Ahead of an ‘intensive summer of flying and possibly disruptions,’ the European Aviation Safety Agency has launched its Summer Fatigue Survey 2023.
With roster stability, commander’s discretion and fatigue claimed to be the ‘buzz words in the pilot community this summer,’ EASA has already flagged air crew fatigue as a possible safety risk due to the expected summer disruptions.
Demand for air travel is certainly on the up. Low-cost carrier Ryanair set a new passenger record in June, flying a record 17.4 million passengers; its highest for a single month and a 9% increase from 2022 figures. Eurocontrol, the pan-European organization responsible for managing Europe’s airspace, has also expressed concerns that this summer will be a ‘challenging’ time with an estimated 33,000 flights a day over the next two months.
It’s hoped that the anonymous survey, which takes an estimated four to five minutes to complete, will help EASA achieve ‘a better understanding of the levels of fatigue in European aviation this summer – and how it is managed by [the] airlines’.
The survey, which has been developed in co-operation with fatigue risk management experts from specialist aviation consultants Baines Simmons, closes on 22 July.
IMAGE: EUROPEAN COCKPIT ASSOCIATION
