erik.
The problem with the regulations is that they are written with airlines in mind. Crew show up 45 minutes before daparture, aircraft is fuelled and warmed up by ground crew, paperwork completed, ready to go. Now tell us how your day starts?
Proper airlines would count your travel on day one. Those five hours difference between 55-60 ar easily eaten up on day one in NJE. Have a look at a split duty day with no rest accomodation, duty finishing on blocks and starting again at departure time (no ground crew remember). Suddenly the sunny picture you paint has a few clouds in it.
As EatMyShorts says, see you in a year when you've been consistently rostered with a 1500 hour newbie who has had minimal training and you have had minimal rest for six months. I tell you my friend, everybody changes their view once the honeymoon period is over.