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sri_bom · Member Joined: 22 Dec 2006 Posts: 2365 Location: Singapore

Finnair Becomes First Airline In The World To Use Alertness Modelling

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Finnair has introduced an alertness model in the creation of crew schedules -- the first airline in the world to do so. The new scientifically determined and experimentally verified system has been formulated with the aid of the Boeing Alertness Model (BAM). The model assesses a pilot's state of alertness and promotes flight safety and wellbeing in work.

"The cornerstone of Finnair's flight operations is safety. Finnair continually develops operating practices that support safety and wellbeing in work and takes proactive steps to reduce possible safety risks. That's why we wanted to be involved in the Jeppesen research from the very start," says Finnair's Vice President, Safety and Quality Management Antti Aukia.

Finnair is the first airline to use alertness modelling to improve the wellbeing in work of its flight crews by influencing the structure of complex crew schedules while taking all safety criteria carefully into account and maintaining productivity.

BAM is included in Fatigue Risk Management Systems (FRMS), by which time differences and any consequent decline in alertness, among other things, can be better taken into account when planning work rosters. The model, for example, flags work rosters in which alertness levels might be too low.

"This is an important milestone for Finnair in improving the wellbeing in work of its flight crews. To date, roster planning has been very subjective. The information gathered by the new tool provides a scientific basis for planning, so we can now influence flight crew rosters by scheduling work better than before," explains Aukia.

Finnair has worked closely with Jeppesen and has tested the model and the effectiveness of the tool with field trials. A total of 34 volunteer Finnair pilots participated in the research over a period of 400 days. The results were compared with the results given by the alertness model and they were found to correlate so well that they supported the introduction of the model.

Fatigue Risk Management will be compulsory for all airlines in future. Finnair intends to implement the system in full during the autumn.

http://www.odysseymediagroup.com/en/Editorial-Airlines-And-Airports.asp?ReportID=462249