More airline pilots are falling asleep at the controls due to improved cockpit technology and an increased demand for flights, according to a NASA study.
Pilots often must endure more transcontinental flights with little to do at cruising altitudes, said David Neri, who heads NASA's research into pilot fatigue at Moffett Field in Mountain View, Calif."The technology now allows us to fly at long distances and for great durations, but our bodies are still programmed to be awake during the day and asleep at night," Neri said Monday. "Pilots are just as susceptible to jet lag as passengers."
Mark Rosekind, a psychologist and consultant to the airline industry, said as more fliers take to the skies, pilots struggle to accommodate the increased business.
"There are more flights on newer airplanes but they're trying to use the same number of pilots to meet the growing demand," Rosekind said.
While airplane accidents are still rare, experts warn that the role of fatigue in crashes is often overlooked since it's difficult to measure.
The Miami Herald reported Sunday that human error - including drowsy pilots - is responsible for 70 percent of airline accidents.
"There have to be more accidents related to fatigue, and we just haven't labeled them that," Rosekind said.
To reduce fatigue in pilots, Neri suggested revising pilot rules and improving schedules. He also urged better lighting in the cabin, more social interaction and less airplane automation.
Currently, pilots are banned from napping or taking mid-flight walks except to use the toilet.
Rosekind says the ban on naps could be counterproductive since controlled, planned naps could actually improve pilot alertness.
Fatigue could also be combated if the industry recalculated the number of hours in a regular pilot's schedule. The typical maximum limit of 100 working hours per month for pilots doesn't include the often lengthy time pilots take preparing to fly, Rosekind said.