Study of Fatigue and Performance Considerations in Air Mobility Cargo AircrewsFlying Transatlantic Missions

摘要

The U.S. Air Force Air Mobility Command (AMC) is responsible for movement ofsupplies and personnel, air refueling operations and air evacuation operations throughout the world in support of the United States' national interest. Continued peacekeeping and humanitarian missions require a robust 'air-bridge' for deployment and resupply of US and multinational forces world-wide. AMC cargo aircrews flying missions departing from US bases for transatlantic destinations frequently endure long duty days. Take-offs from the home base often disrupt normal sleep patterns and landings at the destination may occur during the circadian nadir. AMC aircrews differ from ordinary shift-workers in that they fly irregular hours without time to adapt to a routine overnight schedule. To this disruption in normal sleep patterns transatlantic missions add the additional factor of a 5-6 hour phase shift in the normal circadian cycle. As noted by Luce, those workers not placed on stable shifts 'suffer' significantly more than regular shift workers. They experience greater disruption in body rhythms and the associated physiologic and psychologic effects. Aircrew sleep cycles have generally not been considered when scheduling these 'routine' missions. The recently released 'Scientific Review of Air Mobility Command Crew Rest Policy and Fatigue Issues' demonstrates the importance of reevaluation of current policies and the need for continued studies.