Pilot fatigue-Tired after flight

[Pmerems]

Gents,

I have about 70+ hours on my RV-7A. I am a low time pilot with approximately 190 hours with half flown 20+ years ago and half in the past year and a half.

The longest time I have spent in the cockpit is 2.5 hours. Most of my flight range from .7 to 1.5 hours. One thing I am noticing is that after my flights after I drive home I am very tired. I know that I concentrate a lot while I am flying and get a little "tense" during takeoffs, landings and in turbulence. But I am really surprised how "burned out" I feel after a flight.

My wife recently started flying with me and see too feels this way. She is afraid of flying but is getting over it.

I just returned from a 1.4 hour (round trip) breakfast flight today with my wife and I was "burned out".

My engine (airplane that is) runs smooth, I use a clarity aloft headset and I don't fly very high so O2 isn't an issue. I am 50 yrs old in good heath and I exercise (aerobic).

Do others feel the same way after a flight? Is it that I am internally stressing during the flight and don't know it? Any ideas on how to improve this?

[L.Adamson]

Originally Posted by Pmerems

Gents,

I have about 70+ hours on my RV-7A. I am a low time pilot with approximately 190 hours with half flown 20+ years ago and half in the past year and a half.

The longest time I have spent in the cockpit is 2.5 hours. Most of my flight range from .7 to 1.5 hours. One thing I am noticing is that after my flights after I drive home I am very tired. I know that I concentrate a lot while I am flying and get a little "tense" during takeoffs, landings and in turbulence. But I am really surprised how "burned out" I feel after a flight.

My wife recently started flying with me and see too feels this way. She is afraid of flying but is getting over it.

I just returned from a 1.4 hour (round trip) breakfast flight today with my wife and I was "burned out".

My engine (airplane that is) runs smooth, I use a clarity aloft headset and I don't fly very high so O2 isn't an issue. I am 50 yrs old in good heath and I exercise (aerobic).

Do others feel the same way after a flight? Is it that I am internally stressing during the flight and don't know it? Any ideas on how to improve this?

We get that way too. But not always. I hear that oxygen at lower altitudes will make a difference.............and there is a few times we've used it at the 10,500' levels, but I usually don't until 12,500.

Most of our flights, are from 8,500 to 10,500.

L.Adamson

[Mike S]

I felt this way after my first flight, only 20 minutes. Stress can do this to you, as I wrote almost a year ago in this thread.


Another possibility is that you are getting some exhaust into the cabin.

Fatigue is one of the symptoms of low level carbon monoxide exposure also headache.

Try a flight with O2 just for fun.

[turbo]

no problem here. can fly all day. flew 6 young eagles and 1 adult today, 2.4, feel great.
you are aware of the issue, im sure you will get better with time. stay nourished and try to relax and enjoy the flight. if you are tense that will tire you out. have your wife rub your back while you fly. keep us posted.

[SmilingJack]

Paul, part of the fatique you are feeling in the altitude. What's TUS? About 2700'? Add on the altitude you fly at and it's like living in the mountains! Heart rate is up, pressure changes, heat in AZ and of course you are working your brain flying - stress at any level small or large will make you tired.

One other item is dehydration, of course drink too much and you'll have another issue to deal with

Good question and I'm sure you'll receive more responses on the physiology of this.

[RV8R999]

Try eating a low fat, low sugar meal or snack before you go flying and drink plenty of water first (not too much you can't make it to your destination).

Regularly flew 6-8hr missions without getting out of the aircraft. Eating a snack before launch helped tremendously.

You probably are stressing a bit and this takes a bunch of energy. Try to relax once you are at altitude and don't worry so much about being exactly on every parameter every second...it's ok to just wing-it a bit every now and then - enjoy it!!!

[schristo@mac.com]

Have you checked CO levels in the cabin?

[pauldan181]

Do you have an autopilot? I used to feel the same way after a long flight holding course and altitude for hours. I added an autopilot with alt. hold and now long trips are a piece of cake.

Paul Danclovic
Jamestown NC
RV-8A N181SB

[Vlad]

Originally Posted by Pmerems

snip...



Any ideas on how to improve this?

I vote for good sleep Paul. I've flown a leg over 5 hours @10.5 well rested and it was a non event. But next leg of 4.2 hours with less sleep and intensive socializing took the toll, I got headache by the time I got home. Sleep, eat, relax. Exercise may not help in this case. The flight itself is already good mental and physical exersice.

[Don Patrick]

Excellent words of advice here...Definately check the CO level......