MY COMMENTS: Pilot fatigue is one of those silent killers. While fatigue itself lends to many pilot errors, it’s not always avoidable. Take for instance a typical day for me as an airline pilot.
It’s not uncommon to wake up at 4AM and commute to work, only to start your duty day mid afternoon and often flying close to midnight. That’s my version of the 20 hour day and I do it 4 days a week, every week (cue the violins). That doesn’t make me Superman by any means, just more of a de facto instance that is often unavoidable for folks like me.
Sometimes I’m able to catch a few winks at the airport between commuting to work and flying, but mostly I just end up consuming unhealthy amounts of a particular stimulant called caffeine. Perhaps you’ve heard of it? And yes – I realize it is MY choice to be a commuter instead of living close to my airline domicile, but that’s the freedom of the job, being able to live anywhere you desire.
Point is, fatigue SUCKS. I live it week in and week out. Obviously, should it become so overpowering you can trust I would call in fatigued and remove myself from the flight. But what about you? Do you tell your passengers or employer that you’re canceling your flight due to fatigue?
Or if you flight instruct or fly for pleasure, have you ever cancelled a flight due to fatigue? Chime in below with your comments!
