Fatigue Reporting in Hellenic Skies: Attitudes, Barriers and Insights from Military, Commercial and General Aviation Pilots

<p>Fatigue has long been a concern in aviation, especially today, with the ever-increasing traffic volume, pilot shortage, and operations that often disrupt the body’s natural biological rhythms. Despite the implementation of sophisticated fatigue reporting schemes, aviation organizations still face challenges, as many studies indicate that pilots often encounter barriers to effectively report their fatigue. As relevant research in Greece was scarce, the main objective of this study was to explore Greek pilots' attitudes towards fatigue reporting, identify the most significant barriers, and recommend mitigation measures based on the participants' perspectives. To that end, 18 semi-structured interviews were conducted and analyzed through Thematic and Content Analysis, including participants from military, commercial and general aviation. Although most participants conveyed a positive attitude towards fatigue reporting, substantial barriers were identified, including the existence of a blame culture, stigmatization, and concerns about career progression, all consistent with existing literature. Novel findings highlighted that the frequency of reporting and the level of seniority influencing pilots' decisions to report. Differences between participants from military, commercial, and general aviation were minimal, albeit considerable. Participants suggested promoting a stronger safety culture, fully anonymizing fatigue reports, and improving training as key strategies to address the under-reporting of fatigue. More research is advised in a notably overlooked area for major conclusions to be drawn.</p>