If you like to think JAR-OPS-1 is a level playing field around member states I would beg to differ:
International Jet Management, based in Vienna (or is it St. Vincent?), somehow have managed to secure 17 hour duty days for their crews through Austria Control which is further extendable by 10%. This takes no regard for the time duty begins, sectors flown, or time zone changes!
As if this were not enough those hours are regularly exceeded and what do Austria Control do? Apparently nothing!
But at least the crew certification is legal:
Legal as long as operating with no SEP training, line trained by any line pilot, no ongoing line checking and recurrent training provided ONLY when the management want to pay for it is considered legal by Austria. Apparently so again!
Of course Europeans employees working for a European AOC holder are all protected by European employment law except you are employed by INAS based in the Grenadine Islands with a Grenadine Island contract.
Conveniently they can "forget" to pay your salary, your expenses, make you redundant without redundancy pay, make you provide your own employers liability insurance and generally abuse the hell out of you and what are you going to do? Sue their PO Box?
How was this appalling operation was ever accepted as an AOC holder. I always thought an AOC was a priviledge?
Nice to have friends in high places I suppose.
