Page 177 - PPL-engelsk 2025

Human Performance

Exhaustion can be a symptom of an underlying illness or a longer period of

overload, such as chronic stress, depression, or illness.

Fatigue is often the body's way of warning that it has been overloaded and that

it needs rest and recovery.

We are talking about two forms of exhaustion:

- Acute exhaustion
- Chronic exhaustion

Acute exhaustion

Acute exhaustion can be caused by, for example, physical exertion, sleep

deprivation, infection, etc. A concept such as jet lag also has an exhausting

effect.

This can lead to:

- Inattention

- Timing errors

- Easily distracted
- Overlooking secondary tasks

- Losing accuracy and control

- Inattentive to own mistakes

All of the above conditions may not be fatal in themselves, but can become fatal

when accumulated. Acute exhaustion disappears when the cause is eliminated.

But until then: let someone else pilot.

Chronic exhaustion

Exhaustion, lack of sleep, a lot of work, difficulties, etc. lead to chronic fatigue.

Chronic exhaustion poses a serious risk to a pilot's ability to operate an aircraft

safely.

Flight Theory PPL(A)(UL)/LAPL Henning Andersen, Midtjysk Flyveskole© 2025 177