Rest requirements EU OPS

[truckflyer]

I have a few questions regarding this matter, if maybe somebody can enlighten me.


Rest period and OFF day, is it correct to assume these can be the same?
So per definition, the 12 hour rest period, can be done in your own off day?
Example you have an OFF day, and finishes midnight 8.th of October, it could in theory start duty flight at 00.05 of the 9.th of October?

Am I understanding the regulations correctly this way? Does this than not impede on how I can spend my OFF time?

Flight Time Limits - Flight Time Limitations (FTL)

1.13. Rest period:
An uninterrupted and defined period of time during which a crew member is free from all duties and airport standby.


1. Minimum rest
1.1. The minimum rest which must be provided before undertaking a flight duty period starting at home base shall be at
least as long as the preceding duty period or 12 hours whichever is the greater;


1.2. The minimum rest which must be provided before undertaking a flight duty period starting away from home base
shall be at least as long as the preceding duty period or 10 hours whichever is the greater; when on minimum rest
away from home base, the operator must allow for an eight hour sleep opportunity taking due account of travelling
and other physiological needs;

[Bealzebub]

1.8. Local day:
A 24 hour period commencing at 00.00 local time.
1.9. Local night:
A period of eight hours falling between 22.00 and 08.00 local time.
1.10. A single day free of duty:
A single day free of duty shall include two local nights. A rest period may be included as part of the day off

Rest period and OFF day, is it correct to assume these can be the same?

Yes a day off can incorporate a rest period but it is still required to incorporate two local nights.

So per definition, the 12 hour rest period, can be done in your own off day?

Yes. If you do a flight on Friday that finishes (for duty purposes) at 22:00 then the 12 hour subsequent "rest period" (assuming it is 12 hours) could quite naturally fall within the day off scheduled for the Saturday. The fact that Saturday is a legal day off doesn't stop (in this case) the first 10 hours of it also satisfying the "rest period" requirements.

Example you have an OFF day, and finishes midnight 8.th of October, it could in theory start duty flight at 00.05 of the 9.th of October?

No it couldn't! The single day off would have to be wrapped by two local nights, so the subsequent duty couldn't start before 08:00 on the 09th October.

A day off is defined as:

2.10 Day Off (DOF)

A calendar day notified by the duty roster in advance as a day in which the crew member is relieved of all duties by the operator. A single day off shall include two local nights. A rest period may be included as part of a day off. Days off shall be planned at crew members’ home base so that crew members are relieved of all duties by the operator.

[FlyingStone]

Originally Posted by truckflyer

Does this than not impede on how I can spend my OFF time?

Well, it does, but this is a part of job. For example, you have an OFF day and you are then scheduled to check in at 01:00 AM the next day. How can the company be so employee-unfriendly and expect you to be well rested and even sober when commencing duty, since this definitely impedes on how you spend your OFF time?

[truckflyer]

Thanks for your reply Bealzebub.

On the "The single day off would have to be wrapped by two local nights,"

Just trying to wrap my head around what this means, first if it is after 3 -4 or more off days, it would have any effect, as that would cover the local nights, if I have understood it correctly.

Single day off, would need 2 nights 22-08, so basically that would mean if duty ends 23.30, and next day is OFF, you could at the earliest go back on duty at 08.00 the following day? Or would you need to have an additional night?

I guess the way the operators get around this, is that they make it an Available day or STBY duty.

(Flyingstone, yes specially if it is week-end)





Single day off, could that also be an Available day? Which goes to off after a certain time, believe it is 12 UTC the preceding day.

[Bealzebub]

Just trying to wrap my head around what this means, first if it is after 3 -4 or more off days, it would have any effect, as that would cover the local nights, if I have understood it correctly.

A single day off has to be wrapped by two local nights. Multiple consecutive days off are covered by the same rules. If you have two days off, that incorporates three local nights. Three days off incorporates four local nights, etc.

Single day off, would need 2 nights 22-08, so basically that would mean if duty ends 23.30, and next day is OFF, you could at the earliest go back on duty at 08.00 the following day? Or would you need to have an additional night?

That might depend on any derogation or variation within the FTL limitations agreed by an airline and the relevant authority. Broadly speaking, yes! If a duty ends at 23:30 (in this example) then the following day is not a day off unless the crewmember (within the proviso mentioned) elects to keep it as one. Assuming they do not, then the subsequent day can be anything else, unless it is limited by another criteria. It may be a rest day (usual,) a standby or a flying duty.

I guess the way the operators get around this, is that they make it an Available day or STBY duty.

Single day off, could that also be an Available day? Which goes to off after a certain time, believe it is 12 UTC the preceding day.

That doesn't make any difference. A day off is defined. Any other day is simply a duty at the planning stage. An available day is presumed to be a duty day without definition at the planning stage. It may be converted to either a duty day, a rest period, or a day off subsequently, subject to the criteria laid down for each of those periods.

[truckflyer]

So am I correct to understand that 22.00 is the cut of point for this?

In the case where final duty ends after this, or sometimes even ends after midnight, say 00.30 or 02.00, than the following day should not be classified as an off day?

Many times end of roster, the planning make it like this, such that one ends up with final day of duty at say 00.30 - 01.00, and first of OFF days starts straight after this.
Would this be a subjective view that can be taken, or a legal breach of EU OPS?

[Bealzebub]

I cannot give you a definitive answer to that, because it depends on local variations that might have been agreed with your company and the relevant authority.

The reference (in the absence of such a variation) would seem to indicate that is the case.

1.9. Local night:
A period of eight hours falling between 22.00 and 08.00 local time.
1.10. A single day free of duty:
A single day free of duty shall include two local nights. A rest period may be included as part of the day off.

Under the rules I operate to, you can elect to continue with a day off provided the consecutive hour requirement (34 hrs) is maintained. The default position would be that the day off is simply cancelled after 23:00 unless the crew member wishes to retain it. Under the core rules you have supplied, the day off would be cancelled after 22:00 (I cannot ascertain from the supplied information whether you would be able to elect to retain it or not, in those circumstances.)

Many times end of roster, the planning make it like this, such that one ends up with final day of duty at say 00.30 - 01.00, and first of OFF days starts straight after this.
Would this be a subjective view that can be taken, or a legal breach of EU OPS?

Again, you would need to check with your flight operations department, but after midnight it can no longer by definition be considered a day off. Using the definitions you have supplied:

2.7 Calendar Day

A time period consisting of 24 consecutive hours commencing at 00:00 hours local time.

2.10 Day Off (DOF)

A calendar day notified by the duty roster in advance as a day in which the crew member is relieved of all duties by the operator. A single day off shall include two local nights. A rest period may be included as part of a day off. Days off shall be planned at crew members’ home base so that crew members are relieved of all duties by the operator.

[Mr Angry from Purley]

Bealzebub
Sure your not gettimg confused with CAP371?.
There is no such definition of days off in Sub Part Q. SPQ has no definition of days off only weekly rest which C195 describes. Truck flyer is working to SPQ as he makes reference to away from base being 10hrs whereas CAP is 11.
If you end at 0030 you need 36hrs and two local nights (can't remember definition of local night will check)

[Bealzebub]

The references were provided by the OP. Those being an excerpt from
"EU.OPS.FTL" (10 subparts) and an except from "Flight Time Limitations (FTL) - Czech Republic" (12 parts.) The definitions relied upon, were supplied by the OP.

[Mr Angry from Purley]

Beazle. Apologies RFQ

In answer to the question

Rest period and OFF day, is it correct to assume these can be the same?
So per definition, the 12 hour rest period, can be done in your own off day?

Yes this is allowed

Example you have an OFF day, and finishes midnight 8.th of October, it could in theory start duty flight at 00.05 of the 9.th of October?

Am I understanding the regulations correctly this way? Does this than not impede on how I can spend my OFF time?

If OFF no is the answer because you didnt achieve two local nights, and or if not off it falls less than the weekly rest limits of 36hrs and 2 local nights.

On the question of ending at 2359 before a day off this is ok but after two local nights you have to come on after 0800LT. If you end at 2200 you can come on at 0600 because the requirement is 8hrs in the period between 2200-0800
Excuse m if i'm wrong the Czech scheme seems part Sub Part Q and CAA CAP371