Written for Global Aerospace by Matthew van Wollen, Pulsar Informatics

Those of us who fly commercially are familiar with the trend adopted by seemingly all major airlines of adding a dose of humor to the pre-flight safety video to grab your attention about a serious topic. Canadian comedian Nathan Fielder takes things to a whole new level in the latest season of the HBO series “The Rehearsal.”

Through a series of on-camera gags delivered in a characteristic deadpan voice, Fielder lands at the conclusion that interpersonal problems and communication issues among pilots and ground-based crew are key culprits in aviation safety incidents. John Oliver, another media personality on the HBO network well known for using humor to cast light on important topics, also covered aviation safety on a recent episode of “Last Week Tonight.” His focus was air traffic controllers—a hot topic after incidents of power outages and staff trauma leave at Newark Airport this past spring.

Studies have shown that humor can help us understand complex topics. It certainly gets us thinking and talking about the subject matter. In fact, this is the comedians’ stated goal—Fielder has said that he would gladly present his research and findings from his work on “The Rehearsal” to the House aviation subcommittee. And John Oliver finishes every episode of “Last Week Tonight” with a call to action. Let’s take a critical look at the findings from these documentaries in comedic clothing.

Rehearsing Training

Fielder promotes role-playing exercises as a means to help pilots build confidence in expressing themselves, a critical capability when facing the need to make quick decisions in spite of disrupted operations, frustrated passengers or feelings of timidity towards more senior crew members. The Federal Aviation Administration issued a statement that “all airline crewmembers [must] complete Crew Resource Management training… before they begin working in their official positions and… on a recurring basis afterward.” The agency also said it didn’t have data to support the claim that communications issues lead to airplane accidents.

There is no doubt that training is an essential pillar of safe operations. At Pulsar, we specifically identify a lack of fatigue risk training as a hazard area in our Bowtie model. How much fatigue is too much? What do I do if I spot signs of fatigue in a colleague? What are my available fatigue countermeasure options? Absent specific training that supplies answers to such questions, pilots can find themselves in the high-risk state of conducting operations while fatigued beyond their coping mechanism.

Comprehensive initial and recurring training serves as a barrier to help mitigate the occurrence of this risk. But it’s important to avoid a checkbox approach, which can breed complacency. Training content needs regular updates to reflect the latest science and to help keep the audience engaged.

Overworking Controllers

John Oliver’s piece on the working conditions of air traffic controllers includes an interview with a controller complaining about working 10-hour days, six days a week. The program goes on to discuss controllers’ anonymous reporting of mistakes to the FAA, including one entry that “many employees can be found sleeping on the job” and another that states: “If I had not been as fatigued, I may have been able to recognize the aircraft lined up for the incorrect runway sooner.”

Expressions of elevated fatigue felt by air traffic controllers are unsurprising, given the persistent understaffing at facilities across the country. A report issued last month by the National Academies of Sciences found that the FAA’s air traffic controller workforce declined by almost 2,000 employees in the 25 years to 2024—about a 13% reduction. According to the report, 19 of the 30 largest air traffic controller facilities in the United States are staffed at less than 85% of what the FAA’s staffing model says they need.

Simple math shows that when the same volume of work is spread across fewer people, shifts grow longer, and off-duty days become rarer. In addition to the higher workload (a fatigue stressor in its own right), longer hours at work mean less time at home—and less time to get the recovery sleep needed to arrive at work fit for duty each day.

John Oliver is correct that the FAA needs to hire more air traffic controllers to achieve a better match between workload and staffing levels. The science is clear on this point: Sleep deprivation and high workload contribute to elevated fatigue. Only by satisfying their daily sleep need and maintaining a workload that is sustainable for the long term can air traffic controllers reduce the level of fatigue they feel on the job to within a safe range.

Actionable Tips

While jokes can make us more aware of safety concerns, they shouldn’t replace proper information. So, enjoy the humor but stay grounded in the facts. Here are three simple principles to think about next time you watch a funny video about aviation safety:

• Look for information from trusted sources.
• Encourage your colleagues to communicate clearly about safety.
• Educate yourself about best practices.

Looking for more information? Pulsar has been in the business of fatigue risk management technology and consulting for 25 years. Contact us to find out how we can help your flight department get serious about fatigue risk management.