haha...good one Adam but you just failed your upgrade interview! Peter is right!
Normal operation is defined as:
any operation other than an Ultra Long Range operation
Peter has already defined Ultra long Range operation exactly as it is shown in the AFTL.
If the time change is six hours or more that technically and legally defines it as an Ultra Long Range operation, and you don't even use the table under Normal Operation. In fact
nothing under section 15 would aplply...not even para 15.4.
You're going about it completely backwards by first determining whether the FDP falls within normal ops, and when it does, incorrectly assuming that it must be normal ops.
WRONG! You have to first determine whether it is normal ops,
OR ulltra long range ops,
BEFORE you apply the appropriate section. IE section 15 or section 16. In this case because it is 6 time zones or more
YOU HAVE to apply section 16.
Yes you could cross six time zones in a few miles at 89.9deg North, but the 35deg temp and 99% humidity tells me Hong Kong is not at 89.9 deg North. The AFTL were originally written with Hong Kong in mind, and any destination that is 6 times zones away from Hong Kong is a f%$^*ng long way. The outdated AFTLs may not correctly applty to ORD-AMS, but by the current AFTL definition
IT IS an Ultra Long Range Operation.
So the answer to the riddle is 3! The minimum crew compliment is 3 with max allowable FDP of 13hours. Some of you have seem to go off on a tangent with "requiring three or more pilots". Did they have to spell out to you that you can't do a ULH flight with two pilots?
ULH = six time zones or more
3 pilots = 13 hours FDP
4 pilots = 18 hours FDP
Time to eat your humble pie
unless someone proves me wrong in which case my pie is ready.