Fatigue management involves operators and pilots taking steps to manage increasing levels of fatigue, so it doesn’t result in a safety risk.
Fatigue management is a shared responsibility between pilots, operators and us.
Having fatigue management policies and procedures makes sure that an organisation has mechanisms in place to identify and manage fatigue risks.
Fatigue management rules
New fatigue management rules (Civil Aviation Order 48.1 Instrument 2019) came into effect in July 2021.
CAO 48.1 Amendment Instrument 2021 (published in November 2021) contains administrative edits and amendments due to the commencement of the flight operations rules.
The rules include obligations that flight crew license holders, air operator's certificate holders and Part 141 certificate holders must meet.
To comply with the fatigue rules in CAO 48.1, operators have the choice of using a prescriptive or flexible approach.
The approach you choose defines which of the Appendices to CAO 48.1 you should follow. We provide guidance about working to the fatigue rule appendices.
Prescriptive approach
For operators who would like to follow a prescriptive approach to fatigue management, there are 2 options.
Basic limits (Appendix 1 of CAO 48.1) set flight and duty time limitations without needing you to add risk management processes. However, you may find these limitations too restrictive.
We provide more guidance on how to adopt Appendix 1.
Enhanced fatigue management (Appendices 2 to 6 of CAO 48.1) allows greater flexibility with less restrictive flight and duty time limitations. This approach requires you to implement risk management processes, continuous monitoring processes and a training program for flight crew members.
Most air operator certificate holders will be able to meet the requirements of Appendices 2 to 6. See more information on how to apply Appendices 2 to 6.
If your operations fall slightly outside of the nominated Appendices (2 to 6), you may be able to request a 'minor variation'. See more information on how to apply Appendices 2 to 6.
Before making an application for approval of a minor variation consider the
Flexible approach
Operating a Fatigue Risk Management System (FRMS) (Appendix 7 of CAO 48.1) gives you the most flexibility. Keep in mind that FRMS is also the most complex fatigue risk management approach. It is a data-driven means of continuously monitoring and managing fatigue-related safety risks.
We provide more guidance on applying for an FRMS approval under Appendix 7.
Our approach to fatigue management
The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) has established 4 basic scientific principles which should underpin fatigue management regulations:
- the need for adequate sleep and the impact of extended time awake
- the impact of sleep loss and recovery
- daily rhythms in the ability to perform work driven by the brain's circadian clock
- the influence of workload.
The 4 basic principles are reflected in CAO 48.1 Instrument 2019.
We explain it in more detail in CAAP 48-01 fatigue management for flight crew members (section 2.5).
Pilot obligations for managing fatigue risk
Pilots must manage fatigue risk. This includes deciding not to operate an aircraft if they feel that they are unfit because of fatigue or likely to become so.
There are obligations for pilots to do this under CAO 48.1 Instrument 2019.
Each member of a flight crew has licence conditions that prevent them operating an aircraft in the case of fatigue.
A licence holder must not commence any task for a flight – whether commercial or private – if, due to fatigue, they are or they are likely to be unfit to perform the task.
Before any flight duty period, a pilot employed by an operator should tell the operator:
- any matter a reasonable person in the pilot’s position that would negatively affect their ability to meet the operator’s fatigue risk management policies
- the pilot has achieved the limits and requirements of the appendix or appendices the holder has chosen to apply
Detailed guidance to meet these obligations is in CAAP 48-01 fatigue management for flight crew members.