what are "excessive" FTLs ? I submit they only exist in the minds of crews. nobody constructs a crew scheduling computer programme that allocates hours in excess of the
rules, which are well known to everyone and are pretty much the same the world over. When did you last hear of a prosecution of an airline for imposing illegal rosters? This F/O roster looks to be the usual computer-generated version the pilot would have received many days or perhaps weeks before the day in question and the chance of it being illegal is zero. Even if it turns out he had been called out at a days notice, due perhaps to the original pilot's absence for whatever reason, a scheduler would still make sure all the applicable rules were observed.
The FTL rules have been analysed/reviewed/modified/complained about for as long as I can remember, involving all interested parties including pilots and the medical profession. However things have changed more than slightly since the days of laying over on some sunny tropical island for a few days to await the arrival of the next aircraft. Its hard to think that FTLs designed then still fit todays world. Maybe the pendulum has swung too far the other way and the hallowed (and hollowed) phrase of "Safety is our highest priority" should be taken out and dusted off...
Portmanteau,
Many an idiot can schedule 12 hours on, 12 hours off, until 7 day, 14 day, 28 day totals are achieved, what computer programmes cannot incorporate in to a roster, I believe, are 'a life' for the crew member(s).
Just playing by the FTL's one can make a crew member's life a misery, 12 hours on, 12 hours off, split duties etc. etc. etc.
Whenever I would work on a crew pattern, no matter how legal it was, I would question "would I like that roster for myself?" and if my answer was "no" then I would go back to the drawing board to try and try again until I may have found a pattern/roster that I was satisfied with.
Admittedly crew members may be the biggest bunch of complainers but, perhaps they have a point, one can enter the FTL's in to a computer programme but can one enter the human touch?