Is the industry practice of factoring flying hours silently killing us!
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2017
Location: Lost in space
Posts: 8
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Is the industry practice of factoring flying hours silently killing us!
FAA, EASA, GULF STATES, CASA...
Which of these authorities sanctions factoring of flying duty hours, to allow us to operate crew duties beyond 900 hours per calendar year, and 1000 hours in any 12 month period!
If the whole idea of imposing limitations on flying duty hours, due the fatiguing nature of our profession, is to take into account disturbance to our circadian rhythm, then how is it possible for any authority to permit operators to legally schedule us beyond the above stated limits?
Ah,well!..they say....it's because, as a double crew, you are not at the controls for the whole flight.. Therefore, when you are part of the reinforcing crew, allowing an extension to the normal single flight duty period, we only have to take into account your time at the controls, when assessing your annual total!
Hmmmm..so let me get this right!
I operated the outbound longhaul flight, crossing countless time zones. On arrival, had the best rest that I could manage, due my circadian rhythm disruption, then operated the return sector as relief crew B, another longhaul flight, back across the time zones - and you are allowed to count only 50% of the return sector time when calculating my annual total?
So,what you are saying is that the return sector only disturbs my circadian rhythm by 50%, when compared with the outbound sector, therefore we do not need to count it in its entirety.
Does anybody else smell a rat here?
Do the authorities really allow this to happen under their very noses!
Of course, there will be those who are happy to take the extra money that may come with it, in which case,who cares about our long term health...a point that the beancounters are well aware of, and possibly our greatest Achilles heel!
Which of these authorities sanctions factoring of flying duty hours, to allow us to operate crew duties beyond 900 hours per calendar year, and 1000 hours in any 12 month period!
If the whole idea of imposing limitations on flying duty hours, due the fatiguing nature of our profession, is to take into account disturbance to our circadian rhythm, then how is it possible for any authority to permit operators to legally schedule us beyond the above stated limits?
Ah,well!..they say....it's because, as a double crew, you are not at the controls for the whole flight.. Therefore, when you are part of the reinforcing crew, allowing an extension to the normal single flight duty period, we only have to take into account your time at the controls, when assessing your annual total!
Hmmmm..so let me get this right!
I operated the outbound longhaul flight, crossing countless time zones. On arrival, had the best rest that I could manage, due my circadian rhythm disruption, then operated the return sector as relief crew B, another longhaul flight, back across the time zones - and you are allowed to count only 50% of the return sector time when calculating my annual total?
So,what you are saying is that the return sector only disturbs my circadian rhythm by 50%, when compared with the outbound sector, therefore we do not need to count it in its entirety.
Does anybody else smell a rat here?
Do the authorities really allow this to happen under their very noses!
Of course, there will be those who are happy to take the extra money that may come with it, in which case,who cares about our long term health...a point that the beancounters are well aware of, and possibly our greatest Achilles heel!
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: N/A
Posts: 21
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Well said NoApu. A very important and sensitive topic that airlines and authorities would of course pay lip service to; but when the math is done there'll be stony silence because any solution would be a cost over and above the existing model. There's no discussion because most are resigned to accepting that that's the way it is. A lot of airlines even give the carrot of paying full flight pay throughout the sector regardless of operating or not. This is enough to placate most. Some colleagues are also blessed with the ability to sleep anywhere, anytime. But for a significant number little to no sleep is achieved, in some cases only compounding an existing level of fatigue. This has negative implications on health, stress quality of life and of course longevity. I'll leave the any possible solutions to others; but I strongly agree with the TS that all heavy crew duty hours should be counted fully and not factored with regard to annual and monthly flying limits.
Since you ask it as a question, the FAA 12 month (or 365 day for passenger operations) limitation of 1000 hours does not change based on the number of flight crew members. The 30 and 90 day limits are bumped up a bit for augmented crews.
