AAI | Aviation is one of the leading industries across the world. In the past few years, unprecedented growth in the global aviation sector has given rise to various challenges for the fraternity. One of the biggest challenges being the occupational stress in the high-demand professional environment. Stress in the aviation industry is a common phenomenon due to physiological, psychological and environmental factors.
Sh. Hardeep Singh Puri, Hon’ble Union Minister of State for Civil Aviation launched the SkyFit eBook in the presence of Sh. Pradeep Singh Kharola, Secretary, Ministry of Civil Aviation; Sh. Arun Kumar, Director General, Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA); Sh. Rakesh Asthana, Director General, Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS); Sh. Anuj Aggarwal, Chairman, Airports Authority of India (AAI), Sh. Vineet Gulati, Member (ANS), AAI; senior ICAO officials and 1200 delegates from around 193 countries during the International Civil Aviation Organisation’s 40th Triennial Session & General Assembly that coincides with the celebrations to commemorate 75th Anniversary of the Chicago Convention.
Developed by Business Development Team of the Airports Authority of India, SkyFit addresses problems arising out of the occupational stress faced by aviation professionals like pilots, ATCOs, cabin crew and also air passengers by way of simple breathing techniques formulated in consultation with Yogic experts and senior medical consultants. Changes in work shifts and trans-meridian flight result in asynchrony between aviation personnel’s circadian rhythms. This lack of synchrony results in shift-lag syndrome (due to changes in work schedule) and jet-lag syndrome (due to trans-meridian flights) severely affects the body clock specifically Airline Pilots, Cabin Crew, Air Traffic Controllers and Air Passengers.
SkyFit mobile application is available on Google Play Store and iOS. The application is devised to address the occupational stress of the personnel in aviation, be it air traffic controllers, pilots, cabin crews, ground handlers, air passengers etc. The unprecedented growth in aviation has posed severe threat to the safety of aviation, in terms of the pressure created by capacity vs demand, on the existing infrastructure and resources. The worst hit of all is the human resource.
The occupational stress due to cognitive work load of the personnel, especially in aviation can be a challenge for the safe aviation. Long term exposure to the stress is posing severe health issues like hypertension, ischaemic heart disease, diabetes, peptic ulcers and psychoneurotic disorders for the people employed in aviation. Various measures have been discussed in the past like improving job planning and reliability of the work systems, improving the work environment, reduction of working hours etc. The Airports Authority of India (AAI) has developed SkyFit, in consultation with Dr. Ashok Bhatt, Medical consultant from AGP Breath Works and in coordination with experts who have practiced these ancient techniques from yogic traditions, for decades and have found encouraging results in managing the stress of the aviation personnel, by just improving the way we breathe.
Through SkyFit, AAI would like to share these unique and effective techniques with the global aviation world, to help pilots, cabin crew, air traffic controllers and above all air passengers cope up with the challenges of managing stress.
At the time when India is poised to cater to billions of new air travellers and is rearing to become a global aviation leader, it also has to be well equipped to address the stress levels of the human force and their quality of life. The solution lies in SkyFit.
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