Crew Fatigue : Own Up or Man Up?
Join Date: Aug 2006
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Collbar, the RAF trained manpower establishment is screwed down as tight as a ducks ^rse. Only this year has it been approved to increase the number of fire fighters and regiment personnel (IIRC).
We continue to fight an intensive and lethal war from a wholly peacetime posture.
There will be no grounds for getting more ST slip crews as there is no proven need. (That is tongue firmly in cheek).
The need could be proven if flights were delayed and ultimately cancelled with crews adhering to published rest periods and were supported all the way up the stars. Unfortunately would YOU want to be the crew that turned round to a couple of hundred squaddies UK bound on R&R and said sorry, I need another 8 hours kip?
The press-on-its, peer or boss pressure, and sheer comradship will mean crews wil operate when they really should not.
We continue to fight an intensive and lethal war from a wholly peacetime posture.
There will be no grounds for getting more ST slip crews as there is no proven need. (That is tongue firmly in cheek).
The need could be proven if flights were delayed and ultimately cancelled with crews adhering to published rest periods and were supported all the way up the stars. Unfortunately would YOU want to be the crew that turned round to a couple of hundred squaddies UK bound on R&R and said sorry, I need another 8 hours kip?
The press-on-its, peer or boss pressure, and sheer comradship will mean crews wil operate when they really should not.
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and it will ultimately end, and trust me that I am praying very hard it does not come to pass, with some horrendous consequences.
All due to those up the chain not ensuring the gimp in the hot seat (a/c capt)
has had adequate food, sleep and sex (ok we'll aim for two out of three on this) will desert the pilot as fast as possible. Your duty as crew is to man up and admit the fatigue, your auth, boss and his bosses need to man up and support your decision
Fatigue is a bigger killer on the uk roads than alcohol. How many accidents are caused by drifting off? and how many driver own up to it? Flying is far more complicated than driving a car.
rant and random wibble moments off now
All due to those up the chain not ensuring the gimp in the hot seat (a/c capt)
has had adequate food, sleep and sex (ok we'll aim for two out of three on this) will desert the pilot as fast as possible. Your duty as crew is to man up and admit the fatigue, your auth, boss and his bosses need to man up and support your decisionFatigue is a bigger killer on the uk roads than alcohol. How many accidents are caused by drifting off? and how many driver own up to it? Flying is far more complicated than driving a car.
rant and random wibble moments off now
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We had a classic fatigue crash-out years ago and I had it published in Air Clues as was.
It was classic because our planned take-off of about 1000 was delayed 12 hrs IIRC. Instead of 1000 and a night stop it became a 2200 and a double stage. The incident happened on the first leg.
About 2 hours after take-off and heading east by north east over Iran, 4 of us were fast asleep and that included both pilots. Fortunately one crew member was hadn't dropped off.
It is simply too easy and with a 2 or 3 seat cockpit how do you ensure it doesn't happen?
It was classic because our planned take-off of about 1000 was delayed 12 hrs IIRC. Instead of 1000 and a night stop it became a 2200 and a double stage. The incident happened on the first leg.
About 2 hours after take-off and heading east by north east over Iran, 4 of us were fast asleep and that included both pilots. Fortunately one crew member was hadn't dropped off.
It is simply too easy and with a 2 or 3 seat cockpit how do you ensure it doesn't happen?
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I thought this extract might be appropriate albeit from another time:
a/c:Consolidated 28 Catalina IVB (Boeing PB2B-1) JX330
Date:March 9, 1944
On flight from Bermuda to Scotland landing at 15:08 (Foynes, Ireland). Flying 26 hours according to crew. They over nighted at BOAC camp and took off following refueling the next day. Pilot decided to stay the night due to the tired state of the crew.
Last sentence a bit of an understatement.
a/c:Consolidated 28 Catalina IVB (Boeing PB2B-1) JX330
Date:March 9, 1944
On flight from Bermuda to Scotland landing at 15:08 (Foynes, Ireland). Flying 26 hours according to crew. They over nighted at BOAC camp and took off following refueling the next day. Pilot decided to stay the night due to the tired state of the crew.
Last sentence a bit of an understatement.
