Relationship between Workload and Fatigue on Short-Haul Fligths

Kurzfassung

Today's requirement for high crew utilisation, with tight schedules and short tum-around tirnes between flights, contribute to increased perception of high workload and fatigue, especially on short-haul. Aseries of scientific investigations conceming fatigue inducing factors of flight crews has been canied out over the past. The relationship between workload, hassles and fatigue has not yet been confirmed in detail by a scientific study before. This actual study was conducted in cooperation with a Gemlan Low Cost Can-ier. 40 short-haul pilots (32.08 ± 6.12 yr) were investigated continuously within one working week (total: 188 days, 588 flights). A small handheld PC at pilot's disposal allowed fast and efficient filling in of all relevant flight, fatigue and workload data (incl. the encountered hassles), handling the flight log and the daily sleep log. Wrist activity and ECG were registered continuously by a small electronic device. The participants' objective performance was measured by a Psychomotor Vigilance Task (PVT) before and after flight duty. The analysed data indicated that with subjectively rising workload heart rate values increased significantly, whereas heart rate decreased with ongoing fatigue. In general, the results showed significant con-elations between workload and hassles, fatigue and hassles and workload and fatigue. The relation between workload and hassles was rising, while fatigue va lues increased independently of the nwnber of hassles. At the end of the daily duty fatigue ratings were significantly con-elated with PVT values. The results of OUf study demonstrate the relationship between workload hassles and fatigue. Workload is not the most important factor contributing to pilots ' fatigue and is less relevant than expected. However, in addition to the known fatigue inducing factors (e.g. sleep duration, time since awake, time of day, time on task) hassles and workload should be considered adequately as one cause of fatigue.