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 summer conditions like heat, dehydration, and disrupted sleep negatively impact their attention, patience, communication, and judgment, a gap addressed by the "Sizzling Summer Safety Series."
Created by psychologist and pilot Jolie Lucas, the three-part series equips aviators with tools to recognize subtle self-changes and establish clear limits to prevent environmental and personal pressures from degrading aeronautical decision-making.
The series emphasizes the critical role of non-pilot companions in noticing behavioral changes and promoting conservative choices to enhance aviation safety.
Sponsored by Avemco Insurance, this project will expand to explore distinct human factors and challenges relevant to flying in fall and winter conditions.

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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.