Originally Posted by
Harry Wayfarers
But people, on a day to day operational basis, and when the excrement may be hitting the fan, communicate by word of mouth, when delaying or rescheduling "Can we do this, can we do that etc.", one needs to think on their feet and not put the phone on hold while perhaps constantly referring to a manual or computer, that might attract the remark "Don't you know what you're doing?",, 5 time bands to an expewrienced scheduler became easy to remember, 13 I think not!
Quite honestly, pilots are supposed to refer to a manual for pretty much everything they do anyway. Checking a ready available table is a simple task, simply check the check in time (always local), count on your fingers the number of sectors, and you know how long you can be on duty. It really is simple.
EASA rules can get complicated though if standby time has to be taken into account, when the captain has to go into discretion for a single crew member and stuff like that. Oh, and thank god we don't have to take care of acclimatisation on short haul. And yes, my current outfit does neither night flights nor split duties at the moment (it might change), which makes things even easier.
Do crew who expect to do their sectors and be home, make provision for an unplanned layover? If the a/c goes tech, or a crew member goes down with sudden illness, do you take a spare change of clothing on, what is planned, as a day trip?
That really depends. I believe my current company suggests for the flight crew that we take a minimal overnight kit (that can be a credit card) and requires that the cabin crew carries one. But quite honestly, on many duties it simply does not make sense. For example, tomorrow midday i will fly a short two sector duty from germany to austria and back. If we go tech, or someone goes sick, there will be other flights on the same route later during the day, there is maintenance at both ends, why would i carry anything? On a long 12 hour day i probably would carry at least a tiny kit, just in case something happens, especially if it is only a two sector duty and we are stuck somewhere without any other flights coming in.