Cognitive Effectiveness of CF18 Instructor Pilots during Routine Training.

摘要

410 Squadron (the operational training squadron -OTS- for CF18 pilots) was tasked to evaluate the efficacy of night vision goggles (NVG). Since evaluation of NVGs involves night flying operations along with the inevitable circadian stresses induced by night operations, and since exercise Wolf Safari (an around-the-clock air-to-ground bombing exercise) occurred at 4 Wing (the same base as 410 OTS) there was an opportunity to capitalize on exercise Wolf Safari by running a parallel evaluation on instructor pilots of 410 OTS during their evaluation of NVGs. Methods: Cognitive effectiveness was predicted using the Fatigue Avoidance and Scheduling Tool (FAST(trademark)). Based on sleep and wakefulness data, the program predicts cognitive effectiveness. Results. The FAST(trademark) analysis predicted moderate cognitive impairment in all three instructor pilots during stand-by duty and during flight. Discussion. The lowest predicted cognitive effectiveness levels (during duty periods of these pilots) was due to inadequate sleep the night prior the duty periods in question. The anticipated tasking for 410 OTS to assess NVGs did not take place. However, should such an NVG tasking materialize in the future, the FAST(trademark) tool would predict that the night flying inherent in such an evaluation could cause more deleterious effects on cognitive effectiveness. This report can serve as baseline against which the anticipated more severe effects on cognitive effectiveness (of a future NVG assessment) can be compared.