Sleepy Pilot
Sep 1, 2011 | 1:01 pm
#1
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Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: East Coast USA
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Sleepy Pilot
Was flying home after the delays due to Hurricane Irene and on the airport shuttle to Newark a pilot got on and was chatting with several FAs from his airline. They asked him what time he got in the night before. He told them "late -- I've only had three hours of sleep".
And he was on his way to pilot a flight to Chicago.
And he was on his way to pilot a flight to Chicago.
Sep 1, 2011 | 7:14 pm
#3
Join Date: Jul 2010
Posts: 634
In which case you'd go from one of the safest modes of transport, even with sleepy pilots, to one of the more dangerous. General aviation is on par with motorcycling overall, and owner operated commuting is one of the most dangerous forms of general aviation (due to the pressure on pilots to make the flight even if weather conditions are marginal).
Sep 1, 2011 | 9:57 pm
#4
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In which case you'd go from one of the safest modes of transport, even with sleepy pilots, to one of the more dangerous. General aviation is on par with motorcycling overall, and owner operated commuting is one of the most dangerous forms of general aviation (due to the pressure on pilots to make the flight even if weather conditions are marginal).
I'd rather have a couple of sleepy pilots who know that they can operate the plane, then to handle it myself..
imo private small plane crashes are a regular occurence in my local newspaper..
Sep 2, 2011 | 5:51 am
#7
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Sep 2, 2011 | 8:54 pm
#8
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So do pilots sleep for part of the flight?..
I imagine that the controls include a wakeup alarm when routings start to change..
I imagine that the controls include a wakeup alarm when routings start to change..
Oct 3, 2011 | 1:41 am
#11
Join Date: Jul 2010
Posts: 634
The captain and first office typically alternate Pilot Flying (PF) and Pilot Not Flying (PNF) on each leg, so both get approximately equal time. The PNF still has plenty to do, particularly on takeoff, climb, descent, approach, and landing.
Oct 3, 2011 | 5:56 am
#12
Join Date: Sep 2011
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A couple cups of coffee, some speed, a few red bulls, and I'm sure he was fine.
In all seriousness how do you really enforce the min sleep requirements? I mean they already have them for crew rest, but do you screen each pilot and ask how many actual hours did you sleep? Next thing you know pilots are not making it to flights because they are oversleeping from ambien, lunesta, or similar.
I do agree though, the less I know the better! That is why there are always two people in the cockpit.
In all seriousness how do you really enforce the min sleep requirements? I mean they already have them for crew rest, but do you screen each pilot and ask how many actual hours did you sleep? Next thing you know pilots are not making it to flights because they are oversleeping from ambien, lunesta, or similar.
I do agree though, the less I know the better! That is why there are always two people in the cockpit.
Oct 3, 2011 | 12:27 pm
#15
Join Date: Feb 2002
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You can't, that's why there aren't any minimum sleep requirements. All that the regulations could (should) do is guarantee that the crewmember's schedule includes an adequate opportunity to sleep. Current legal schedules do not.