TENSION AND FATIGUE

OBJECTIVE OF LEARNING

• Identify the adverse effects of stress and

fatigue on the aviation and its respective
treatment.

• As a member of a crew

• According to the NVG training manual

"I ALSO PERCEIVE IT OMAR…. THAT STRANGE SENSATION
As if we were SAILING IN CIRCLES "
 DEFINITIONS
•TENSION
imbalance between demand and ability to comply = fat.

•FATIGUE
post activity or inactivity decrease in capacity, performance
= desire to rest !!!!

•VOLTAGE MODEL
Stimulus - perception - reaction - consequences
 Characteristics of a stress
factor
• Cause tension reaction

•It can be external or internal

 TYPES OF STRESS FACTORS

• PSYCHOSOCIAL FACTORS

• ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS

• PHYSIOLOGICAL OR SELF-IMPOSED
FACTORS
 Stress categories
• ACUTE TENSION
 immediate impact
 lasts minutes or hours.
 Cause Exhaustion
 Examples fear of attack, exc. Weight

• CHRONIC TENSION
 less intense
 It lasts for days, months, years
 Psychosomatic illnesses
 Stress categories
• FUNCTIONAL
 Increase capacity
 Increase confidence
 better control and preparation

• NON-FUNCTIONAL
 Illness, loss of confidence
 inability to comply in AVIATION
 PERCEPTION AND CONTROL
IN THE VOLTAGE MODEL

• PERCEPTION

• EVALUATION

• VULNERABILITY

• CONTROL
 VOLTAGE RELATED TO
AVIATION

• RELATED VOLTAGE WITH

THE FLIGHT

• TENSION SELF-INDUCED
 FLIGHT RELATED
VOLTAGE
–SLEEP: LACK OR ABSENCE
–RESPONSIBILITIES AT WORK / REST NOT RESPECTED
–NUTRITIONAL REQUIREMENTS NOT SATISFIED:
WATER FOOD
–ERGONOMICS IN AIRCRAFT, VIBRATION
–HEAT / COLD TEMPERATURE CHANGES
–NOISE
– IFR, NIGHT, NVG
–MOVEMENT DISEASE
–HYPOXIA, ATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE CHANGES
–ENEMY
–MIDDLE EAR BLOCKS
–ACCELERATIONS AND GRAVITY, ETC, ETC, ETC.
 CHARACTERISTICS OF
PERSONALITY AND THE TENSION

• CAN AGGRAVATE THE TENSION

• PERFECTIONISM
• OBSESSIVE
• IRREAL HOPES
• NEED TO BE RECOGNIZED
• INFLEXIBILITY
• IMPATIENT
• LOW SELF-ESTEEM
• LOSS OF PERSPECTIVE
TYPES OF REACTION TO
STRESS
•EMOTIONAL REACTIONS
•IRRITABILITY
•HOSTILITY
•ANXIETY
•LOSS OF PERSONAL PRIDE
•FEELING HELPFUL
•WITHDRAWAL FROM FRIENDS AND FAMILY
•INNABILITY TO ENJOY LIFE
•LOSS OF CONCENTRATION
•ALCOHOL AND DRUG ABUSE
TYPES OF REACTION TO
STRESS
THE PHYSICAL REACTIONS:

•Headaches
•Ulcer gastritis
•Insomnia
•Back pains
•Hypertension
•Fatigue
•Nervousness
•Sweaty palms
TREATMENT MECHANISMS AGAINST
STRESS

• CONSCIOUS

• UNCONSCIOUS

• FOCUSED ON THE PROBLEM

• FOCUSED ON EMOTIONS
IMPACT OF THE TENSION ON THE
PERFORMANCE

PERFORMANCE

TENSION
IMPACT OF THE TENSION ON THE
PERFORMANCE
TENSION / STIMULATION LEVEL:

•Inattention
•Missing c. Situational
•Complacency
•Subatencion
•Internal distraction
•External distraction
•fascination
Questions??????
FATIGUE
 FATIGUE
PROGRESSIVE DECREASE IN SKILL DUE
TO PROLONGED MENTAL OR PHYSICAL
ACTIVITY.

SLEEP DEPRIVATION, DISTURBED DAY

CYCLES, TENSION OF EVENTS.
 FATIGUE
 EXAMPLE
– DC-8 USAF, VMC DAY APPROACH TO GUANTANAMO,
CUBA. HOUR 16:54
– AUTHORIZED FOR APPROXIMATION BY HEAD 28 WITH
DIRECT APPROACH, THE PILOT DECIDES TO
APPROXIMATE BY 10 WHICH REQUIRES A LEG AGAINST
THE WIND CROSSING 1.6 KM WITHIN THE CUBAN
AIRSPACE, WITH A STROBOSCOPIC LIGHT THAT
INDICATES THE NON-SINGLE BORDER. THE CREW
DIDN'T KNOW.
– CRASHES AGAINST THE GROUND 0.25 MN FROM THE
HEADER OF THE TRACK
FATIGUE
VOICE RECORDER 2 MN FROM THE TRACK
FROM 1652: 22 TO 1654: 13
FLIGHT ENGINEER….. LOW SPEED
PILOT……………………… WHERE IS THE STROBOSCOPIC?
FLIGHT ENGINEER…..
PILOT……………………… JUST THERE
CO-PILOT…………………. WHERE?
FLIGHT ENGINEER…..
RIGHT IN THERE, RIGHT IN THERE
PILOT…………………….. YOU KNOW, WE ARE NOT TAKING OUR SPEED THERE AGAIN
CO-PILOT…………………. WHERE IS THE STROBOSCOPIC?
PILOT………………………
FLIGHT ENGINEER…... JUST THERE DOWN
PILOT…………………….. I STILL DO NOT SEE HER
CO-PILOT………………… WE'RE NEVER GOING TO MAKE IT (ENERGY TONE)
PILOT……………………. WHERE DO YOU SEE THE STROBOSCOPIC LIGHT?
CO-PILOT…………………
PILOT…………………….. JUST THERE
CO-PILOT………………… WHERE IS THE STROBOSCOPIC?
FLIGHT ENGINEER…. DO YOU THINK YOU WILL BE ABLE TO DO IT?
YES… I JUST HAVE TO FIND THE STROBOSCOPIC
LOSS ALARM SOUND
PILOT……………………. FIVE THOUSAND, YOU ARE IN GOOD SHAPE
TAKE CARE OF YOU .. KEEP SPEED HIGH

I GOT IT
 FATIGUE
CREW REST PATTERNS

AUGUST 16 AUGUST 17 AUGUST 18

PILOT

ACCIDENT
8H 9H 2H 17.5H 5H 29.5H
COPILOT
8H 9H 2H 19H 8H 19H
ENG FLIGHT
9.5H 15H 6H 9H 6H 21H

SERVICE SERVICE
TO SLEEP
AWAKE
 FATIGUE TEST
 HAVE YOU EVER HAD?
• CHANGE OF APPETITE - DEPRESSION
• FREQUENT FLU - FRUSTRATION
• GENIUS SWITCHES - IMPATIENCE
• IRRITABILITY - CRITICAL
• DIFFICULTY TO REST
• DIFFICULTY TO SLEEP
• ALCOHOL CONSUMPTION
• CIGARETTE CONSUMPTION
• SPEAK FAST AND LOUD
• ON REACTING
 FATIGUE
 IF YOU SAID YES TO ANY OF THESE ... YOU HAVE
BEEN FATIGATED
 WE HOPE THIS HAS NOT INTERFERED WITH YOUR
SKILLS
TO FLY… .. OR YES ??
 FATIGUE
 FATIGUE INTERFERES WITH:

– ADEQUATELY SOLVE PROBLEMS:

» HOW MANY POUNDS OF FUEL WILL I TANK?

– RIDER MOTOR SKILLS:

» LOST THE "TOUCH", TODAY I'M FLYING BAD

– PAY ATTENTION:
» WHAT SAID CONTROL BOGOTA… .. RIGHT OR LEFT TRACK?
 FATIGUE
 BUT WHAT IS FATIGUE?

– SUBJECTIVE FEELING OF TIREDNESS THAT MAKES

FOCUSING ON TASKS DIFFICULT

– STATUS OF CAPACITY DIMINUTION RESULTING FROM

THE ACCUMULATION OF STRESS INHERENT TO
MILITARY AVIATION
 FATIGUE

FATIGUE IS MOSTLY CAUSED BY:

 SLEEP DEPRIVATION

 DISRUPTION OF THE CIRCADIAN CYCLE

 DREAM
IT IS AN INDEVERABLE NEED

 LACK OF SLEEP MAY RESULT IN HALLUCINATIONS

 AVERAGE SLEEP: 8 HRS
 SLEEP IS A COMPLEX BRAIN ACTIVITY
 TWO STAGES
– NOREM: DEEP SLEEP, RESTORE THE ORGANISM OF FATIGUE
– REM: FAST EYE MOVES, DREAMS, NECESSARY FOR
SUPERIOR MENTAL FUNCTIONS, MEMORY CONSOLIDATION,
ANIME.
» OCCURS EVERY 90 MIN, 5 TO 6 CYCLES IN 8 HRS
 MICROSDREAMS:
– SLEEP PERIODS FROM LESS THAN A SECOND TO 15.
– SEEMS AWAKE BUT DOES NOT PROCESS ANY
EXTERNAL INFORMATION

 NAPS:
– CONTINUOUS SLEEP PERIOD OF 8 HRS IS IDEAL
– TWO INTERRUPTED PERIODS OF 4 HRS IS GOOD
– ANY SLEEP TIME IS BETTER THAN NOTHING
– SIESTAS OF NO MORE THAN 15 TO 20 MIN
– LONGER SITS CAUSE SLEEP INERTIA FOR UP TO 20 MIN
TYPES OF FATIGUE

•ACUTE

•CHRONICLE

•EMOTIONAL STRESS
 FATIGUE ASSOCIATED
WITH AVIATION
• Acute fatigue

 lack of attention
 Easy distraction
 Memory loss
 Errors in the task sequence
 Need for more stimulation
 Carelessness in secondary tasks
 Inadvertent accumulation of errors
 FATIGUE ASSOCIATED
WITH AVIATION
• Chronic fatigue

 Insomnia
 Depression
 weightloss
 Irritability
 Lack of appreciation
 Loss of appetite
 Slower reactions
 FATIGUE ASSOCIATED
WITH AVIATION
• Motivational burnout or fainting

 aggressiveness
 frustration
 excessive worry
 Insomnia
 Depression
 deconcentration
 EFFECTS OF FATIGUE ON
PERFORMANCE
• REACTION TIME

Time-sequence errors
Control touch
I increase the impulsive
Decreases normal
 EFFECTS OF FATIGUE ON
PERFORMANCE
• REDUCTION OF ATTENTION

Overlook
Fixation
Need for more stimulation
Visual scan reduction
Reduced performance
Inability to focus
 EFFECTS OF FATIGUE ON
PERFORMANCE
• MEMORY REDUCTION

Missed memories
Neglect of peripheral tasks
Long-term memory –off
Reversion to old ways, focus
 EFFECTS OF FATIGUE ON
PERFORMANCE
• Impaired performance in the cockpit

Wrong and careless execution

Bad tolerance mistakes
Communication-cooperation-coordination
 FATIGUE INDICATORS

•LOSS OF HUMOR
•DAYDREAMING
•LITTLE CONVERSATOR
•DIFFICULT LOW DEMAND
•DISTRACTED
•VISITS BY PSYCHOSOMATICS
 SLEEP AND FATIGUE
•ESSENTIAL MEMORY
•SLEEP MINIMUM
•DECREASED MENTAL CAPACITIES
•DEVELOPMENT DETERIORATED TASKS
•DELUSIONS
•DECREASED MOTIVATION
•CONFUSION AND DISORIENTATION
•IMPOSSIBLE AVOID
•INCREASE CHANCES OF ERRING
 EFFECT OF THE CIRCADIAN
CYCLE ON PERFORMANCE

•NORMAL CYCLE

•NORMAL CYCLE MISSING

 FATIGUE

 THE TIME OF ACTIVITY OF THE HUMAN BEING IS

GOVERNED BY THE CIRCADIAN CYCLE
 24.5 TO 25 HOURS
 WATCH CYCLE - SLEEP
 REGULATES ALL ACTIVITIES OF THE ORGANISM
 CIRCADIAN CYCLE
ALERT BODY TEMPERATURE

MELATONIN LEVELS CORTISOL LEVELS

 FATIGUE

 THE RESTORATION OF THE ORGANISM IS ACHIEVED

THROUGH DREAM
 SLEEP IS AN ACTIVE PROCESS, IMPORTANT FOR THE
BODY AND MIND, DO NOT JUST CLOSE YOUR EYES
 RESTORE PHYSICAL AND MENTALLY
 MAINTAINS HIGH LEVELS OF SURVEILLANCE AND
EFFECTIVENESS
ARCHITECTURE OF NORMAL SLEEP
RAPID EYE MOVEMENTS
`` DREAMS ''
 FATIGUE
 OPERATIONAL CONCEPT

– IF THE OPERATION BEGINS AT THE MOMENT OF

GREATEST ALERT WITHIN THE CYCLE = THE ALERT IS
ADDED TO THE WHOLE OPERATION

– IF THE OPERATION BEGINS AT THE MOMENT OF

LEAST ALERT WITHIN THE CYCLE = FATIGUE IS ADDED
TO THE WHOLE OPERATION
 FATIGUE

TELL ME…. WHAT DOES A MOUNTAIN GOAT DO HERE

UP IN THE MIDDLE OF THIS CUMULUM ????
 FATIGUE
HOW IS PERFORMANCE DEGRADATION PREVENTED
BY FATIGUE?

 AMOUNT OF SLEEP: IMPOSSIBLE TO SPECIFY DURING

PROLONGED OPERATIONS, DIFFERENT FROM PLANNED
ACTIVITIES
 BREAKS: SLEEPLESS REST, IMPROVES SHORT-TERM
PERFORMANCE, NO LONG-TERM EFFECT
 SLEEP: IT IS INDICATED, ANY DREAM IS BETTER THAN NOT
SLEEPING.
– START OPERATIONS WITHOUT DREAM DEBT
 KEEP IN GOOD FITNESS
 FATIGUE
 STUDIES REPORT STAFF PERFORMANCE
MAINTENANCE WITH:
» SLEEP OF FOUR HOURS ON THE FIRST DAY AND AFTER FIVE
IN PROLONGED OPERATIONS
» TWO HOUR SIDS BEFORE ONE NIGHT OF NO SLEEP
» FIVE SIESTAS IN AN HOUR PRODUCE ALTERATION OF MOOD,
PERFORMANCE AND ALERT
 FATIGUE
 SIESTAS IN THE AFTERNOON AND IN THE
MORNING IF YOU HAVE OPERATIONS IN THE
NIGHT, TWO PERIODS OF 4 HOURS ??
 PLEASE NOTE THE LOW ALERT PERIOD 0300 TO
0600 HRS
 SCHEDULE YOUR ACTIVITY IF POSSIBLE 30 MIN
AFTER WAKING UP, SLEEP INERTIA.
 PRE-PLAN EVENTS
 FATIGUE

 DO NOT SCHEDULE SERVICES OF MORE THAN 12 HOURS

 REGULAR EXERCISE, BUT AT LEAST 4 HOURS BEFORE
SLEEP
 NUTRITIVE FOOD, VARIED AND AVAILABLE, PLENTY OF
WATER
 CONTROL THE FATIGUE OF YOUR STAFF
 KNOW WHEN TO RETIRE
 GOOD MOTIVATION AND INSTITUTIONAL SUPPORT
 FATIGUE

 RESPECT THE PILOT'S DECISION NOT TO FLY BY

FATIGUE
 LIMIT OR ELIMINATE OTHER ACTIVITIES DURING
SUSTAINED OPERATIONS
 AVOID DELAYS OR DELAYS IN FLIGHT SCHEDULES
 TRY TO MAINTAIN THE SCHEDULED PERIODS OF
COMMISSIONS, REST AND HOLIDAYS AT ALL
COSTS
 FATIGUE
 POINTS TO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT IN THE
CONSTRUCTION OF STRATEGIES TO SCHEDULE
ACTIVITY Vs. SLEEP

– SLEEP SCHEDULE Vs. CIRCADIAN CYCLE

– AMOUNT OF PREVIOUS SLEEP DEPRIVATION
– TYPE OF TASKS TO BE EXECUTED IN THE MISSION
– DURATION OF SLEEP INERTIA
 FATIGUE
 IF YOU ARE FATIGATED AND MUST FLY:

– EAT HIGH AMOUNTS OF PROTEIN AND LOTS OF

WATER
– CONSUME CAFFEINE, TEMPORARILY INCREASE THEIR
CAPACITY
– I TALKED
– DO MUSCLE CONTRACTION AND RELAXATION
MOVEMENTS IN CABIN
FATIGUE

REMEMBER …….
 FATIGUE

IT IS EASY:
ONCE THE ACCIDENT OCCURS REBUILD LACK OF SLEEP,
EXTENSIVE WORKING HOURS AND BAD FOOD.

IT'S HARD:
WHILE THE OPERATION IS CARRIED OUT, KNOW WHEN THE
POINT OF TIRED IS REACHED THAT WILL DAMAGE THE
OPERATION
 SELF-IMPOSED TENSIONS

• Drugs
• Exhaustion
• Alcohol
• Tobacco
• Hypoglycemia and nutritional deficiency
 STRATEGIES TO PREVENT
FATIGUE
IMPOSSIBLE TO REMOVE IT !!
•PHYSICAL CONDITIONING
•LIMIT DEATH
•PROPER REST
•WORK ENVIRONMENT
•HOLIDAYS
•TRAINING
•SCHEDULE FACTORED
TREATMENT FOR SLEEP TIRED
AND FATIGUE
• Alternating duties
•Increase motivation
•Feasible work
•Avoid overload
•Limit work periods
•Limit physical exercise
•Delegate and distribute cabin responsibilities
•Avoid flying
RELATIVE FATIGUE
FACTORS
FLIGHT ENVIRONMENT RELATIVE FATIGUE FACTOR PER HOUR:

• day 1.0
• day-contour terrain 1.3
• Night 1.4
• instrument flight 1.4
• Dia-relief 1.6
• Ground at night 2.1
• NVG 2.3
DOUBTS ?
??
END