helix47
7th Nov 2004, 07:09
Under JAR the Current CAP 371 (?) for helicopter pilot Flight Duty Times does not make allowance for touring/rotational pilots. i.e 6 weeks on 6 weeks off. 7 weeks on 5 weeks off etc.
The latest rumour is that there is a proposal for the CAP to cover these situations. If this is true, does anyone have a copy of the proposal or a link where I could get it
CS-Hover
8th Nov 2004, 19:36
hi
sorry, to jump in with another question, about the some mmater
i'm trying to collect (to study/annalize), all the reg, info etc about flight duty times...
i allready have a copy of CAP317. Im interested in info of all around world
thanks
PS: sorry of the jump in ;)
Helinut
8th Nov 2004, 22:52
The last time I dug into the dung heap that is JAR-OPS3, the FTL section was a great big blank - that is the august personages who "represented" us could not come to an agreement. CAP 317 is/was the UK FTL scheme, and then purely related to the UK. I did a quick check on the JAA website and subpart Q is still "reserved".
If there is to be a Pan-European change, I guess it may come from EASA now.
Until that time CAP 317 has little or nothing to do with JAR at all. The CAA will no doubt continue to beaver away by themselves though.
The UK CAP 371 is, and always has been, guidance; there are a number of remote site schemes which have been used for the exact purpose that you have mentioned.
In the past there was an interest in publishing such variations (for that is what they are) so that they could be available to any operator who wished to apply - primarily to ensure that there was a level playing field for all operators.
The 'legal' competance for the production of Flight and Duty Times regulations was taken from the JAA by the EU before the advent of EASA some time after the failure to agree on the JAR-OPS 1 Subpart Q (there was always a much better chance of agreeing one for JAR-OPS 3).
The fact that the EU has never been able to come up with a solution is testimony to the fact that this is not a trivial issue. The main opposition to Subpart Q came, not the pilots, but from a number of the larger States.
Until there is an EASA solution, responsibility for the issue remains with States.
For those of you in Europe who think you work hard, here is an extract from CARs in Plain English:
"In Canada, there is a 14-hour basic working day, inside which you can fly as many hours as you can cram in, allowing for refuelling, rest breaks, etc., except when you do a 15-hour day, or on single-pilot IFR, when you may be restricted to 8 hours (see below).
In general, unless your Ops Manual says otherwise, your total flight time (not duty hours) must not exceed:
1200 hours a year
300 hours every 90 days
120 hours every 30 days, or 100 if on call (see below for helicopters)
for commuter and airline operations with aeroplanes, 40 hours a week
for aerial work or air taxi, 60 hours a week
for single-pilot IFR, 8 hrs a day
However, for aerial work, air taxi, or non-scheduled stuff with a DHC-6 or helicopter (except heli-logging), for any 6 separate periods of 30 days in a year (that is, 180 days non-stop), the above totals can be increased, but may not exceed:
1200 hours a year
900 hours every 180 days
450 hours every 90 days (reset to zero with 5 days off)
210 hours every 42 days (reset to zero with 5 days off)
150 hours every 30 days (reset to zero with 5 days off)
60 hours a week
for single-pilot IFR, 8 hrs a day
In other words, you can reset some totals to zero 6 times a year. You must get 5 days off before and after assignments over 27 days, with the maximum being 42 days.
For Heli-Logging You can do:
1200 hours a year
120 hours every 30 days when single-pilot (150 for two)
If you reach any limits, you may not continue or be scheduled for duty until you've had the rest period, unless "unforeseen operational circumstances" apply. However, the original times must have been planned realistically.
700.16 Maximum Duty Times and Rest Periods (720.16)
After your duty day (to include 15 minutes for after-flight duties in commuter or airline operations with aeroplanes), you must have a minimum rest period, defined in only one place in CARs, right at the front, under Interpretation, where it says you should be free from all duties, not be interrupted and be able to get at least 8 hours' sleep in suitable accommodation, travel there (and back) and take care of personal hygiene. Realistically, therefore, the rest period should be about nine hours long. It's an hour extra anyway for spraying, with 5 hours of sleep taking place between 2000 and 0600 hours. Time spent on essential duties required by the Company after duty are not part of any rest period.
If you get time off during the day, that is, your duty time includes a rest period (a split duty), you can go beyond the basic day by half the rest period up to 3 hours, if you have been given advance notice and you get 4 hours uninterrupted in suitable accommodation. This covers situations where you deliver people to a place and wait for them to come back. In other words, you can claim some of the period spent hanging around in the middle as "rest" and tack it on to the end of the basic working day. What's more, you can plan to do this from the start, extending the Duty Time by half of the "rest" taken. This means that the maximum time you can possibly be on duty is normally 17 hours, if you have 6 hours off during the day (18 if you do the 15-hour day allowed for 6 months of the year. This applies to unforeseen circumstances, too - see below). Your next rest period must be increased by at least the extended time.
For spraying, the system is similar, except that you don't count the hours from the start of the first duty, but are allowed to consolidate the two periods as one. You cannot actually extend the total of 14 hours, but you can do it at different parts of the day. You also need rest periods that allow at least 9 hours sleep in suitable accommodation, one of which must be between 2000-0600, and you must receive at least 5 days free from duty every 30 days.
Generally speaking, though, most people in aerial work or air taxi, or with a helicopter (not on scheduled passenger services or heli-logging) extend to 15 hours, if the following rest period is extended by the same amount (1 hour) or you do less than 8 hours' flying a day (which means you can do this for 6 months, if you look at 720.15). Transport Canada can issue a special permission for 15 hours, so check your Ops Manual. In this case, it appears that your next rest period must be an hour longer than the standard minimum, or you can't do more than 8 hours flying the next day. Spray pilots are restricted to 14 hours anyway.
There are no cumulative limits for duty hours, only flight times (above).
700.19 Time Free from Duty (720.19)
A day off means you were assigned no duties, and not expected to be available inside an hour, or be at a specified location. For commuter and airline operations using aeroplanes, or when on call, at least 36 hours a week or 3 days every 17 days (all in one go) - on deployed operations (that is, you are working at another base for at least 10 days), the 3 days in 17 may be replaced by 4 within 19. In addition, in remote places, a day not flying can be put down as an official day off.
For aerial work, air taxi and helicopters, 13 days every 90 or 3 every 30, although you can be assigned duty for up to 42 days after 5 days off instead of the latter requirement. You must, in any case, have 5 days off after every assignment over 27 days. In other words, before and after any assignment of duty over 27 days, you must have 5 days off, and the maximum assignment is 42 days.
700.21 Crew Members on Reserve (720.21)
You can either be On Standby, On Call, On Reserve or Free of Duty. For the first, you must be in a specified location and available at less than an hours' notice-for the second, the location requirement is removed (these really apply to commuter/airline work). When on reserve, the notice period is more than one hour, with each day having an uninterrupted rest period scheduled in advance, giving you the chance of at least 8 hours' sleep. There are 3 ways of dealing with this:
You get 24 hours' notice of when your rest period will start, and how long it will be. It cannot start more than 3 hours earlier or later than the preceding rest period, or more than 8 hours in a week (that's 1.1 hours a day). So, if your first rest period starts at 8 in the evening, the next one must start between 5 and 11 (pm), and those for the rest of the week around 7-9.
You get at least 10 hours notice, free of all duty.
You have no duties and are not interrupted between 2200 and 0600 hours.
Most companies use the third. If the above cannot be complied with, that is, you get no notice at all, your maximum duty time is 10 hours, and the next rest period must be increased by 5 hours (actually half the duty time).
Each crew member must be able to obtain at least 8 consecutive hours sleep a day while on reserve. You must be given either 24 hours notice of the start and duration of the rest period, which cannot shift more than 3 hours earlier or later than the preceding one, nor more than 8 hours in a week, 10 hours notice of the assignment, with no duty in them, or no duty time and no interruptions between 2200 and 0600 local time.
If the above conditions cannot be complied with, the maximum duty time is 10 hours, and the subsequent minimum rest period must be increased by at least one-half the length of the preceding duty time."
Phil