More than three-quarters of European pilots who answered a new fatigue survey said they had experienced at least one microsleep while operating an aircraft in the previous four weeks, raising concerns about rest and fatigue reporting.

The European Cockpit Association published the independent report by aviation consultancy Baines Simmons. It collected voluntary responses from 7,200 pilots across 32 countries between August 4 and September 7, covering their recent experience during the busy summer period.

Among respondents, 76.8% reported at least one microsleep, a brief, involuntary episode of sleep. Another 38.8% said they usually or always lacked enough rest to prevent fatigue from building up between duty periods.

Reporting fatigue remains a concern. While 37.2% said they report when fatigued or unfit for duty, 24.2% said they do not report their condition and fly anyway. The association said fear of disciplinary action or management reactions remains a barrier.

The survey also examined exceptional extensions to flight-duty periods. Some 38.3% reported using a captain’s discretion to extend a duty at least once in the previous four weeks, and 69.1% expressed concern about negative consequences if they refused an extension.

The association called for stronger fatigue-risk management, non-punitive reporting and oversight. The findings describe the experience of pilots who chose to participate, not every European pilot or the percentage of flights affected.

The European Cockpit Association’s findings were also reported by AVweb and Euronews.