If i may...
I too (a CC), dread stand by days. As RIX mentioned, CC have it diabolical... But that's another story.
To go back on the pilots subject, in our company they follow the "minimum rest" rule. Say you've been flying 10hrs, you need 10hrs rest. Anything over that equals the rest period they say (think!) you need. Management will never care about your life outside work, as long as it's LEGAL, tough sh!t, deal with it.
Mr. ATS (who is a CPT and sometimes i think "CPTs are unlikely to be called out) has been called out several times and still managed to shower, shave, uniform on and off he goes, report at the time crewing requested. But when he finished, he was so tired he dived straight into bed and slept through the whole night, up again at stupid o'clock to fly punters safely from A to B.
My point is that (i think it was the thread starter who said it), this getting called out (which again, is oh so very legal) can mess up your body clock.
From experience, getting called out and threatened if "you don't get there in half an hr you'll have a no show" is very stressful and ads up to your tiredness. I
used to panic and stress myself out so bad that i couldn't think properly. Until a while ago when i realized that they CAN'T give me a no show if I'm not there in half an hr, contract states i have to live within an hrs drive and in this hr i DO NOT include showering, putting my face on and doing my hair. And if they did call me out surely i was last option and if I'm not going to be there when they want me to, what are they going to do, cancel the flight?
On the other hand,
i think stand by's are not so bad, it's crewing who messes up big style i.e. recently Mr. ATS got called out, rushed to the apt driving in the most dreadful weather, got to staff channel when he received a call from crewing saying they don't need him anymore. Meanwhile his colleague, all the same a very respected training CPT, got all the way to the ramp, no a/c there, phoned crewing to find out what time the a/c gets in only to be told "oh yeah.... we don't need you anymore"
So you see, pilots CAN and WILL make a requested on short notice report time. Yes they are tired, but shake off the tiredness to concentrate on flying, then come home, crawl into bed and die until the next day when they start all over again.
If crewing people would think twice before they act all would be great. You name one company where the crewing department is absolutely perfect and spot on and I'll buy you a beer or two!
Having said all of the above, i come to the conclusion that flying should be made 9 to 5, Mon to Fri. No? Was worth a try....
Rgds,
ATS
PS: I shouldn't say this but....... I will. One thinks 411A could be Paarmos' long long long long lost brother
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