Two out of three Indian pilots fall asleep mid-flight, study reveals

A shocking report has surfaced which reveals that two-thirds of pilots in India have admitted to dozing off in the cockpit. A study by Safety Matters Foundation was done with involvement of international pilots. 66% of the pilots who participated in the study admitted to falling asleep without informing a fellow crew member.

Pilots sleep on duty for two main reasons. Due to shortage of pilots and heavy duty. There has been a shortage of pilots in India for a long time. Although 1,500 new pilots are required annually, only 200 to 300 pilots are properly trained. Because of this, the pilots have to work excessively. According to the study, 54% of pilots are sleepy during the day. Commercial aviation accidents worldwide between 1959 and 2016 show that 48% of major accidents occur during the final phase of flight and landing.