Abstract
The aviation industry is growing at an unprecedented rate. After the COVID-19 pandemic, the industry has struggled to keep up with intense public demand for passenger travel. This demand is further exacerbated by the ongoing pilot shortage. To meet the needs of an increasingly connected global population, pilots are expected to work long duty days in a time-critical, high-stress environment. With a workforce operating at or near maximum regulatory on-duty limits, pressures to keep up with the demands of increased passenger travel reinforce motivations to fly fatigued. Without considering the need for current workforce optimization strategies, a cycle of fatigue-related impaired decision making will lead to mistakes with potentially fatal consequences. Most recent efforts focus on how to resolve the pilot shortage; however, little has been done to examine impacts of current workforce expectations within aviation organizations and the resulting safety trends. Thus, research is needed to explore how the present-day pilot workforce could be optimized in the interest of safety while the shortage continues. This study explores the relationship between current regulatory maximums/duty day limitations within different sectors of the aviation industry and previous fatigue-specific aviation accidents and incidents in the United States since 2008. By analyzing pilot performance in relation to contributing accident factors, we investigate emerging links between accident pilots operating at or beyond regulatory maximums, systemic performance expectations in the aviation workforce, and the future ramifications for pilot workforce sustainability.
Presenters
Tyler SpenceAssistant Professor, Aeronautical Science, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Florida, United States Rachel Siegel
Student, Undergraduate, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Florida, United States
Details
Presentation Type
Theme
KEYWORDS
Aviation Sustainability, Aviation Policy, Workforce Development, Aviation Fatigue
