10-29-2009, 05:37 PM
Paul - the call for allowing pilots to sleep at the wheel, as it were, has been around for a long time. Many of the more safety-conscious airlines allow pilots to sleep on long-haul flights but with conditions - both pilots on the flightdeck don't sleep at the same time(!) and it's a nap, 20 minutes or so. Most flighdecks also have alarms for making sure the naps are not longer than this!
Studies have shown that sleeping for a short time during cruise means the pilots are much more alert during the critical phases of flight, such as landing. I think this was a NASA study but might be wrong. The reason some airlines don't allow it is simply due to worries from their legal teams about liabilities.
Bullwinkle - you're kidding me, right? Airliners.net is seen by aviation professionals as a nonsense site taken over by MSFS "experts" and pilot wannabes. Not saying that's what you are, but please be aware of that.
Tom
Studies have shown that sleeping for a short time during cruise means the pilots are much more alert during the critical phases of flight, such as landing. I think this was a NASA study but might be wrong. The reason some airlines don't allow it is simply due to worries from their legal teams about liabilities.
Bullwinkle - you're kidding me, right? Airliners.net is seen by aviation professionals as a nonsense site taken over by MSFS "experts" and pilot wannabes. Not saying that's what you are, but please be aware of that.
Tom