EASA’s controlled-rest framework in the cockpit caps pilot sleep at about 30 minutes within a maximum 45-minute rest block, with one pilot remaining awake throughout and cabin crew monitoring the resting crew member. The European rule, set out under CAT.OP.MPA.210 provisions, treats controlled rest as a regulated fatigue-management measure rather than unrestricted sleep on the flight deck.
The guidance is designed for long-haul operations where short, controlled naps can help manage fatigue without leaving the cockpit unattended. The resting pilot then needs a recovery period of around 20 minutes before resuming duties, limiting the use of the practice to specific operational conditions. Similar controlled-rest rules also exist in Canada, Australia, China, India, New Zealand, Turkey and the UAE, showing that the approach is used beyond Europe.
The technical basis of the concept traces back to NASA research from the early 1990s, including a study of 21 long-haul crews on transpacific Boeing 747 flights. The results were later published and helped shape the commonly cited performance figures attached to cockpit controlled rest.