Unrested for flight, or take a sleeping pill?
Balloon pilot here....briefing 05:00, drive to the take off field, unload and inflate balloon, airborne 07:30, land 08:30 to 09:30, with luck no waiting for the retrieve crew, back to refuel 11.00, lunch at 11.30, siesta. Briefing 18:00, repeat morning procedure until 24:00.
Try that for a one week competition. A week later I have usually recovered enough to consider flying again.
Sleep aids? Eye mask and ear plugs, the crew set the alarm, but usually I wake up about the right time. Eating plenty of carbs helps, too.
My day job is instructing, SEP.
Try that for a one week competition. A week later I have usually recovered enough to consider flying again.
Sleep aids? Eye mask and ear plugs, the crew set the alarm, but usually I wake up about the right time. Eating plenty of carbs helps, too.
My day job is instructing, SEP.
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Originally Posted by JammedStab
Changing time zone 2-3 days before flight would frequently not work for me as I sometimes go from days to nights and back to days with 36 hours in between
I agree totally to that fact that everybody is different, hence the necessity to know yourself accurately.
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You cannot "change your time zone" but you can eat your salted meals at the next schedule, despite you are still working at the schedule you have to have leaved after your 36 hours rest. Sleeping without sleep is possible too at any moment when you are not at work to build your rest reserve and have a bit of time
I agree totally to that fact that everybody is different, hence the necessity to know yourself accurately.
I agree totally to that fact that everybody is different, hence the necessity to know yourself accurately.
The plan, 4.5 hours sleep interrupted by the alarm, up all day, try a snooze a 5PM. That will keep me awake until I get my rest on the flight. A little over a day at destination and then back here leaving at 2 AM. Activities during my layover should make me tired for a sleep that evening and on the way home. It is not always like this but it happens.
Otherwise if I get a good night's sleep tonight, I won't be tired tomorrow until departure time and it is not until near that time that I find out at which point in the flight I will get my rest. I may not get it until 6 hours into the flight.
Last edited by JammedStab; 31st Jul 2014 at 16:54.
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I hope NTSB will study both pills and marijuana and both General Aviation and Airlines :
Insurance need to put some limits after Unions' propositions and "Human factors" Searchers' suggestions.
Rules of commercial pilots are very different in the many ICAO Countries. Bad weather, fire, failures of the plane may add to the consequences.
"Time to look at that -other- issue more in depth" of course.
Originally Posted by NTSB Chairman Christopher A. HART
"In general aviation, our investigators sometimes see evidence of drug use by pilots involved in accidents. So we decided it was time to look at this issue more in depth,” said Hart in testimony before the House Subcommittee on Government Operations on the federal government’s response to marijuana legalization as it pertains to transportation policy. “In September we will meet to discuss drug use in aviation by examining toxicology testing results conducted on fatally injured pilots."
Rules of commercial pilots are very different in the many ICAO Countries. Bad weather, fire, failures of the plane may add to the consequences.
"Time to look at that -other- issue more in depth" of course.
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Well I do so regularly and I have no shortage of changes to my roster to make it more sensible and less tiring.
I guess if people are too chicken **** to even try then the airlines will keep getting away with fatiguing rosters.
Good call.
I guess if people are too chicken **** to even try then the airlines will keep getting away with fatiguing rosters.
Good call.
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Some "Airlines", flying Boeing equipment and under EASA rules, based in Western Europe do not pay if you call in fatigued or sick, resulting in crews flying with the flu, congested ears, fatigued ( falling asleep on approach) etc etc.
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But if things are as bad as they sound then perhaps all of said pilots need to man up and start filing fatigue reports (My lot even accept preemptive fatigue reports).
Bet the company would soon change its ways when most of the flight crew decide they're too tired or fatigued.
Won't happen though. No spine.
Bet the company would soon change its ways when most of the flight crew decide they're too tired or fatigued.
Won't happen though. No spine.
