Flying in the Heat? Don’t Overlook the Human Factors

Psychologist and pilot breaks down hidden risks of summer operations and how to sharpen aeronautical decision making.

Meg Godlewski

Saturday, July 18, 2026 at 08:00 AM ET

Verified

Edited By:

Travis Tingle

Before you go up in the air on a hot day, there are some things you should consider. [Credit: Shutterstock]

Key Takeaways:

Pilots often overlook how high elevation, hot weather, and summer-related stressors (like dehydration, disrupted sleep, and physical discomfort) degrade their own performance, negatively impacting attention, judgment, and communication.
Psychologist and pilot Jolie Lucas's "Sizzling Summer Safety Series" addresses these human factors, providing pilots with tools to recognize subtle changes in themselves and others.
The series aims to help pilots establish clear limits and question assumptions before conditions impair decision-making, also highlighting how non-pilot companions can contribute to safety by noticing behavioral changes.

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In ground school pilots learned how high elevation, hot weather, and high humidity can degrade an aircraft’s performance. But they probably didn’t pick up much about what those conditions do to the pilot.

If taught at all, it was likely through trial and error. If only there was an easier way, and now there is. The Sizzling Summer Safety Series by psychologist, speaker, and commercial pilot Jolie Lucas walks you through this human-factors minefield.