Fatigue risk for pilots and cabin crew is partly caused by the work/rest schedule (roster) put together and maintained by the airline. Some of the risk stems from the flight schedule itself and the type of operation dictated by the business model. Night operations are inherently more challenging than daytime operations, and there are limitations in addressing this issue when planning the rosters. However, other roster aspects are controllable to prevent and mitigate fatigue risk. It is crucial to avoid planning combinations that accumulate sleep debt, involve working at inappropriate times of the day, or result in prolonged wakefulness.
Currently, most airlines utilize bio-mathematical fatigue models to predict fatiguing conditions. However, these models are often applied retrospectively, assessing and addressing the worst cases at the very end of the planning process. In contrast, the Boeing Alertness Model (BAM) is designed for use during the construction process, guiding crew planning optimizers to lower risk while constructing the rosters. This proactive approach has been demonstrated to be 30-50 times more effective in reducing overall risk exposure, while simultaneously saving airlines both time and effort in the planning process.
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