Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 7, 2026
Collecting Sleep, Circadian, Fatigue, and Performance Data in Complex Operational Environments
Published on: August 8, 2019
Pilot fatigue survey: exploring fatigue factors in air medical operations
Kevin B Gregory1, William Winn, Kent Johnson
1Alertness Solutions, Cupertino, CA, USA. kgregory@alertsol.com
Introduction:
Humans confront significant physiological challenges with sleep and alertness when working in 24/7 operations.
Methods:
A web-based national survey of air medical pilots examined issues relevant to fatigue and sleep management.
Results:
Six hundred ninety-seven responses were received, with a majority of rotor wing pilots working 3/3/7 and 7/7 duty schedules. Over 84% of the pilots reported that fatigue had affected their flight performance; less than 28% reported "nodding off" during flight. More than 90% reported a separate work site "rest" room with a bed available. Over 90% reported no company policies restricting on-duty sleep. Approximately half of the pilots reported getting 4 hours or more sleep during a typical night shift. Approximately half reported that sleep inertia had never compromised flight safety. Over 90% reported that it was better to sleep during the night and overcome sleep inertia if necessary.
Discussion:
Survey results reflected practices that can mitigate the degrading effects of fatigue, including the availability of designated work-site sleep rooms. As demands continue to evolve, the need remains for sustained efforts to address fatigue-related risks in the air medical transport industry. This includes further study of sleep inertia issues and the need for alertness management programs.
