keep yourself fit for flight training.
What we think fitness is the habit we make through daily workouts. Pilots must maintain a healthy lifestyle to stay active and also to look good.
I’ve learned after researching and watching some interviews that fitness plays a vital role in both physical and mental preparation. Daily 40 to 50 minutes workouts are essential for reducing your ageing and maintaining long term health.
Fitness as a Student
In the time of students like studying in high school and college, making time for a workout routine is quite a tough task. Finding time for fitness with academic responsibilities is difficult. But the professional in this field suggested that maintaining a fitness routine early has lifelong benefits, and particularly for those who aim to enter the aviation career.
- Make a Habit: Making a habit like running, cycling, or even doing 20-30 push-ups for half an hour each day, or one hour three times a week, would help that student in building physical and mental endurance. This habit may help him get priority on the fitness test on admission into the aviation industry, and after that, handle the pressure of flight training.
- Sleep is Important: In student life, most of us used to study late at night, completing assignments, but a 7-9 hour sleep duration is a must-do that many students forget. I have seen many experts say on YouTube that lack of sleep hours may negatively affect cognitive function and reaction times. I have heard that many airlines have a rule that a pilot should have an 8-hour uninterrupted sleep rest before a flight duty. So, the avgeeks should keep lessons from that and maintain an ideal sleep schedule.
- Use a Smartwatch: Smartwatches are great tools for monitoring daily activities. They can be particularly helpful for students, as they track sleep patterns and provide alerts for any lack of sleep. This can be beneficial in developing a fitness routine and consistently working toward goals in aviation.
Fitness as a Pilot
Fitness is a non-negotiable factor for aviators for many reasons, especially for the medical fitness test that is mandatory every six months, and passing this test is required for possessing the pilot license. My research found that flying for long hours sitting in the cockpit can cause many effects on the body, such as weight gain and muscle stiffness. Thus, maintaining fitness is non-negotiable.
- Everyday Exercise: Pilots should try to work out 3-4 times a week, and exercise can be simple. Running, cycling, and swimming are excellent ways to stay fit. Additionally, I heard that professional advice is to stretch legs and fingers during flights and take walking breaks every hour during autopilot mode, which helps reduce back pain and improve muscle circulation.
- Maintaining Sleep Schedules: Pilots often face irregular flight schedules like midnight or early morning that can last for long hours. Airlines enforce strict rules requiring pilots to have uninterrupted 7-9 hours sleep. Thus, maintaining a consistent sleep schedule is non-negotiable. Moreover, I have seen in movies that one of the pilots can take a power nap while the other is awake when in autopilot mode.
- Diet in the Cockpit: Pilots should eat lighter foods when flying. Fruits and protein-rich snacks help prevent tiredness and keep energy levels stable. There is a phrase that says “Airplanes and Coffee.” I saw a Facebook group with that name, where almost all aviators gather. It emphasizes the importance of drinking coffee while flying.
Use Hotel Gym
Pilots often stay away from their home, so they cannot use the home gym. But there is a way, using the hotel gym where they stay, that can be a convenient way to maintain fitness. It might easily become a bad habit if you skip workouts while away from home, so utilizing available facilities is key.
Keep Foods/Fruits with You
Carrying healthy foods like dry foods like almonds, walnuts, and boiled eggs, or fruits such as bananas and apples- during on-board or layovers is another valuable advice that I would suggest. These foods provide healthy energy and help avoid unhealthy snacks that you might choose instead. Making this habit for pilots can not only give nutrition and energy but may also reduce heart disease, as research says.
Avoid Drinking Habits
Despite the fact that drinking habits are generally bad for your health and physical fitness, there is a rule in aviation that states “8 hours from bottle to throttle”. This means pilots should not consume any kind of alcohol within 8 hours before flight duly. Some airlines even enforce stricter 12-hour limit. Some countries in the Middle East and airlines have a zero tolerance policy for alcohol. Breaking these rules can lead to suspension or loss of the pilot licence, and layoff from airlines. I would suggest to drink water or electrolyte drinks instead, which may help you stay mentally sharp and physically ready for duty.
Final Thoughts
Staying fit is essential and requires a gradual commitment for both students preparing for flight training and pilots managing their aviation careers. While I have emphasized the importance of fitness, I want to conclude by stating that developing these habits early as a student will help you become a responsible and well-prepared pilot, both during training and in your future career in the cockpit.