Originally Posted by
willzzz88
So I found this thread via Google while doing some research on the sleep cycle. Just curious about how you Delta international pilots COPE with all the time zone changes every-time you move from one continent to another.
/me is just a bored student/geek/soon-to-be-world-traveler and has a Skymiles account...
Will,
I would suggest more authoritative sources than this site. This is a water cooler debate here. You might try:
http://www.alpa.org/portals/alpa/com...M_11-15-10.pdf
Every pilot has to be disciplined to manage their rest. It is challenging to try to bed down in the early afternoon for an all night flight. Most catch their circadian lows 10am & 2pm for most and carefully regulate caffeine intake. Very low amounts of melatonin (3mg) can also be used well before duty in to help getting to sleep.
Many schedules are built so the all night red eye is the leg home completing the rotation, so the pilot is recovering on their time at home.
Sleep is a challenge.