NASA fatigue test for Qantas pilots

Qantas pilots will be monitored for fatigue with a test developed for astronauts on the International Space Station.

The crew rest area on the Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner

Qantas pilots will be monitored for fatigue with a test developed by NASA to track the health of astronauts on the International Space Station.

The fatigue trial is designed to help the airline understand the best time to schedule rest breaks and downtime for pilots flying ultra-long-haul routes such as Perth-London.

The 12-month trial will also determine the adequacy of the single crew rest area on the Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner, which ­pilots consider less than ideal.

Sleep diaries, surveys and movement and light sensors will be used to monitor fatigue before, during and after a flight, along with an app featuring the Psychomotor Vigilance Self Test that measures reaction times.

NASA used the PVT on the International Space Station.

Australian and International Pilots Association president Murray Butt said the trial was a welcome initiative by Qantas in the absence of relevant fatigue risk-management guidelines for ultra-long-haul flights from the Civil Aviation Safety Authority.

Qantas chief executive Alan Joyce has flagged an intention of adding more ultra-long-haul routes as part of Project Sunrise.

Captain Butt said pilots were disappointed CASA was taking a “hands-off approach”.

“We would prefer they had some hard guidelines and some hard limitations to start with, but CASA has chosen not to go down that route,” he said.

“They have not even come up with a definition of ultra-long-range flying, which everywhere else in the world is considered anything over 16 hours.”