A concerning issue has emerged regarding the behavior of pilots. A study by aviation consultancy Baines Simmons found that over three-quarters of pilots experienced at least one “microsleep” while flying in recent weeks. This report was based on feedback from 7,200 pilots across 32 European countries, as released by the European Cockpit Association (ECA), which represents more than 44,000 pilots in Europe.
Beyond those brief moments of sleep, almost 39% of pilots admitted they often didn’t get enough rest to prevent fatigue from accumulating. There are also worries about whether pilots feel secure in reporting their fatigue levels before flying. Only 37.2% said they typically report feeling too tired to fly, while 24.2% confessed they fly despite being fatigued.
“When pilots are concerned about potential career repercussions, fatigue can go unreported, leading to risks in the cockpit,” stated Capt. Coen George, an ECA board member. He emphasized that this hesitance might leave airlines unaware of the extent of fatigue among their pilots.
In the United States, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) implemented stricter regulations regarding pilot rest and duty hours back in 2012 to tackle fatigue and enhance safety. According to the agency, pilots are required to have a minimum of 10 consecutive hours of rest before a duty period, which should ideally include eight hours of uninterrupted sleep. Moreover, pilots who feel unfit to fly due to fatigue are obligated to report it and be relieved from duty by the airline.
On a related note, former U.S. Navy pilot and airline captain Matthew Buckley pointed out that scheduled time off does not always equate to adequate sleep. He remarked that it’s often unnatural for pilots to rest during off-hours, especially after arriving at a hotel in the early morning and needing to sleep during the day. Long-haul flights further disturb normal sleep patterns.
According to Buckley, transiting multiple time zones can notably impact a pilot’s body clock, making it especially hard to adapt. He emphasized the importance of self-evaluation, stating, “Ultimately, it is the pilot who decides if they are fit to fly.”
The alarming statistic that nearly 77% of pilots reported instances of micro-sleeping while on duty has raised industry concerns, according to travel expert Bobby Laurie. However, he cautioned that this doesn’t inherently mean that a flight crew is asleep while flying.
He also noted that while the industry should address these fatigue concerns, travelers should understand delays caused by crew rest are for safety reasons. Notably, if a departure board indicates delays due to crew rest, it underscores the necessity of proper rest to ensure flight safety.
In the U.S., there has been debate about the rest requirements for flight attendants as well. The FAA has proposed a nationwide rule that would prevent local governments from imposing different meal and rest-break mandates compared to those already established for pilots. However, major flight attendant unions oppose this, arguing many already face long hours without sufficient opportunities for breaks.
Fox News Digital has reached out to Baines Simmons and the Flight Safety Foundation for further comments.
