Performance Sustainment of Two Man Crews During 87 Hours of Extended Wakefulness With Stimulants (Dexedrine, Caffeine, Modafinil) and Napping: Analysis of Aircrew Performance During In-Flight Emergency Situations

Abstract : The objective of this effort, a small part of a larger study, was to determine the extent to which dextroamphetamine, caffeine, modafinil, and placebo affected participant ability to employ good aircrew coordination practices and function as an effective crew during emergency situations. Thirty-two UH-60 rated aviators, participating as crews of two under one of the four conditions, were assessed for aircrew coordination, crew response time, and seven flight performance measures during emergencies presented at 23, 47, and 71 hours of continuous wakefulness. While some aspects of the flight performance revealed statistically significant differences, it is clear that drug condition made no consistent significant difference in aircrew performance. The fatigue effect was limited to aircrew coordination, while not significantly affecting flight performance or response time. The variable which had the most significant albeit inconsistent effect on performance was flight experience. The findings demonstrate that analyses of performance during relatively short, stimulating experiences do not provide reliable evidence as to the effectiveness of stimulants.