Early starts and late finishes both reduce alertness and performance among short‐haul airline pilots

• DOI: 10.1111/jsr.13521
• Publication Date: 2021-12-02T11:17:45Z
• Authors: Lucia Arsintescu; Sean Pradhan; Ravi G. Chachad; Kevin B. Gregory; Jeffrey B. Mulligan; Erin E. Flynn‐Evans
• Keywords: Alertness; Psychomotor vigilance task; Vigilance (psychology); Mental fatigue

Summary Flight crews are frequently required to work irregular schedules and, as a result, can experience sleep deficiency and fatigue. This study was conducted determine whether perceived fatigue levels objective performance varied by time of day, awake, prior night's duration. Ninety‐five pilots (86 male, 9 female) aged 33 years (±8) volunteered for the study. Participants completed daily diary, Samn‐Perelli scale, psychomotor vigilance task that were before after each flight duty period at top‐of‐descent flight. Pilots experienced higher self‐reported ( EMM = 3.92, SE 0.09, p < 0.001) worse (Response speed: 4.27, 0.08, 0.004) late‐finishing duties compared with early‐starting (Samn‐Perelli: 3.74, 0.08; Response 4.37, 0.08), but had shorter (early: 6.94, 0.10; late: 8.47, 0.14, 0.001). However, pre‐duty response speed z 4.18, 0.001; 3.05, 0.03; respectively) early starts late finishes 2.74, 0.19), while post‐duty 4.74, 0.19) 4.05, 0.12). The results confirm has strong influence on performance. Thus, all flights encroach biological night targets risk management oversight.