Can Pilots Sleep During Flight?
Sources: FAA, EASA, ICAO, Flight Safety Foundation · Updated May 2026
Yes — under defined rules. There are two distinct concepts. Controlled rest is a short in-seat nap (typically up to 30–45 minutes) taken at the controls while the other pilot remains alert; it is permitted under EASA and ICAO frameworks but not under U.S. FAA Part 121 commercial operations. Bunk rest is planned rest in a dedicated crew-rest compartment on augmented (3- or 4-pilot) long-haul flights — this is universal and governed by FAA AC 117-1 in the U.S. and EASA Subpart FTL in Europe. Both exist because fatigue science is unambiguous: even a 20-minute nap measurably improves alertness, and managed rest is far safer than unmanaged drowsiness.
Two-pilot crews — controlled rest
On most flights worldwide there are two pilots in the cockpit. On routes shorter than the augmented-crew threshold, dedicated rest facilities are not provided. EASA and ICAO frameworks allow controlled rest: one pilot naps in their seat while the other actively monitors the aircraft. Key elements of the procedure:
- →Limited to cruise phase: not permitted during taxi, takeoff, climb, descent, approach, or landing.
- →One at a time: only one pilot rests; the other remains the sole monitoring pilot.
- →Duration cap: typically 10–45 minutes depending on operator policy. Sleep inertia after waking is shorter at the lower end.
- →Recovery period: 10–20 minutes of wakefulness before resuming active monitoring is standard.
- →Briefed to cabin crew: a senior cabin crew member is informed and may be asked to check the cockpit periodically.
- →Documented: the operator records the rest in the technical log or operator's fatigue management system.
Controlled rest is not currently permitted in the U.S. under FAA Part 121 — a divergence that the National Transportation Safety Board, the Flight Safety Foundation, and ALPA have all recommended revising. Outside the U.S., it has been standard practice for years.
Long-haul flights — augmented crew and bunk rest
For flights beyond a certain duration — typically when the flight duty period (FDP) exceeds what two pilots can legally cover — operators add a third or fourth pilot. The aircraft is then "augmented." Crew members rotate through dedicated crew-rest compartments outside the cockpit. FAA AC 117-1 defines three classifications:
| Class | Facility | FDP extension |
|---|---|---|
| Class 1 | Horizontal lie-flat bunk; separate from cabin and flight deck; sound- and light-isolated. | Longest — used on 16-19h ultra-long-haul. |
| Class 2 | Lie-flat seat or bunk in a separate area; basic noise/light controls. | Moderate FDP extension. |
| Class 3 | Blocked-off seat in the passenger cabin with curtain. | Shortest extension. |
On a Singapore Airlines A350-900ULR or Qantas 787-9 ultra-long-haul, four pilots typically work in two pairs, each pair taking the controls for roughly half the flight while the other pair rests in Class 1 bunks above (787) or below (A350) the main cabin.
FAA Part 117 — the U.S. framework
Adopted in 2014 after the Colgan 3407 accident, FAA Part 117 replaced the older 14 CFR Part 121 Subpart Q rules with a science-based fatigue framework. Highlights:
- →Flight Duty Period: maximum 9–14 hours for two pilots depending on start time; up to 17 hours with one augmenting pilot; up to 19 hours with two augmenting pilots.
- →Rest before duty: minimum 10 consecutive hours including 8 hours of sleep opportunity.
- →Cumulative limits: 60 flight hours per 7 days, 100 per month, 1,000 per year.
- →Fitness-for-duty rule: any crew member who feels too fatigued can declare and remove themselves from duty; the carrier cannot penalize them.
EASA Subpart FTL — the European framework
The European equivalent is found in Commission Regulation (EU) 965/2012, Annex III (Part-ORO), Subpart FTL. Key differences from FAA Part 117:
- →Controlled rest is permitted and operationally defined.
- →FDP windows differ slightly by start time and number of sectors.
- →Stronger emphasis on operator Fatigue Risk Management Systems (FRMS) for non-standard schedules.
ICAO Annex 6 Part I sets the international baseline; most non-U.S. and non-European authorities (CAA UK, Transport Canada, CASA Australia, JCAB Japan, DGCA India) align with ICAO and EASA on these points.
Why the rules exist — the fatigue science
Three findings drove modern fatigue rules:
- →Short naps work. A NASA study in the 1990s (Rosekind et al.) showed that a 26-minute planned nap improved alertness by 54% and performance by 34% on long-haul flights.
- →Sleep inertia is real. Waking from deep sleep produces 5–20 minutes of grogginess. Rest periods are limited and a recovery buffer is built in.
- →Circadian rhythm matters. Performance dips during the Window of Circadian Low (typically 0200–0600 in the pilot's home time zone). Schedules and rest patterns are designed around this.
The Flight Safety Foundation has published guidance reinforcing that controlled rest, properly applied, is a safety enhancement — not a degradation.
What pilots don't do
- →Both pilots do not sleep at the same time in any jurisdiction. The other pilot is always actively monitoring.
- →Pilots do not sleep during critical phases of flight (taxi, takeoff, climb to top of climb, descent below 10,000 ft, approach, landing).
- →Pilots do not use sleep medications that could affect performance; aviation medical regulations restrict their use within prescribed windows.
Sources
- · FAA Advisory Circular AC 117-1 — Flightcrew Member Rest Facilities
- · FAA Part 117 — Flight and Duty Limitations
- · EASA — Commission Regulation (EU) 965/2012, Annex III Subpart FTL
- · ICAO Annex 6 Part I — Operation of Aircraft, International Commercial Air Transport
- · Flight Safety Foundation — Controlled Rest guidance document
- · NASA TM-108839 (Rosekind et al.) — Crew Factors in Flight Operations IX: Effects of Planned Cockpit Rest