any academic and/or flight fatigue identification and management training.

Background: Fatigue is a pervasive safety hazard in aviation affecting several aspects of flight crew members’ ability to perform their job. Fatigue in aviation and its consequences has been …

Fatigue Identification And Management In Flight Training: An Investigation Of Collegiate Aviation Pilots, Flavio A. Coimbra Mendonca Mr, Julius Keller, Chientsung Lu

International Journal of Aviation, Aeronautics, and Aerospace

Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate collegiate aviation students’ self-awareness of their fatigue issues; to investigate possible causes of fatigue afflicting collegiate aviation students; and to investigate the collegiate aviation students’ lifestyle and perceptions of personal solutions to fatigue.

Background: Pilot fatigue is a significant safety hazard in aviation operations. Several factors can contribute to fatigue, including inadequate sleep, long work hours, and inadequate nutritional habits. Some factors, such as social and academic activities, could be unique for Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 141 collegiate aviation pilots. Previous studies have addressed fatigue in …

Fatigue Identification And Management In Flight Training: An Investigation Of Collegiate Aviation Pilots, Flavio A. C. Mendonca Ph.D.

Publications

Pilot fatigue is a significant hazard affecting flight operations;

• Generally the product of one or more factors: Disrupted or lack of sleep;
• Inadequate food and or fluid intake;
• Mental;
• and Physical fatigue.

Previous studies have focused on military and commercial flight operations;

• Little to nothing has been done to investigate fatigue identification & management by general aviation pilots!

Modelling Fatigue For Management Decision Making: A Case Study, Rajee Olaganathan, Timothy B. Holt, Jacqueline Luedtke

Publications

Fatigue is one major contributing factor that reduces the human ability and leads to accidents, and threatens the safety of aircraft and human lives.

Though fatigue is seen in all the disciplines associated with the aviation industry, this paper will discuss only pilot fatigue. Based on the literature examined, this study first examines the significance of the problem.

Investigation of the inflight, pre/post flight countermeasures (both pharmacological and non - pharmacological methods) practiced at present, discusses the Fatigue Risk Management System (FRMS) – in this first, it defines the FRMS, briefly discusses its history, describes the organizational structure of FRMS …

Integrating Fatigue Management With Safety Management Systems For Commercial Flightcrew Operations, Arnold W. Starr Jr.

International Journal of Aviation, Aeronautics, and Aerospace

Fatigue remains a significant hazard in commercial aviation and has been a major concern among all stakeholders for decades. This review of the literature explores the current prescriptive structure of the regulatory environment (Part 117) and its effect on fatigue management. To illustrate the impact of fatigue on flight operations, this article includes a brief analysis of two National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) accident reports where fatigue was indicated as a factor. Current research in fatigue management and efforts by the Federal Aviation Administration point to the benefits of using a Safety Management Systems (SMS) methodology to manage fatigue. Using …

Pilot Perceptions On Impact Of Crew Rest Regulations On Safety And Fatigue, Lukas Rudari, Mary E. Johnson, Robert C. Geske, Lauren A. Sperlak

International Journal of Aviation, Aeronautics, and Aerospace

The risk of fatigue on pilot performance and safety is well recognized in aviation. In response to increased safety concerns, the Federal Aviation Administration addressed fatigue risk for passenger airline pilots in Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 117, which included accommodations to address fatigue related risk-factors such as circadian rhythm and the phenomenon commonly described as jet-lag. The rule became effective in January 2014. A survey was conducted in March and April of 2014 to better understand pilot perceptions of the new Part 117 rule. This study analyzed survey responses from 92 self-identified pilots to determine the effect …