Q-23. How do you determine when the required rest period begins and ends?
A-23. The rest period begins when you are released from duty and ends when you
report for duty. It is not computed based upon block times.
Q-24. Is the time required for transportation to the hotel and back to the airport, as well as
the time required to check into the hotel, considered a part of the rest period?
A-24. Yes. It is permissible to include local transportation and time checking into
the hotel as part of the required rest period.
Q-25. A flight crewmember is co-domiciled at SNA and LAX which means he/she may
start at LAX and end at SNA. He/she must then commute to his/her home. Can the
time spent in traveling from a co-domicile be counted as part of a rest period?
A-25. Yes. The time a pilot spends in traveling between his/her residence and an
airport out of which he/she is to operate, or from that airport to his residence, is
considered “transportation that is local in nature” and may be considered as “rest”
for purposes of flight time limitations.
Q-26. How much time must a carrier allow to perform pre-flight duties (report time) and
post-flight duties (release time)?
A-26. The FAA has steadfastly refused to establish a standard time for pre- and
post-flight duties. However, the generally accepted times are one hour for
pre-flight duties and 15 minutes for post-flight duties. Some carriers have
reduced these times without the FAA objecting. Pre-flight duties are
required under FAR 91.103.
Q-27. Can deadheading be considered a part of a rest period?
A-27. No. Deadheading is not considered to be “transportation that is local in
nature” and, therefore, is not considered part of a rest period.
Q-28. If I am scheduled to fly more than eight hours but less than nine hours in a 24-hour
period, and scheduled for a reduced rest of eight hours, must the eight-hour rest be
increased to nine hours if I actually exceed my scheduled time and fly over nine
hours?
A-28. No. The minimum rest and compensatory rest a pilot must receive is based
upon scheduled flight time and not actual flight time.
Q-29. If I am given a reduced rest on Day One, when must my compensatory rest begin?
A-29. The compensatory rest must begin no later than 24 hours after the
commencement of the reduced rest. Thus, if a crewmember were to be
released from duty for purposes of a reduced rest at 2000 hours on a given
day, he/she would have to be released for his/her compensatory rest no later
than 2000 hours the next day. This is an absolute time, not a scheduled
time. Therefore, if a compensatory rest was scheduled to begin within 24
hours, but due to unanticipated delays completion of the assigned flights
will extend beyond 2000 hours, the crewmember must be released to begin
the compensatory rest.
Q-30. I have a compensatory period that must begin at 2000 hours. My flights are
scheduled to terminate prior to 2000 hours. However, on the last segment of the
day after blocking out, the flight was given a ground hold. When finally cleared for
departure, because of the delay, the arrival time would be after 2000 hours. Can I
fly the last segment?
A-30. No. A crewmember cannot accept an assignment that would encroach upon
the compensatory rest period. The compensatory rest period must begin not
later than 24 hours after the start of a reduced rest. This is an absolute and
not scheduled time. The only exception is if the delay in the arrival occurs
“enroute” on the last segment.
Q-31. A flight crewmember is scheduled for a reduced eight-hour rest, but due to
circumstances beyond the control of the carrier, the crewmember’s flight is delayed.
Under these circumstances can the carrier shorten the reduced rest in order to meet
the scheduled departure time?
A-31. No. The minimum (reduced) rest cannot be further reduced below eight
hours under any circumstances, and the departure time of the flight must be
rescheduled to permit the minimum rest.
Q-32. I have been scheduled to fly eight hours and then scheduled to deadhead for one
hour to my domicile to begin my rest period. Can I accept this schedule?
A-32. Yes. Deadheading is not considered duty aloft or rest. Therefore, you can
deadhead to begin your rest, but the deadhead time cannot count as part of
your rest period.
Q-33. I had a reduced rest on Day One of my trip, which began at 2000 hours. On Day
Two, I complete my scheduled flying at 19:30 hours and then I am scheduled to
deadhead for one hour to my domicile to begin a compensatory rest. Can I accept
this schedule?
A-33. No. The situation differs from the preceding example because the rest on
Day Two is compensatory and must begin no later than 2000 hours. Since
deadhead is not rest, you would not be able to begin your rest at the required
time.
Q-34. I am scheduled for a nine-hour rest with a report time of 0600. However, the air
carrier requires that I answer the phone beginning at 0500. Is the hour I am
required to answer the phone counted as rest?
A-34. No. If the air carrier imposes an obligation to answer the phone, it is a
present responsibility for work and is not rest.
Q-35. Can the air carrier call me once during my designated rest period either to give me
an assignment or to change my rest period?
A-35. Yes. The FAA has consistently interpreted Section 121.471(e) to mean that
a certificate holder can contact a flight crewmember one time during a
required rest period. Once contact is made, it cannot be made again without
interrupting the rest period. That interruption would restart the required rest
period. However, the flight crewmember is under no obligation to answer
the telephone or contact the air carrier during a rest period.
Q-36. After 24 hours free of duty, I am scheduled to report at 0800 and fly less than eight
hours before being released at 23:30 for a reduced rest. I am scheduled to report at
0800 on Day Two. Can I accept this assignment?
A-36. No. Looking back 24 hours from 23:30, you have had only 8:30 of rest.
Therefore, you must have a compensatory rest of 10 hours at the end of Day
One. Your report time of 0800 would have to be delayed to 0930 in order to
accept this schedule.
Q-37. I blocked in from a flight and was ordered to report for random drug/alcohol testing
which took an hour to complete. Is this hour considered duty for the air carrier?
A-37. Yes, it is duty and cannot be considered as rest.
Q-37a. I was scheduled for a reduced 8-hour rest to begin at 2200 hours with a report time
of 0600 the following morning. However, after blocking in I was ordered to
undergo random drug/alcohol testing which was not completed until 2245 hours at
which time I was released. Can I still report at 0600 hours?
A-37a. No. You must have a minimum rest of 8 hours and your rest did not begin
until 2245 hours. Therefore, your report time must be delayed to 0645
hours.
