Unlike the existing standards for helicopter pilots, guidelines for commercial airline pilots take into account basic human physiology such as circadian rhythms and the importance of sleeping at night. (Representational Image)
A UN aviation task force is updating global standards to ensure commercial helicopter pilots get enough sleep, at a time of broader industry efforts to manage crew fatigue, a technical specialist for the group said on Wednesday.
The Montreal-based International Civil Aviation Organization is working to bring sleep standards for helicopter pilots in line with existing recommended practices for commercial airline crew, said Michelle Millar, ICAO's technical specialist, human performance.
Unlike the existing standards for helicopter pilots, guidelines for commercial airline pilots take into account basic human physiology such as circadian rhythms and the importance of sleeping at night.
Fatigue management has become a growing priority for the aviation industry amid concerns that commercial airline and helicopter pilots are being asked to work longer hours because of an anticipated shortage of pilots around the world.
Concerns over pilot fatigue gained global attention recently following the March crash of a FlyDubai jet in Russia, which killed all 62 people aboard.
FlyDubai said the safety and welfare of its crews were of primary importance following media reports that raised concerns of fatigue among its pilots. The crash is under investigation.
ICAO does not specify the exact number of hours that commercial airline pilots should sleep. Instead, the agency has told its 191 member states to come up with their own regulations based on "scientific principles and operational knowledge," Millar said on the sidelines of an ICAO symposium on fatigue management.
"It means giving them (pilots) an opportunity to get the amount of recovery sleep so they can function at an optimal level," Millar said.
"It's not just getting the right number of hours off, it's when you get those hours off and how well you can take advantage of getting good sleep during those hours."
The guidelines for international helicopter pilots would apply to the oil and mining industries, for example. They should be complete by 2018, she said.
ICAO data shows the aviation sector is expected to need more than 350,000 pilots by 2026 to fly an additional 25,000 new aircraft, even as more crew become eligible for retirement.
© Thomson Reuters 2016