Exhausted pilots reveal risky nodding off

[XJohXJ]

At Mesaba, sometimes it's OK to call fatigued, and sometimes they make you feel like one of the FBI's most wanted criminals. They are NOT consistent, and it stinks.

 

[detwilers]

I agree that some times the company schedules put us in these fatigued situations but more times we put ourselves in these situations. I do it all the time. Got to get up at 3:30 am for my 5:45 show. Well I usually don't go to sleep until about 1000pm. That's my problem. However I do agree we need at least 8 hours in the hotel (check in to check out) on overnights. That would help a lot.

The other thing is people for some reason seem to think it's bad to take a power nap every once in a while. I personally haven't slept yet while flying in 6 years but I have tried to take a power nap while at crusie a few times ( I just don't do nap that easlily). I have flown with many Captians that have taken quick naps. As long as you tell the other guy (i.e. I am going to study the circuit breaker panel) and it's a non-critical phase of flight then help yourself to a nice little nap.

International guys aren't expected to go the whole 12 hour flight without the option of taking a rest or nap so why is it frowned upon if a regional pilot takes a nap during his 12 hour day while the other pilot flies for a bit?

 

[pb1900]

It's not just lack of sleep before a flight, but the schedules that our respective airlines choose to give us. I report at 4:30am on the first day and get done at 1:00pm, but the next day I start at 1:00pm and don't get done until 11:00pm. Throw on a reduced rest at the end with a 7:00am show and it makes it difficult to adjust my sleep schedule to match the sometimes erratic flight schedule.

 

[wmuflyguy]

It's not just lack of sleep before a flight, but the schedules that our respective airlines choose to give us. I report at 4:30am on the first day and get done at 1:00pm, but the next day I start at 1:00pm and don't get done until 11:00pm. Throw on a reduced rest at the end with a 7:00am show and it makes it difficult to adjust my sleep schedule to match the sometimes erratic flight schedule.

Had the same thing happen this past week on a four day. First 3 days all late, 1030p or late releases, the last overnite was a reduced rest woth a switch to the morning shift.

The bad part of it, one of our lovely stations changed the actual block out time to make themselves look less crappy (and thus putting us into a different rest situation) and I get a call in the crew van to the airport from crew scheduling.(I don't answer) Well the FA decides she needs to call so she doesn't in trouble and now screws the rest of us. So they fudge our 8 hour overnite into a 9 hour over nite(They told us not to go to the gate for another 30 minutes after we were laready sitting in the airport). I just told them they shouldn't add anything on to my schedule, because I wouldn't feel up to it.

Same thing plays out at all airlines every nite.

The switching of sleep patterns hurts me more than the lack of sleep. I normally go to bed at 1 or 2 and wake up at 7 or 8. So not sleeping alot isn't a problem.

 

[XJohXJ]

There is no amount of "pilot disipline" or "fatigue training" that can get you to safely switch sleep schedules around to adjust to crappy airline schedules. It is NOT the pilot's fault. It IS the airlines fault. MSA consistently moves work shifts throughout a trip and then almost always ends with a reduced rest to a 6AM show for a 14 hour duty day with 7.9 hours of block time. You can pick out the day 4 (or 3) guys in the terminal because they are the zombies.

 

[Soverytired]

there is waaayyyy too much exaggeration and whining going on about this. did the regional thing for 7 years both commuting and not commuting. i understood what i signed up for. however, it was never that bad. sometimes i think there is no pleasing some people.

NASA studies on this subject are very clear the fatigue affects different people in different ways. However, they have issued VERY specific guidelines that will minimize fatigue for most pilots . . . guidelines IGNORED by the airlines.

I also submit that your experience may have been unique to either your previous regional employer or your ability to bid schedules that were good for you.

Fact is, most pilots have real problems with this, you should probably pay attention rather than tooting what a non-fatiuged stud you are and how everyone else is just whinning.

For me, bringing a board and pillow aboard the plane so I can take a 2 hour nap in the back of the plane between 0200-0400 dosen't really seem safe. And no, you can't just switch over to "sleep during day" mode, because schedules fluctuate between all-day's and all-nighters.

 

[AMANSWORLD]

Reading all of this has made me sleepy.

The real eye-opener would be if we took a reporter as a ride-along for an entire 4 day trip. This would include:

1- The illegal parking scheme to save the fees from the hotel across the street from the airport.

2- The 3 hr commute in a CRJ going across 3 states trying to keep your feet off of the FMS.

3- The unending description of the daily lives of the four cats owned by your flight attendant. (One really used to be her ex-boyfriends but apparently he's gay now and she's stuck with the cat)

4- Waiting for a gate in EWR.

5- Waiting for the crew van for 40 minutes. (Three nights in a row.)

6- Thinking you are going to become injured or killed while riding in the crew van. (Thee nights in a row.)

7- Missing your wide open commute home because your waiting for a gate in EWR.

8- Getting bumped off every other flight that night that is oversold.

9- Spending the night on the crew couch.

10- Commuting home on Saturday in the same underwear you wore on Friday.

11- Coming home to be greeted by your wife and informed that you are never home, the furnace is broke, and there is no money to fix it.

The next day....do it all over again.

I agree with all of the above with the exception of EWR. ATL is much worse of a dump.