Managing Aviator Fatigue in a Deployed Environment: The Relationship Between Fatigue and Neurocognitive Functioning

The current military battlefield requires aviators to make split-second decisions that often have life-and-death consequences, making identifying predictors of diminished cognitive performance a vital aeromedical and safety concern. The current study explored the relationship between aviator effectiveness, as determined by sleep wake patterns, and neurocognitive functioning in a brigade-size rotary wing aviation element deployed in Iraq. Actigraphy and the Fatigue Avoidance Scheduling Tool (FAST) were used to assess the ratio of sleep wake patterns over a 24-hour time period, and a computerized multitasking measure, which mimics the task demands of flying, was utilized to evaluate neurocognitive functioning during preflight operations. Results showed a significant positive association between level of effectiveness and neurocognitive functioning before flight operations. The reported sleep habits and trends in types of sleep difficulties are noted. The results speak to the potential efficacy of using actigraphy and software to evaluate a pilot's effectiveness before flight operations, and suggest that flight surgeons and psychologists may be able to play a vital role in improving overall sleep patterns and enhancing the warfighting efforts of aviators in combat. They also suggest that mandated crew rest and evaluation of total reported sleep time may not be sufficient to ensure optimum performance levels.