Fatigue in Aviation

A Guide to Staying Awake at the Stick

This updated edition includes fatigue and sleep definitions as well as strategies for the measurement and assessment of fatigue. The aviation performance, mood, and safety problems associated with sleep restriction and circadian disruptions in operational settings are highlighted. The biological bases of fatigue are discussed so that the reader can understand that it is a real physiological phenomenon and not 'just a state of mind'. Both traditional and newly-developed scientifically-valid countermeasures are presented, and a variety of data from diverse sources are included to provide readers with a 'toolbox' from which they can choose the best solutions for the fatigue-related problems that exist in their unique operational context. In addition, an essential overview of Fatigue Risk Management Systems is included to provide the basic structure necessary to build and validate a modern, integrated approach to successful fatigue management. The book is of interest to aviation crews in both civilian and military sectors--managers as well as pilots, flight crews, and maintainers. It aims to be user-friendly, although scientific information is included to help the reader fully understand the 'fatigue phenomenon' from an evidence-based perspective as well as to enhance the reader's appreciation for the manner in which various counter-fatigue interventions are helpful.