There are no rest rules that can ever address this, constant interruption of sleep cycles makes you fatigued. But legally rested has nothing to do with being alert and capable of not flying when fatigued. There is no way anyone who lives on their days off on a 7AM to 11PM wake cycle with their family, can now pick up three night of 11PM to 7AM flying and not be exhausted. I have been there and done that when I used to fly the Emery sort at KDAY, if you did not sleep in the cockpit, you did not survive. The biggest sham in Part 117, is no controlled napping in the cockpit like some int’l air carriers. I am betting a result of rules changes is going to be more time in hotels on the road in order to make guarantee.
Reminds me of my first trip after IOE, 1978 TransAmerican L-188 F/O coming out of the Emery sort at KDAY at 0200. We level off and the CA looks at me and says, "Why don't you kick back and get some rest” I answered "Oh no sir, my job to be fully alert to the safety of flight at all times" (or something stupid like that). He looks at his feet and shakes his head and says "I hate you new guys, you know I am gunna catch some rest on the next leg, and I won't rest well if I think you might not be alert" "If you am not rested I am a grumpy son-of -a-bitch, and you don't want to be around me when I am grumpy" "Now about you get some rest” I pretended to rest, I was too excited about being an airline pilot. That did not last long, the not resting part, I loved being an airline pilot. There is no way anyone who lives on their days off on a 7AM to 11PM wake cycle with their family, can now pick up three night of 11PM to 7AM flying and not be exhausted.
