Preparing to operate long-haul at night
I would like to ask a question based on a practical example. My sister is due to fly to Hong Kong tonight from LHR. A lot of the passengers on the flight will intend to try to get some sleep. The operating crew need to be awake. Now I know there is discussion about flight duty and fatigue - I really don't want to open that can of worms here. I know too that there will be at least three pilots to enable them each to take a break at some point in the flight. I know about controlled sleep (or whatever the term is). I also know that the airline will have needed to ensure that the operating crew have had sufficient rest before operating the flight. And it’s this latter point I would like to ask about.
Assume you are due to pilot this flight, have known this from your roster a couple of weeks in advance and that you live within driving distance of Heathrow (i.e. you're going to go to the airport later this afternoon to prepare for the flight). My question in a nutshell: how do you prepare in the days leading up to the flight to get yourself in a position that you are fit to stay awake all night and pilot an aircraft? Is it a question of forcing yourself to go to bed progressively later and wake up later until you are sleeping during the day and awake at night? I imagine this wouldn't always be possible, depending on your previous duty periods etc. I am correct, am I not, in thinking that the operating crew will have had to adjust their 'body clock' in some way?
I ask this out of curiosity and I know there's not one answer to this question, but I am intrigued to know how you do it.
Thanks