I`m new in the group and interested in your SA training paper. How can I
get hold of it?
Martin Pletzer
Tyrolean Airways
Austria
m.pletzer_at_aon.at
-----UrsprŸngliche Nachricht-----
Von: Doug Edwards <dougwds_at_b022.aone.net.au>
An: crm-devel_at_db.erau.edu <crm-devel_at_db.erau.edu>
Datum: Montag, 13. Juli 1998 09:58
Betreff: Fatigue Counter Measures
>
>G'Day
>
>Arnetha Schatz's post got me thinking about this. It just so happens I
>have been spending some time, lately, with the fatigue researchers, down
>at Rosie's. In the name of science, we consume a stupefying drug and
>test its ability to make us more attractive to younger members of the
>opposite sex. My dosage - it is the maximum strength - doesn't seem to
>have quite the right effect ...
>
>But seriously, fatigue research has got to the point where light-weight
>sensor pads can be attached to the flight crew member's face, one on
>either side of the eye, to detect eyelid movement - blinking. Fine wires
>lead off to a control box. An increased blinking rate is a precursor to
>sleep, and thus an accurate danger-level fatigue-state indicator. When
>the blinking rate gets to a certain threshold, modified cattle prods
>embedded in the seat fire a rapid series of painful electric shocks into
>the pilot's posterior ... OK, I made that bit up. But it's true about
>the research apparatus. However, it'll be years before anything comes of
>it. In the meantime? A story?
>
>The big jet full of passengers, in cloud, came closer to the mountain
>top than anyone wants to think about, maybe 200 feet. (ATC called the
>warning.) The pilots say they were fatigued. On the day before, they had
>flown into 'B' at 0200. During the remainder of that day, each had slept
>for three hours in the afternoon, but had only got a few hours low
>quality sleep during the night - straight out of the Z-Files - 'worst
>case scenario'. Flying to 'A' next day, they told the investigators they
>felt tired and 'under-aroused' at the descent point. They used the DME
>'steps' for the arrival, but were descending one step too early - ie, at
>35 miles, they began letdown to the 'inside 25 miles' safety height.
>
>There is a counter-measure for 'under-arousal' described in my Situation
>Awareness (SA) training paper (that Neil has just posted on 'Resources'.
>Thank you, Neil!) The basic argument is that an actively managed SA scan
>will always be superior to one that is passively managed. More, though -
>when, in a fatigued state, you rev up an actively managed SA scan, and
>resolutely force the pace, you will experience activation of the
>Fight-Flight reflex and consequent adrenaline stimulation. I agree in
>advance with the cynics - it may not be much. On the other hand, if you
>do it well, it can be. At worst, it's better than remaining zonked out.
>But it is still Situation A!
>
>Here's Situation B. The day before the flight, the pilots, after
>shutting down, and anticipating the rest/sleep problems ahead, plan to
>meet at 1400 - about the time they'd otherwise be heading in for a nap -
>and go for a run, or swim, or work out in the gym. The afternoon sleep
>having been avoided, they can be sure of relaxed, efficient-rest, sleep
>during the night.
>
>Perhaps I'm spending too long at Rosie's and it's making me naive.
>
>Cheers
>
>Doug
>
>PS Would anyone contemplating using my SA training paper (and you are
>welcome) in actual training work please contact me privately as there
>are several (very brief) appendices I need to hand over to enable it to
>make complete sense.
>
>PPS Arnetha. You'll rightly note that the Dryden accident featured an
>altogether different form of fatigue, and other questions. I'll take up
>those issues later.
>
>