"This is a seriously well written book and a must read for anyone either in or contemplating an aviation career. It is a fascinating look into the day to day trials and tribulations faced making a living flying planes ... I very much enjoyed reading the Rogue Aviator..."
Anonymous,
Barnes and Noble Review
BarnesandNoble.com
Pilot Fatigue
The ongoing problem of tired pilots in the cockpit is explored in-depth in The Rogue Aviator. Ace relates his numerous encounters with situations that lead to extraordinarily lengthy duty days that necessitated a power nap in the cockpit (frequently referred to by the pilots as "evaluating the inner eyelids"). Fortunately, most of these power naps were in a Boeing 727 with two other cockpit colleagues who "tended the store."
Ace Abbott became an expert on pilot fatigue through default, by being with the wrong company, or on the wrong trip at the wrong time. His many stories of 20 or more hours of time on duty are not unique to the aviation business. The FAA's failure to address this cockpit fatigue factor, which is often a precursor to aviation accidents, is discussed in this book. The problem of tired pilots on the flight deck has been handled as "the crazy great-aunt who is locked in the attic when company comes"—similar to "the head-in-the-sand" syndrome.
This problem has been exacerbated by the private entrepreneurs and management staff of commercial aviation entities. Unfortunately, the FAA has been somewhat complicit, and the pilot groups and unions have not been as proactive as they should have been. Pilot fatigue was a significant precursor in the highly publicized accident in Buffalo (Continental 3407) on February 12, 2009. PBS produced a Frontline Report titled "Flying Cheap" which focused on this problem.
The onerous rules that govern professional pilots have still not been changed and this aviation-safety critical topic is discussed in The Rogue Aviator.
