New NIOSH training offers fatigue management for pilots in the land of the midnight sun
by CAPT Mary O’Connor, MS, REHS
For a pilot working in Western Alaska, the amount of daylight during their work day can vary as much as 14 hours between the summer and winter solstice (or more the farther north you go). These aviators often fly multiple legs each day, serving as a transportation link to over 250 villages across the state. In fact, over 80% of Alaska’s communities are not connected by roads. Vast distances, long hours of daylight, short flying seasons, and wildly variable weather can all contribute to the development of fatigue.