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13 days off per quarter?

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BushwickBill

BushwickBill

Registered Abuser
Joined
Jul 13, 2005
Posts
822
Hey there.

I am trying to negotiate some time off into my schedule and would like some help finding the 13 days off per quarter rule.

I am pretty hard working and have really pulled through for the company so I feel comfortable asking for a better deal in terms of time off.

However it would be nice to have some legal backing for the issue. We haven't even come close to 13 days of per quarter over at least the last 2 quarters.

My understanding of the rule is that the days are not retroactive. IE they cant say oh well we didn't call yesterday so that was a day off.

Thanks for your help.
 
You're brave. Given how many pilots are looking for jobs, I would have waited for a different time to discuss the issue.
 
they cant assign you and you can't ACCEPT that duty.....you are liable for that. Better say something before someone rats you out.

If they give you crap about it then it aint worth working there.....
 
gret and brokeflyer are pretty much representing the two polar opposites of how you can look at this.

i requested time off in a calm rational manner. i didn't make any unrealistic demands and didn't ask for immediate action. I asked that I could have as many days off in a row as possible. so we will see what happens.

i am sitting on the fence and trying to take some positive action. although I am leaning more to the side of brokeflyer. i doubt the FAA will do anything positive to help the plight of pilots. I feel that I am however.

I feel like I am doing something positive to help aviation in general. I hope I am rewarded by doing a job I really enjoy and having a life outside of that job.

And brokeflyer I would love to work at Netjets or anyplace that had work rules HR or an employee manual. I dont. I hope that by trying to find a balance I will get skills that will take me there. without falling asleep behind the wheel after a ********************ty charter in ********************ty weather.

gret ******************** yeah im scared bro. tons of guys on the street. plus all the posers who will do it for free. lets just say im a student of history and i am aware of the moment i am in. i still have a backbone but i am very very concerned.

we'll see.
 
You may not have an HR department and defined work rules but FARs are FARs. You wouldn't bust minimums because the job market is tight, would you?
 
you can always find another job, gettin all your ratings back after the FAA takes them for violations?

a bit tougher.

what is your normal schedule anyway?......
 
You don't need to request time-off that is provided for by the regs!

But if your company is busting this rule, then they are also likely forging the duty-time reports, as your POI would easily catch the discrepancy.

Sounds pretty dirt-bag to me!
 
If you being forced to break the regs, don't do it.

However, it appears that you are trying to negotiate a "better deal" than what you already have, rather than getting your employer in compliance.
 
Huh?

gret said:
If you being forced to break the regs, don't do it.

However, it appears that you are trying to negotiate a "better deal" than what you already have, rather than getting your employer in compliance.
Click to expand...

Can you please clarify gret? First of all I'm not sure what kind of deal I have at the moment. Of course more time off is better in a lot of ways. Primarily if I am ever asked about my duty times I will know I am in compliance with all of the regs. Also, I wont fall asleep on the way home from work behind the wheel or suffer from other forms of stress and fatigue if I can plan my rest schedule. This is most likely why the rule is in place.

I am only asking for the FAA minimum scheduled time off per quarter. Again please let me know how this is a "better deal" or even a "good deal" to begin with.
 
Last edited:
I will try and answer everyone's posts.

I can always find another job? Not likely not at this point in our countries history anyway.

In terms of operating legally: I think Im doing a good job so far. I try and stay up to date on the 135 regs and I am always trying to complete the mission safely and legally with customer service in mind.

I am of course always learning and this is part of the learning process. I am asking that the company abide by the 135 rule that requires I have 13 scheduled days off per quarter. I'm asking in a professional manner without making demands or threats. I am also using it as an opportunity to show management how hard I have been working and will continue to do so.

Dirt bag? Well we are a small 135 operation and have not let any pilots go during hard times. So I think we are a good company. However we have had to change a lot of our practices lately to make money and this has resulted in a terrible schedule for the pilots.

Basically we have a 24/7 on call schedule at all times. The duty times are recorded by pilots. The POI has inspected our duty times often and has not mentioned scheduled time off or any important questions. Or my company is lying to the POI and the pilots about what is being reported to the FAA. I doubt this. I just think these rules are not enforced.

Also, do you think the FAA would get me in trouble for duty regs? I have tried to make a change in a challenging economy without any support from the other pilots. I haven't even told any of them I was going to ask. The last time I did they asked me not to say anything because they are worried about the economy. So I am going at it alone for now.
 
Have you considered asking, in any given week, "When will be my scheduled day off in the next week?". When they say none for 11 consecutive weeks, then the next week ask "Which one of the next 14 days do you want me to be on flight/standby because the other 13 days I will be taking off."
 
Your original post said-

"I am pretty hard working and have really pulled through for the company so I feel comfortable asking for a better deal in terms of time off."

I read this to mean you were getting your time off, but you wanted something better. If I misunderstood, I'm sorry.
 
brokeflyer said:
you do realize that if you are "on-call" 24/7 and they dont use you, that day just became a scheduled day off.
Click to expand...


WRONG!!!!!!
Scheduled days off MUST be PROSPECTIVE not retrospective. I don't have the desire to find the reference as it has been re-hashed, here and on other boards, numerous times.
But LEGALLY your statement is false. However, I will agree that in practice this happens all the time.
 
BushwickBill said:
I am only asking for the FAA minimum scheduled time off per quarter.
Click to expand...
Keep a paper trail in the form of email communications. Nobody should be in a position where they have to "ask" for their minimum required days off. If the questions are dodged or go unanswered after a period of time which you feel is appropriate, go ask the POI to help clarify the issue.
 
rice said:
WRONG!!!!!!
Scheduled days off MUST be PROSPECTIVE not retrospective. I don't have the desire to find the reference as it has been re-hashed, here and on other boards, numerous times.
But LEGALLY your statement is false. However, I will agree that in practice this happens all the time.
Click to expand...

WRONG!!!!

it don't say that in the reg......it says (f) The certificate holder must provide each flight crewmember at least 13 rest periods of at least 24 consecutive hours each in each calendar quarter.

That is for "unscheduled".

You are thinking of "scheduled" operations......those need to be prospective.

I know what your saying though, it's the same as leaving a pilot at home waiting for a trip, they call that time "rest" but in reality if you are available to be called then you are not "off"...you are "on".

They just never enforce it because of all the grey areas.
 
brokeflyer said:
WRONG!!!!

it don't say that in the reg......it says (f) The certificate holder must provide each flight crewmember at least 13 rest periods of at least 24 consecutive hours each in each calendar quarter.

That is for "unscheduled".

You are thinking of "scheduled" operations......those need to be prospective.

I know what your saying though, it's the same as leaving a pilot at home waiting for a trip, they call that time "rest" but in reality if you are available to be called then you are not "off"...you are "on".

They just never enforce it because of all the grey areas.
Click to expand...

"We have consistently interpreted
that if a standby or reserve pilot has a present responsibility to work if called, then he is on
duty because he is not free from restraint. Thus, the time a flight crewmember is on reserve
or standby status, with an obligation to report for a flight assignment if called or paged, is
not rest."
 

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