27th December 2005
Stress and Flight Crew
by Dr Graham & Daniel -- Source: PIA Air Safety Publication It's 8:20AM and you have just signed on for a three day pattern of flying, which involves a few short sectors up and down the East Coast. As a captain you have spent the previous three days off duty at home and should be well rested. After completing the first sector, you inadvertently retract the flaps from 5 to 1 when "gear up" is called.
The aircraft's speed is above minimum flap retraction speed and you ascertain that no flight path degradation has occurred. You monitor the flight path and carry out normal clean up procedures after the aircraft reaches 1,000 ft.
This incident was self-reported by the crew involved. The subsequent inquiry commended both pilots for self-reporting this incident, in the interests of flight safety.
Investigation of the incident found that the aircraft taxied for departure, with some showers in the area. There was no inducement by ATC to expedite the departure and the crew recall being in the lined up position and determining that the assigned heading would keep them clear of weather to the left. The first officer (pilot flying) conducted the takeoff and upon hearing "positive climb" called for "gear up".
The captain recalls placing his hand on the flap lever, checking that the airspeed was in excess of V2+15 and moving the flaps to 1. Approaching 1,000 ft the flight crew realised that the gear was still down and the remainder of clean up was completed.
The captain revealed that a number of life stress problems may have affected his performance on the day. He had recently suffered significant financial loss from a bad investment. In addition, he reported that in the 24 hours prior to sign on, he had received broken sleep because of his young son.
It is clear from this event that a combination of fatigue and the stress associated with financial concerns had an impact on flight crew performance and mental health inside the cockpit.
Often stress in the cockpit is only recognised in terms of cognitive stresses, such as high mental work load, caused by piloting modern transport aircraft in congested airspace. This helps perpetuate the myth that we can compartmentalise our professional and private lives, trying to quarantine one from ever impacting the other.
Carry-on baggage: Any changes in personal circumstances such as divorce, marital separation, difficult family affairs or financial difficulties can be a source of life stress and can form part of any pilots emotional "carry on baggage". Flight crew are particularly susceptible to these stressors. For example, long periods away from home and job insecurity caused by regular medical and proficiency checks can contribute to a feeling of stress. In addition, there are constant commercial pressures, real or imagined, such as the need to stick to deadlines, be economically conscious, and always project the right "image" to passengers and other operational staff. This cocktail of issues, when not dealt with properly, can lead to job dissatisfaction, reduced work effectiveness, behavioural changes, health damage and in some cases depression.
Peer pressure: To complicate matters further, admitting to suffering from stress is often viewed by peers and society at large as an admission of weakness or failure. Therefore early telltale symptoms such as depression or sleep disruption are often denied by the individual or even worse, the individual resorts to unhealthy mechanisms such as aggressiveness or drug or alcohol abuse as a means of coping with stress. Such behaviour generally leads to further reduction in performance and severe career implications.
Therefore, it is important that individual flight crew and company management are aware of this potential problem and the effects it can have on operational performance. In light of this, it is not surprising that several studies over the past few years have examined whether there are particular stressors that are more likely than others to precipitate an aircraft accident.
Robert Alkov, an aviation psychologist, studied flight related mishaps in the US Navy during the early 1980s. Alkov investigated the psychological background of over 500 US Navy flight crew members involved in aircraft incidents and accidents. The study showed that various situational factors, such as recently getting engaged, or being involved in disputes with loved ones, peers or authority, significantly predisposed aircrew to involvement in accidents where human error was a contributory factor. (Human Factors)
While his findings indicated that there are substantial differences in the ability of pilots to cope with stress, the study concluded that many of the errors committed by flight crew were symptoms of inadequate stress coping behaviour.
Alkov based his study on work conducted by two psychiatrists, Thomas Holmes and Richard Rae, who found that many diseases in their patients were caused by changes in life events.
By testing thousands of people, Holmes and Rae were able to identify 43 events that seemed to be especially stressful and rank them according to their disruptive impact. A severity level (stress points) was then assigned to each event. The stressful life events scale has been modified to produce a stress quiz.
Managing stress: Each individual should develop stress coping mechanisms that work for them. These may be as simple as a regular exercise routine, a massage, or talking issues over with a friend or loved one. However, if you are unable to deal with daily stress in an informal way, or have experienced a life changing event such as a death or family break up which you feel you are not coping with, there are a number of other avenues currently available to pilots.
Many larger airlines offer free and confidential counselling services to staff with safety-critical responsibilities. If you feel uncomfortable requesting assistance from your airline, your union may also be able to offer assistance or refer you to someone who can.
Six Steps to Successfully Manage Stress
1. Identify sources of stress
You could be stressed by major events or other factors. Keep a diary to record what events or activities strain your energy and time, trigger anger or anxiety, or result in physical symptoms, such as headache or insomnia. After a couple of weeks, you should be able to identify clues to the sources of your stress.
2. Discuss problems with a friend, counsellor or psychologist
This helps give a sense of perspective and can help maintain optimism. Middle-aged men under severe stress who lack emotional support are five times more likely to die within a seven-year period than those who have the same amount of stress but have support. A doctor should be consulted if there are accompanying physical or psychological conditions, such as cardiac symptoms, pain, anxiety or depression.
3. Formulate strategies to cope
If the source of stress is under your control, try to minimise the effects. If the stressor is outside of your control, seek help to consider how you might best deal with its negative effects; the key is to develop realistic plans and act on them. Sometimes it's not possible to eliminate the source of stress, such as the death of a spouse. Remember, reducing stress and keeping relaxed not only helps maintain heath but gives the mind more opportunities for clearer thinking.
4. Maintain a balance
Shift the balance from stress producing to stress reducing activities. Recent studies have indicated that daily pleasant events have positive effects on the immune system. In fact, adding pleasurable events has more benefit than simply reducing stressful or negative ones.
5. Exercise, eat well and sleep
General health and stress resistance can be enhanced by eating well. Exercise also enhances the body's ability to withstand stress. A good night's sleep can help rebuild the body's resources and gain perspective on problems. If stress is causing insomnia, seek professional help.
6. Take regular opportunities to relax
One major obstacle to reducing stress is the "fight or flight" response itself; the very idea of relaxation feels threatening, because it is seen as letting down one's guard. This can result in a build-up of stress. Make time for those things you enjoy, or try some proven stress reducing techniques:
Deep Breathing: During stress, breathing becomes shallow and rapid. Taking a deep breath is an effective technique for winding down. Inhale through the nose slowly and deeply to the count of ten, making sure that the stomach and abdomen expand but the chest does not raise up. Exhale through the nose, slowly and completely, also to the count of ten. Repeat five to ten times.
Muscle Relaxation: After lying down in a comfortable position without crossing the limbs, concentrate on each part of the body, beginning with the top of the head and progressing downward to focus on all the muscles in the body. Breath slowly and deeply. Tense each muscle as tightly as possible for a count of five to ten and then release completely. Practice makes the exercise much more effective and produces relaxation much more rapidly.
Meditation: The goal of all meditative procedures is to quiet the mind - essentially to relax thought. With practice you can reduce heart rate, blood pressure, adrenaline levels, and skin temperature while meditating. A number of organisations teach meditation.
Massage Therapy: Massage therapy appears to slow down the heart and relax the body. A number of massage therapies are available for relaxing muscles, including shiatsu, reflexology and Swedish massage. Learning to control stress contributes to better health and a greater ability to succeed on your own terms. Professional psychologists and counsellors can point you to some very successful stress management programs.
