Pilots on long-range (LR) and ultra-long-range (ULR) routes are relying more on “simple rest schemes” – and getting more sleep – than they did in the past, according to a study that credited the increased efficiency of their rest practices.
The study, published in the April issue of Aerospace Medicine and Human Performance, was based on data collected between 2015 and 2019 from 231 pilots who flew 1,200 flight duty periods on three LR routes and five ULR routes. The researchers, from the Sleep and Performance Research Center at Washington State University, collected data from logbooks and actigraphy, which involves wearing a wristwatch-like device containing a sensor that monitors an individual’s movement and can evaluate sleep-wake cycles.
The study determined that pilots on LR flights – those of eight to 16 hours – obtained an average of 3.7 hours of sleep while en route, and pilots on ULR flights – those longer than 16 hours – slept an a…
