FAA to issue new rest rules!
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FAA to issue new rest rules!
The FAA is set to announce at 10 am ET new rest rules. O boy...
FAA to issue rules aimed at tired airline pilots - USATODAY.com
FAA to issue rules aimed at tired airline pilots - USATODAY.com
The maximum amount of time pilots can be scheduled to fly is limited to eight or nine hours, and pilots would get a minimum of 10 hours to rest between duty periods
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WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood and Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Acting Administrator Michael Huerta today announced a sweeping final rule that overhauls commercial passenger airline pilot scheduling to ensure pilots have a longer opportunity for rest before they enter the cockpit.
“This is a major safety achievement,” said Secretary LaHood. “We made a promise to the traveling public that we would do everything possible to make sure pilots are rested when they get in the cockpit. This new rule raises the safety bar to prevent fatigue.”
“Every pilot has a personal responsibility to arrive at work fit for duty. This new rule gives pilots enough time to get the rest they really need to safely get passengers to their destinations,” said FAA Acting Administrator Huerta.
The Department of Transportation identified the issue of pilot fatigue as a top priority during a 2009 airline Safety Call to Action following the crash of Colgan Air flight 3407. The FAA launched an aggressive effort to take advantage of the latest research on fatigue to create a new pilot flight, duty and rest proposal, which the agency issued on September 10, 2010.
Key components of this final rule for commercial passenger flights include:
Varying flight and duty requirements based on what time the pilot’s day begins. The new rule incorporates the latest fatigue science to set different requirements for pilot flight time, duty period and rest based on the time of day pilots begin their first flight, the number of scheduled flight segments and the number of time zones they cross. The previous rules included different rest requirements for domestic, international and unscheduled flights. Those differences were not necessarily consistent across different types of passenger flights, and did not take into account factors such as start time and time zone crossings.
Flight duty period. The allowable length of a flight duty period depends on when the pilot’s day begins and the number of flight segments he or she is expected to fly, and ranges from 9-14 hours for single crew operations. The flight duty period begins when a flightcrew member is required to report for duty, with the intention of conducting a flight and ends when the aircraft is parked after the last flight. It includes the period of time before a flight or between flights that a pilot is working without an intervening rest period. Flight duty includes deadhead transportation, training in an aircraft or flight simulator, and airport standby or reserve duty if these tasks occur before a flight or between flights without an intervening required rest period.
Flight time limits of eight or nine hours. The FAA limits flight time – when the plane is moving under its own power before, during or after flight – to eight or nine hours depending on the start time of the pilot’s entire flight duty period.
10-hour minimum rest period.The rule sets a 10-hour minimum rest period prior to the flight duty period, a two-hour increase over the old rules. The new rule also mandates that a pilot must have an opportunity for eight hours of uninterrupted sleep within the 10-hour rest period.
New cumulative flight duty and flight time limits.The new rule addresses potential cumulative fatigue by placing weekly and 28-day limits on the amount of time a pilot may be assigned any type of flight duty. The rule also places 28-day and annual limits on actual flight time. It also requires that pilots have at least 30 consecutive hours free from duty on a weekly basis, a 25 percent increase over the old rules.
Fitness for duty. The FAA expects pilots and airlines to take joint responsibility when considering if a pilot is fit for duty, including fatigue resulting from pre-duty activities such as commuting. At the beginning of each flight segment, a pilot is required to affirmatively state his or her fitness for duty. If a pilot reports he or she is fatigued and unfit for duty, the airline must remove that pilot from duty immediately.
Fatigue Risk Management System. An airline may develop an alternative way of mitigating fatigue based on science and using data that must be validated by the FAA and continuously monitored.
In 2010, Congress mandated a Fatigue Risk Management Plan (FRMP) for all airlines and they have developed these plans based on FAA guidance materials. An FRMP provides education for pilots and airlines to help address the effects of fatigue which can be caused by overwork, commuting, or other activities. Airlines will be required to train pilots about the potential effects of commuting.
Required training updates every two years will include fatigue mitigation measures, sleep fundamentals and the impact to a pilot’s performance. The training will also address how fatigue is influenced by lifestyle – including nutrition, exercise, and family life – as well as by sleep disorders and the impact of commuting.
The estimated cost of this rule to the aviation industry is $297 million but the benefits are estimated between $247- $470 million. Covering cargo operators under the new rule would be too costly compared to the benefits generated in this portion of the industry. Some cargo airlines already have improved rest facilities for pilots to use while cargo is loaded and unloaded during night time operations. The FAA encourages cargo operators to opt into the new rule voluntarily, which would require them to comply with all of its provisions.
The final rule has been sent to the Federal Register for display and publication. It is currently available at:http://www.faa.gov/regulations_polic...-FinalRule.pdf, and will take effect in two years to allow commercial passenger airline operators time to transition.
A fact sheet with additional information is at Fact Sheets.
“This is a major safety achievement,” said Secretary LaHood. “We made a promise to the traveling public that we would do everything possible to make sure pilots are rested when they get in the cockpit. This new rule raises the safety bar to prevent fatigue.”
“Every pilot has a personal responsibility to arrive at work fit for duty. This new rule gives pilots enough time to get the rest they really need to safely get passengers to their destinations,” said FAA Acting Administrator Huerta.
The Department of Transportation identified the issue of pilot fatigue as a top priority during a 2009 airline Safety Call to Action following the crash of Colgan Air flight 3407. The FAA launched an aggressive effort to take advantage of the latest research on fatigue to create a new pilot flight, duty and rest proposal, which the agency issued on September 10, 2010.
Key components of this final rule for commercial passenger flights include:
Varying flight and duty requirements based on what time the pilot’s day begins. The new rule incorporates the latest fatigue science to set different requirements for pilot flight time, duty period and rest based on the time of day pilots begin their first flight, the number of scheduled flight segments and the number of time zones they cross. The previous rules included different rest requirements for domestic, international and unscheduled flights. Those differences were not necessarily consistent across different types of passenger flights, and did not take into account factors such as start time and time zone crossings.
Flight duty period. The allowable length of a flight duty period depends on when the pilot’s day begins and the number of flight segments he or she is expected to fly, and ranges from 9-14 hours for single crew operations. The flight duty period begins when a flightcrew member is required to report for duty, with the intention of conducting a flight and ends when the aircraft is parked after the last flight. It includes the period of time before a flight or between flights that a pilot is working without an intervening rest period. Flight duty includes deadhead transportation, training in an aircraft or flight simulator, and airport standby or reserve duty if these tasks occur before a flight or between flights without an intervening required rest period.
Flight time limits of eight or nine hours. The FAA limits flight time – when the plane is moving under its own power before, during or after flight – to eight or nine hours depending on the start time of the pilot’s entire flight duty period.
10-hour minimum rest period.The rule sets a 10-hour minimum rest period prior to the flight duty period, a two-hour increase over the old rules. The new rule also mandates that a pilot must have an opportunity for eight hours of uninterrupted sleep within the 10-hour rest period.
New cumulative flight duty and flight time limits.The new rule addresses potential cumulative fatigue by placing weekly and 28-day limits on the amount of time a pilot may be assigned any type of flight duty. The rule also places 28-day and annual limits on actual flight time. It also requires that pilots have at least 30 consecutive hours free from duty on a weekly basis, a 25 percent increase over the old rules.
Fitness for duty. The FAA expects pilots and airlines to take joint responsibility when considering if a pilot is fit for duty, including fatigue resulting from pre-duty activities such as commuting. At the beginning of each flight segment, a pilot is required to affirmatively state his or her fitness for duty. If a pilot reports he or she is fatigued and unfit for duty, the airline must remove that pilot from duty immediately.
Fatigue Risk Management System. An airline may develop an alternative way of mitigating fatigue based on science and using data that must be validated by the FAA and continuously monitored.
In 2010, Congress mandated a Fatigue Risk Management Plan (FRMP) for all airlines and they have developed these plans based on FAA guidance materials. An FRMP provides education for pilots and airlines to help address the effects of fatigue which can be caused by overwork, commuting, or other activities. Airlines will be required to train pilots about the potential effects of commuting.
Required training updates every two years will include fatigue mitigation measures, sleep fundamentals and the impact to a pilot’s performance. The training will also address how fatigue is influenced by lifestyle – including nutrition, exercise, and family life – as well as by sleep disorders and the impact of commuting.
The estimated cost of this rule to the aviation industry is $297 million but the benefits are estimated between $247- $470 million. Covering cargo operators under the new rule would be too costly compared to the benefits generated in this portion of the industry. Some cargo airlines already have improved rest facilities for pilots to use while cargo is loaded and unloaded during night time operations. The FAA encourages cargo operators to opt into the new rule voluntarily, which would require them to comply with all of its provisions.
The final rule has been sent to the Federal Register for display and publication. It is currently available at:http://www.faa.gov/regulations_polic...-FinalRule.pdf, and will take effect in two years to allow commercial passenger airline operators time to transition.
A fact sheet with additional information is at Fact Sheets.
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Which means?
Fact Sheet – Pilot Fatigue Rule Comparison
The source document is here:
http://www.faa.gov/regulations_polic...-FinalRule.pdf
Freight dogs were exempted under the customary 'no significant loss of life' waiver but the cargo airlines will be encouraged to participate voluntarily:
Another dispute in development of the rules was whether to apply the same rules to cargo pilots as pilots of commercial airliners. The FAA decided not to apply the rules to cargo pilots because of the costs to that industry, Huerta said.
LaHood said he would invite cargo executives to his office in 2012 and urge them to voluntarily adopt the changes.
"It was tough to implement it on cargo because of the cost-benefit to this," LaHood said.
LaHood said he would invite cargo executives to his office in 2012 and urge them to voluntarily adopt the changes.
"It was tough to implement it on cargo because of the cost-benefit to this," LaHood said.
Airbubba, Thank you.
I skimmed the FAA source doc. Must say I'd never looked at FAA FTLs before and was surprised that the standard rest seems to be 10hrs and not 12hrs.
By the time you unwind and have something to eat you're going to be a bit pushed to have 8hrs sleep and make pickup.
My last operation was 3 FD crew and a start from 0800-1259 gave us 14hrs FDP. Rest was the greater of 12hrs or the preceding FDP. Under certain circumstances that could be reduced.
I was interested to see the augmented crew long range ops FTL rules. I've forgotten what ours were.
Lets hope the boys and girls at least get themselves a crashpad near base. I knew one guy who slept in a VW camper in the staff car park.
I skimmed the FAA source doc. Must say I'd never looked at FAA FTLs before and was surprised that the standard rest seems to be 10hrs and not 12hrs.
By the time you unwind and have something to eat you're going to be a bit pushed to have 8hrs sleep and make pickup.
My last operation was 3 FD crew and a start from 0800-1259 gave us 14hrs FDP. Rest was the greater of 12hrs or the preceding FDP. Under certain circumstances that could be reduced.
I was interested to see the augmented crew long range ops FTL rules. I've forgotten what ours were.
Lets hope the boys and girls at least get themselves a crashpad near base. I knew one guy who slept in a VW camper in the staff car park.
Paxing All Over The World
Question from a pax: With all this great boasting from the FAA and it's politicians about "This new rule raises the safety bar to prevent fatigue."
Am I too cyncial to think that this just takes us back to how it was before? If so, when did rest times get squeezed? Or perhaps this really IS new?
Am I too cyncial to think that this just takes us back to how it was before? If so, when did rest times get squeezed? Or perhaps this really IS new?
PAXboy,
The current rules vary if you are flying domestically or international and on a schedule or charter. The basic domestic rule is you can fly 8 hours in a 16 hour duty period, 30 hours a week and must have a 24 hour block off every 7 days. Once you you go international there is no limit to the duty time except the 24/7 as long as the flight time is less than 8 in 24. With a F/E the international flight time goes up to 12 hours and again, no duty time limit.
The current rules vary if you are flying domestically or international and on a schedule or charter. The basic domestic rule is you can fly 8 hours in a 16 hour duty period, 30 hours a week and must have a 24 hour block off every 7 days. Once you you go international there is no limit to the duty time except the 24/7 as long as the flight time is less than 8 in 24. With a F/E the international flight time goes up to 12 hours and again, no duty time limit.
Paxing All Over The World
MarkerInbound Thanks for that. Are the current regs weaker (allow more work per month, say) than 20 years ago?
OldCessna Glad I'm not the only cynical one.
OldCessna Glad I'm not the only cynical one.
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Read the fine print...
It starts in 2 years
It starts in 2 years
I did noticed skimming through the doc that cargo carriers are excluded. But you see countless comments and recommendations, especially from UPS. I understand that they did not know that they would be excluded in the original document. But once the FAA established that cargo would be excluded they should have thrown out all recommendations and variation proposed by these cargo carriers.
If they are deemed not substantial enough to require inclusion, surely they are not substantial enough to oppose changes to the same regulations.
Anyway, you could also see some carriers rushing to these new rules. Some carriers will be able to do near-transcon turns, where as now they can't. Regionals will be hit the hardest due to the number of daily sectors combined with short layovers.
Having operated under FAA and CAP 371 (which are similar to these new FAA regs), I must say the FAA system was very outdated. Don't get me wrong, CAP is not perfect and you work hard, but some of the ridiculous duty periods you could achieve with the old FAA system are removed.
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Cargo Fatigue Exemptions
Someone should explain to the FAA that "no significant loss of life" with cargo operations should be extended to people on the ground. It may be news to the FAA that most airports are near large cities and that a crashed cargo plane does not only kill the flight crew. We can not always rely on the luck and skill of the pilots to land in the Hudson River or it's equivalent. Sooner or later a fatigued crew is going to do something dumb like using 250 tons instead of 350 tons as the aircraft's all up weight and with another hole in the cheese in the right place, crash in the middle of a city. Even with a wide body full of passengers the onboard death toll will be as nothing compared to the ground casualties. I have personal experience of extreme fatigue while soldiering and know what this does to a fit 20 year old. Never mind an elderly gent. with 20,000 hours of flight time.
There is, for practical purposes, an absolute ban on alcohol when flying because this is measurable. The equally dangerous and far more insidious effects of accumulated fatigue is not measurable. The only way to offset this is to have far more generous rest periods and to rely on the sense of responsibility of the individual pilot to use these properly. This only seems expensive until a heavy aircraft full of fuel lands on a population centre. To repeat the old cliche, " Safety is expensive, now cost the accident".
There is, for practical purposes, an absolute ban on alcohol when flying because this is measurable. The equally dangerous and far more insidious effects of accumulated fatigue is not measurable. The only way to offset this is to have far more generous rest periods and to rely on the sense of responsibility of the individual pilot to use these properly. This only seems expensive until a heavy aircraft full of fuel lands on a population centre. To repeat the old cliche, " Safety is expensive, now cost the accident".
Originally Posted by FAA
“Every pilot has a personal responsibility to arrive at work fit for duty...."
Now you do have to ask what the HR department and upper management of a carrier that engages personnel living so far from their regular place of work were thinking of.
I've heard of people living in Vancouver & positioning to UK then "immediately" operating a flight to Boston, let alone the numbers who live in france & operate out of the UK. I guess it is a world wide problem, which does not help the FTL cause.
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USA Transport Secretary Ray LaHood & FAA Administrator Michael Huerta...
These two air heads must actually be convinced that pilots flying cargo are less fatigued than pilots flying pax.
The air carrier industry can't get much dumber than this.
...One can only wonder if freighters will ever be assigned a cabin crew to ding-dong the cockpit every hour as they do on pax flights.
The air carrier industry can't get much dumber than this.
...One can only wonder if freighters will ever be assigned a cabin crew to ding-dong the cockpit every hour as they do on pax flights.