Article on FAA Rest Rules

[ABXbooger]

OK all, we have all flown these schedules, enough is enough. Great article pointing fingers. This NEEDS to be passed WITHOUT exemptions. I personally invite Inhofe along on any one of my flights after getting 4-6 hours of sleep, etc.

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-10-25/pilots-flying-troops-work-long-hours-as-charter-carriers-fight-rest-rules.html

 

[thunderworm]

I like how they say 81% of the flights could not be completed under the new rules. They would be completed if the company hired more pilots and positioned them for the flight. Just a bunch of BS. No one else in the world has this horrible rest rules.

 

[cynic]

I think the market will dictate rest rules just fine. We need fewer regulations not more!

 

[ABXbooger]

The market, or a planeload of America's finest citizens not making it home after their third deployment to wherever. Thats wht will make it right!

No ones bitching that the average pax needs these common sense protections, but the soldiers, etc. must not be worth a little extra rest or hiring a few more pilots, huh?

 

[pilotyip]

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.

 

[lionflyer]

Considering what $$$ these charter companies make for military contracts, I don't feel sorry for them.

 

[Birddog]

There are no rest rules that can ever address this, constant interruption of sleep cycles makes you fatigued.

Thats odd, many other countries in the world seem to have come up with rest rules that do a better job of addressing the issues of long haul flying better than the 121 supplemental rules do. It is almost like no one in this country has ever tried to do better.

 

[pilotyip]

Thats odd, many other countries in the world seem to have come up with rest rules that do a better job of addressing the issues of long haul flying better than the 121 supplemental rules do. It is almost like no one in this country has ever tried to do better.

Yes there is room for improvement, the counting double duty from 0100-0500, or something like that, is a good idea. Part of the fatigue solution is allowing controlled napping in the cockpit like foreign carriers, as opposed to uncontrolled napping in US Cockpit. However we won't allow that. But there is no way you fly around the world and continually be at peak without more rest away from home.

 

[Nevergreen]

I think the market will dictate rest rules just fine. We need fewer regulations not more!

We just need to replace the current rules with updated scientific rules.

No additional regulations needed. The current number of regs for FT/DT can remain. In fact, if the regs are made industry standard the number of FT/DT regs can be reduced.

 

[HA25]

I think the market will dictate rest rules just fine. We need fewer regulations not more!

wow, really? Just like market works well in China for dictating work weeks and work days... maybe you're right. /sigh