Swedish pilots say fatigue a major factor
October 19, 2011, 05:11 pm
According to United Press International, a recent survey of airline pilots in Sweden has officials concerned and considering measures to reduce the maximum number of continuous hours a pilot can work without rest.
The source says that the survey of Swedish pilots found that about half admitted to falling asleep in the cockpit, and 70 percent said that fatigue had directly affected their ability to perform their job safely. Under current regulations, pilots can work up to 16 hours continuously. In the United States, FAA regulations allow pilots to fly for only 8 hours for every 24 hour period, and require pilot's to have at least 8 hours of rest in the preceding 24 hour period before accepting a flight assignment.
Sweden's regulations are well behind the times, as the FAA notes that current U.S. flight fatigue standards are under review, and have been in place since the 1940s.
"These results are alarming and we're naturally very concerned," said Mattias Kling, coordinator for work hour issues at the Swedish Airline Pilot's Association. "We can't accept that half the pilots have fallen asleep in the cockpit."
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