Fatigue in airline pilots after an additional day's layover period
Abstract
INTRODUCTION: We investigated the effect of an additional day's layover on reducing fatigue in two different duties: a two-pilot crew flying between Auckland and Brisbane, and a three-pilot crew flying between Auckland and Los Angeles. METHODS: Pilots completed a reaction time task, the Samn-Perelli fatigue scale, and the Karolinska Sleepiness Scale on both outward and return flights. The flights were conducted with and without a 1-d layover (Brisbane) and with a 1- or 2-d layover (Los Angeles). RESULTS: On the Brisbane route, the addition of a layover resulted in a significant reduction of fatigue, sleepiness, and reaction time. At top of descent, Samn-Perelli fatigue was reduced from over 5.0 to under 4.5. In contrast, the addition of an extra day layover in Los Angeles had no significant effect on the same measures during the return flight; on both flights Samn-Perelli fatigue was over 5.0 at top of descent. DISCUSSION: The results suggest that the addition of an extra night's layover has different effects depending on the type of operation. Layover periods need to ensure adequate opportunity to recover from any sleep deficit arising from the outbound journey, but the benefit of increased layover time may be limited if time-zone shifts cause a mismatch between local time and the circadian rhythm of sleep.
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Sleep disorders screening in addition to circadian approaches and scheduled napping has shown effectiveness in improving safety.
“To address these concerns, sleep disorders screening in addition to circadian approaches and scheduled napping have shown effectiveness in improving safety.189–197”
From Sleep, Health, and Society (2017) · cites this paper as [194]
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- Authors
- Powell, D. M. C., Spencer, M. B., & Petrie, K. J.
- ORCID
- Petrie, Keith J.
- Venue
- Aviation Space and Environmental Medicine
- Publisher
- Aerospace Medical Association
- Published
- 2010-11-01
- Volume
- 81
- Issue
- 11
- Pages
- 1013-1017
- ISSN
- 0001-9402 (ISSN-L)
- 0095-6562
- OpenAlex
- W2060843962
- Cited by
- 25
- References
- 8
- Citations by year
- 2026: 1 · 2025: 2 · 2024: 1 · 2023: 3 · 2022: 3 · 2021: 2 · 2020: 2 · 2019: 1 · 2018: 1 · 2017: 1 · 2016: 2 · 2015: 2 · 2014: 2
- FWCI
- 0.83
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Aviation Space and Environmental Medicine (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Sleep and Work-Related Fatigue
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Human-Automation Interaction and Safety
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Endocrine and Autonomic Systems › Circadian rhythm and melatonin
- Keywords
- pilot fatigue, sleep deprivation, circadian rhythm, time zone shift, reaction time, sleepiness, Karolinska Sleepiness Scale, long-haul flights
- MeSH terms
- Aerospace Medicine, Fatigue, Humans, Reaction Time, Time Factors, Work Schedule Tolerance, Case-Control Studies, Jet Lag Syndrome
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