Fatigue and Performance in Aviation Research Paper

Fatigue and Performance in Aviation - Research Paper Example The dizziness may make the pilots unresponsive for some time. If the pilots succumb to their fatigue, they end up sleeping; thus, causing accidents or going beyond their destinations. FAA has failed to enact proper regulations that would ensure that pilots get enough sleep in between their flights, especially for short flights. Most airlines give their pilots only 7 hours of which some are spent checking out and transit to hotels. This is not enough as it mostly leads to fatigue, and thus, lowers the performance of the aviation crew. Therefore, FAA should note that sleep is triggered by fatigue and to solve sleep among the pilots, FAA should review their rules to allow time for sleep and rest to their pilots. Increasing frequencies in aviation accidents have called for attention on the causes of these accidents. Several factors cause aircraft accidents. However, researchers have attributed aircraft accidents to pilot and crew failures of psychological or physiological nature. Psychologists argue on the result of biological and psychological factors on the crews and pilots management of the plane. Psychologists have considered fatigue and lack of sleep as the main factors responsible for aviation accidents. Because of the nature of flight schedules, crew finds little time to sleep or even have some sleep. Absence of sleep and rest influences the alertness and performance (Wiener 650). Pilot fatigue has had the upper hand on the aircraft accidents. Fatigue refers to a mental state characterized by reduced mental and physical performance resulting from workload or loss of sleep. Fatigue impairs human performance, and thus, has negative impacts on work among other day-to-day activities. Many aviation accidents have occurred because of the crews’ tiredness or sleep, which reduce their level of alertness; hence, inability to follow procedures and operations. Initially, pilots’ flight time for non-stop travels were