Originally Posted by
jack schidt
Pprune was banned in the Middle East as it was having a negative outcome on positive recruitment. Current pilots in the Middle East are wary of posting here.
Many pilots fly to the maximum permissible hours as dictated by GCAA (Gulf Civil Aviation Authority) “guidelines”.
As pilots fly/operate the aircraft (takeoff and landing), they log Operating hours fully. As pilot gets near to the maximum permissible hours, companies make the pilots Augment which means they become “cruise” pilots. The problem becomes that an Augment pilot is only credited with a much lower credited flight/stick time, even though that pilot is in the aircraft as much as the operating pilots. After 2 Augment sectors, perhaps of 20 hours in the aircraft, the Augment pilot might only be credited with only 12 hours flight time which reduces that pilots overall “perceived” time at work. To summarise, the operating pilots log 20 hours and the previously overworked pilot who is augmenting will now only be able to log 12 hours stick time, even though all pilots spent the same time in the aircraft.
Anotherway for a pilot who is running high on flying hours to be utilised is to put them on simulator standby at any time day or night. This simulator duty is not counted towards flight time maximum limitations, but a simulator duty is actually often more exhausting than a normal flight.
Hence, the practice of making high hour pilots fly Augment flights and become a simulator stand in tires the pilot much more while actually bringing down the pilots hours when he can then operate flights in a potentially more tired state.
To many it’s part of the job but I have heard Pilots in all Airlines say that they wouldn’t drive their car as tired as they fly the plane in certain situations.
Rgds
Jack
Jack,
I worked at EK for 14 years and i can safely say that what you have posted is 100% true. There have been numerous times that I have been so fatigued at work (on a roster that was "legal") that is was difficult to count the fingers on one hand. Interestingly, if given the choice to fly fatigued or fly drunk, I'd pick flying drunk anytime despite never having done so. I have flown fatigued with EK many times, part of the reason I told them it was time to look elsewhere for a pay cheque.
The clock is ticking and their luck will run out....CNN is waiting with the global coverage when it does....because it will be a history making event!