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Pilots fly into stress pockets(The Times of India Via Thomson Dialog NewsEdge)NEW DELHI: Stress is always bad news. But when it affects pilots, it calls for concern. So what's causing it? Bottlenecks at airports, shortage of pilots and bad rostering. Pilots, both in the domestic and international sector are being made to fly more, and are getting fewer hours of rest. Though Flight and Duty Time Limitations (FDTL) are set by DGCA, these are sometimes given the go-by in the race for the skies. One clause is that domestic flight crew should be relieved of all duties for at least 24 consecutive hours once during every seven consecutive days. But the DGCA had found that the "regulation is misinterpreted". Also, the maximum number of hours any airline can schedule its flight crew is 125 hours in 30 consecutive days. Pilots say these norms are not strictly followed. A former top DGCA official adds, "Systems are in place to see that these norms are followed, but circumstances can change that." And they have, insist pilots. The stress is obvious: lost tempers, impaired reasoning, irritability, insomnia, lack of appetite. "I don't have the time or energy to enjoy what I earn," says a top pilot. NASA's studies show a person deprived of sleep for long will act as if he's had two or three beers. This can lead to human error, which is rapidly becoming one of the greatest threats to air safety, say experts at the University of South Australia's Centre for Sleep Research. The root cause of the stress, says a senior private airline pilot, is uncertainty. "We get our flight schedules barely four to five hours before the flight, unlike other airlines which schedule them a few days in advance. This completely wrecks our social life," he says. Pilot shortage also means leave is denied. Most are told to encash it. "I've been denied leave four to five times in the last three years," says a piqued A-I commander. Result? Some report 'sick' while others threaten to quit. Time is a major factor too. "I recently did a six-hour flight from Trichi to Kuwait. My wake-up call from Delhi, my base, was 7.45 am. I reached Trichi at 2 pm, operated the flight and reached Kuwait at 8.30 pm. This, after I had operated a flight the previous day and landed in Delhi at 7.40 pm," says one commander. A-I pilots, especially those flying to Europe and US are away from home for a week. "Within three days, we're again sent on long flights. I don't know if I am coming or going," says an aggrieved pilot. Also flying at night and under different time zones leads to great fatigue. Shabby airport infrastructure is another stress-inducer. Fewer runways and traffic congestion lead to delayed take-offs and landings, sometimes for over an hour, resulting in frayed tempers. "I have heard pilots squabbling like kids with the ATC, wanting to be the first to take off," says a veteran pilot. He remembers one good day when a call from a VIP on board to the ATC ensured that his plane was first off the block! Tedious hours are another bug-bear. Most airlines expect pilots to put in at least 80 hours of monthly flying. Private airlines may expect 90 hours. "When I joined A-I over a decade back, I flew for a maximum of 30 hours monthly. Now, I am averaging 80 hours. There's no way we can last till 60 like this," says a commander. The norm in the best airlines is 70 hours. They also complain about manipulated rosters. "Some pilots rarely do inconvenient early morning flights. Others fly for 25 days a month and then take leave, leading to a crunch situation for others," complains one. While pilots undergo regular medical checkups, the human factor is included only in the training curriculum. Good airlines regard personal stress as extremely serious. So the next time you see a pilot taking a 30-minute NASA nap, remember he's getting rejuvenated. |