Is mobile phone influence the status of pilot or the flight safety?

Background This study aimed to explore the adverse influences of mobile phone usage on pilots’ status, so as to improve flight safety. Methods A questionnaire was designed, and a cluster random sampling method was adopted. Pilots of Shandong Airlines were investigated on the use of mobile phones. The data was analyzed by frequency statistics, linear regression and other statistical methods. Results A total of 340 questionnaires were distributed and 317 were returned, 315 of which were valid. The results showed that 239 pilots (75.87%) used mobile phones as the main means of entertainment in their leisure time. There was a significant negative correlation between age of pilots and playing mobile games (p<0.01). There was a significant positive correlation between the length of phone usage on rest days and the length of phone usage before sleep and the 15 items of the scale (p<0.01), age, flight hours and position had a significant negative influence on the total score of the scale (p<0.01), while the length of mobile phone usage on rest days and before sleep had a significant positive influence on the total score of the scale (p<0.01). Among the above five independent variables, the length of time spent using mobile phones on rest days is the most influential factor on pilot status. Conclusions Excessive use of mobile phones is very common among pilots, and it has become one of the key factors affecting the status of pilots. In any case, the longer the pilots use mobile phones, the greater the adverse impacts on their own status. At the same time, the longer pilots use mobile phones, the greater threat to flight safety.