Wake me up when we get to “DANDD”… http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b8/CheckM8/sleep.gif
Event occurred in March of 2004
news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20071102/ap_ … ing_pilots
“I woke up, why I don’t know, and heard frantic calls from ATC … I answered ATC and abided by all instructions to get down. Woke FO (first officer) up.”
AVIATION SAFETY REPORTING SYSTEM ONLINE DATABASE
ACN: 611329
I have done several overnight flights leaving around midnight and ariving at dawn, but i always find that there is a sort of adrenaline when flying at night especially over unpoulated areas like northern arizona. Also all of my flights have been single pilot flights which definitely leaves less room for complacency. I wonder if having he peace of mind of a copilot is subconciously detrimental in these situations.
[edit, no more writing at 3 am…holy bad grammar.]
I filled out a NASA report on this one.
In 1999 I was on the 5th day of a 14 hour duty days with 10 hours rest. I took off from KBUF flying to KTEB. It was dawn and the sun was just beating down on me. I canceled IFR and took up a heading and turned on the autopilot. I must not have hit heading. I woke up covered in sweat and looked out the window and saw a north/south river. No city, no ocean, no KTEB. I did some fast tuning of the radio and found myself 30 south of Albany. That’s about 80 to far north.
When I landed I was about 45 minutes late, I told dispatch I had hit head winds.
Sorry to say, but the truth is pilots sleeping isn’t all the rare. In fact it’s been studied that quick 10 minutes naps are good for your attention span. Granted that’s not what happened in my case or the case presented.
I’ve heard many stories of ONE of the pilots of a two-crew flight deck taking catnaps, and I find it acceptable. After all, that’s why there’s two seats up front, right? I’d rather my pilots be fresh and alert for the approach and landing - not so much attention needed during cruise. But BOTH pilots at the same time? C’mon - wake up the FO and tell him it’s your turn 
Single pilot…? Well, I’m just glad to be able to say that I’m glad you’re still with us to tell the story, leardvr!
As for me, I simply cannot sleep in moving vehicles! I guess I’m afraid I’m gonna miss something. I once flew first class on a redeye from SEA to PIT. God knows I tried like hell, but I just can’t do it. Going on a redeye from JFK to Frankfurt, Germany - no winkin’, blinkin’ or nod there either! Like snowfall2332 said, there’s just too much “JAZZ” goin’ on to sleep! Same with trains and automobiles as well.
One of the purposes of two pilots is for one to sleep. There is no exception. If there is an exception, there’s no pilots.
