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A new report has [arisen / raised] serious concerns about pilot fatigue. The European Cockpit Association (ECA) conducted a [survey / scurvy] of nearly 7,200 pilots across 32 countries. It discovered [what / that] exhaustion in the cockpit is a [widespread / widescreen] and underreported problem. More than three-quarters of respondents said they had briefly [dazed / dozed] off while operating an aircraft [on / in] the month before the survey. Almost a quarter of them admitted they continued flying [eventually / even] when they were too tired. Furthermore, [half / halve] said they had operated a flight when they should have declared themselves unfit for [duty / duly] . Tiredness can result from long working hours, insufficient rest, and [predictable / unpredictable] unpredictable.

The pilots were very [blank / frank] in their answers to the survey questions. Many said they were [reluctant / reluctance] to report fatigue because they feared punishment or other [negative / negatively] reactions from their bosses. Captain Coen George, a director of the ECA, warned: "When pilots [fear / fearing] career consequences, fatigue goes unreported and the [risky / risk] returns to the cockpit." Aviation [safety / safe] experts say exhaustion can impair judgement, slow reaction times and prevent pilots [from / for] responding effectively to unexpected in-flight [situation / situations] . The experts urged airlines to foster a culture [in / to] which pilots can report tiredness without fear of repercussions. Carriers should ensure that passenger safety is their [atop / top] priority.