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    Flight and duty times of flight instructors in general aviation in New Zealand : a study : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Aviation at Massey University
    (Massey University, 2003) Walton, Amanda Jane
    Flight Instructors that train pilots in the General Aviation arena are expected to perform to a high level at all times. Flight training is an intense activity during which the Flight Instructor is subject to many factors causing fatigue, both physiological and psychological, many of which may be outside their immediate control. Considerations such as low pay mean that Flight Instructors often work long hours and often have another job which adds to their time at work each day, resulting in a decrease in their time available for sleep. Although considerable research has been done on pilot fatigue in the Air Transport arena, particularly on long-haul pilots, there is a lack of information about fatigue in other areas, particularly where Flight Instructors are concerned, as they are not involved in Air Transport Operations. This study examines the potential for fatigue in Flight Instructors in the General Aviation industry in New Zealand. To achieve this a Questionnaire and Time Diary were developed, based on previously used materials, and adapted for use in the flight instruction environment. This enabled the flight and duty times of Flight Instructors to be recorded, and subsequent investigation of any preventative strategies or operational countermeasures currently being used to help prevent fatigue. Interviews were also carried out, and compared with the data from the Questionnaire and Time Diary. The results of the research found that despite recorded flight times not exceeding any nominated safe limits, duty times did, especially for Flight Instructors that had secondary employment outside the aviation industry.
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    Setting a baseline for cognitive fatigue in student pilots : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Aviation at Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand
    (Massey University, 2013) Ashley, Nicholas John
    Despite fatigue being an important topic in many areas of aviation, little is known about its occurrence and effects amongst student pilots. The purpose of this study is to examine cognitive fatigue in the flight training environment with the goal of setting a baseline for fatigue accumulation over the course of a one hour training flight. The study was divided into three sections. Firstly, information was gathered on the numbers and distribution of student pilots across New Zealand, and this resulted in a decision that research would proceed with students at a single large flight training organisation. Next, a search was undertaken for pre-existing tools that could be modified and refined to be made suitable for use in the flight training environment. A questionnaire and reaction time test were then created and successfully validated in a pilot study. Finally the main body of the study comprised using the two tools to test a non-probability sample of 21 student pilots, split between a main group and a control group. The data were then collated and analysed to determine the level of fatigue which accumulated, assess correlations between variables, and evaluate the significance of the results. Results were overall satisfactory, with the questionnaire returning some of the most useful and significant data. Significant levels of fatigue were detected amongst participants, but it could not be exactly determined how this would affect performance. Several significant correlations were discovered between different variables, which served to both reinforce existing knowledge on the topic, and further confirm the validity and reliability of the tools. While the study was somewhat limited in its approach and scope, it is relatively ground-breaking, and creates the potential for further research in this area.