STRESS AND FLYING

Capt. Dimitrios Sipsas, wrote an Article concerning, stress and flying issue very important to all pilots which was published on “Aviation Week & Space Technology” magazine on March 2014.

What is Stress;

Stress is a term used to describe the body’s nonspecific response to demands placed on it, whether these demands are pleasant or unpleasant in nature. The demands on a pilot can range from unexpected windshear encountered on a landing to a lost wallet. Piloting the aircraft is the pilot’s responsibility.Therefore, a healthy pilot should perform at his / her optimum level and make decisions to the best of his / her ability. Numerous physical and physiological conditions in a pilot’s personal and professional life, as well as the nature of flight itself, can hamper this ability. Even though a pilot holds a medical certificate stating that the pilot meets the health requirements for a particular type of flight operation, the decision whether the pilot is fit to fly is strictly the pilot’s.

Is Stress Bad?

Stress is a response to a set of circumstances that induces a change in a pilot’s current physiological and / or psychological patterns of functioning forcing the pilot to adapt to these changes. Stress is an inevitable and necessary part of life that adds motivation to life and heightens a pilot’s response to meet any challenge. In fact, performance of a task will generally improve with the onset of stress, but will peak and then begin to degrade rapidly as stress levels exceed a pilot’s adaptive abilities to handle the situation.

Cockpit Stress Management

Good cockpit stress management begins with good life stress management . Many of the stress coping techniques practiced for life stress management are not usually practical in flight. Rather, you must condition yourself to relax and think rationally when stress appears. The following checklist outlines some thoughts on cockpit stress management.

• Avoid situations that distract you from flying the aircraft.
• Reduce your workload to reduce stress levels. This will create a proper environment in which to make good decisions.
• Maintain proficiency in your aircraft , proficiency builds confidence. Familiarize yourself thoroughly with your aircraft,its systems and emergency procedures. If an emergency does occur, be calm . Think for a moment , weigh the alternatives then act.

Life Stress Management & Suggestions to Avoid Sress.

There are many techniques available that can help reduce the stress in your life or help you cope with it better. Not all of the following ideas may be the solution, but some of them should be effective for you.

• Become Knowledgeable about stress.
• Take a realistic assessment of yourself.
• Take a systematic approach to problem solving.
• Develop a life style that will buffer against the effects of stress.
• Practice behavioral management techniques.
• Establish and maintain a strong support network.

After all it is essential to begin by making a personal assessment of stress in all areas of your life.