Much has been written about the high-stress nature of aviation, but the role of family life largely has been left in the background. Yet, irregular duty periods and missing out on activities at home can spur a significant and detrimental cycle of stress.
In a study of the relationship between their domestic situations and their perceived effectiveness on duty, a group of U.S. Coast Guard helicopter pilots ranked six family-related factors highest among 53 potential sources of stress.1 The factors included backlogs of tasks, arguments, lack of money, child-related issues, use of time at home, and the overall degree to which home life matches expectations. Interestingly, only 14 of the 53 potential stressors involved family issues.
A similar survey of British commercial pilots found that work/family factors significantly influenced both job performance and the ability to cope with stress, and that the most important aid in coping with stress was stability in relationships an…
